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With a string of British TV channels embroiled in a scandal over phone-in shows, BBC boss Mark Thompson said on Sunday it was vital to rebuild public trust in interactive programmes.
"I think this has been a wake-up call for the industry", BBC Director-General Mark Thompson said. Last week, the BBC's iconic children's show "Blue Peter" said it had faked a phone-in competition, becoming the latest programme to be mired in controversy over premium rate number phone-in shows. In a BBC television interview, Thompson said: "I don't believe there is a pattern of misleading the public."
Pledging to review BBC guidelines and programme practices, he said: "The centrepiece for us is about re-establishing trust ... Trust is the foundation on which everything else is built."
Blue Peter viewers had been asked to phone the show on a premium rate number last November for a chance to win a toy, with proceeds going towards a UN Children's Fund appeal.
Each call cost 10 pence with 3.25 pence going to charity and the BBC making no profit. But telephone operators had technical problems which meant they could not get information to studio staff. As a result, a member of staff asked a child who was visiting the studio to phone the programme and give the answer on air.
The child then won the competition. The embarrassing Blue Peter revelation, which came to light after a tip-off from a viewer, comes as British TV is snared in controversy over phone-in quizzes and how viewers are charged.
ITV, Britain's biggest commercial broadcaster, Channel 4 and Channel 5 have all suspended some premium rate interactive services after problems emerged.
The issue first came to light on ITV's popular "Richard and Judy" show where viewers were asked to ring a one-pound-a-time quiz to take part even though contestants had already been chosen.

Copyright Reuters, 2007

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