Watchdog criticises TalkSport over George Galloway contest

TalkSport has been criticised by media regulator Ofcom after a competition on the talk station's George Galloway show was ruled to have been conducted unfairly. The UTV-owned station has been summoned to a meeting with Ofcom to discuss its compliance policy after a listener complaint revealed problems with the competition to win a copy of Galloway's book, The Fidel Castro Handbook. Ofcom said it was "concerned" that listener entries to the phone-in and premium-rate text message competition had been missed or ignored. The winning entry was read out on air at 12.50am on 20 November 2009 but an Ofcom investigation revealed that several listeners had already phoned in or texted with the correct answer. The prize was later given to a second listener because the winner had won the prize the previous week. TalkSport said the feature was not intended to be a "formal competition". But Ofcom responded that "broadcast competitions are features in which the audience is invited to enter by any means for the opportunity to win any prize, irrespective of its value". The regulator said it was "concerned at the apparently casual way in which entries submitted by text message and email were checked". A further five clues and solicits to enter the competition were broadcast by TalkSport "after a winning answer had been submitted", Ofcom added. "Ofcom was particularly concerned about the financial detriment suffered by entrants, the scale of which was unclear," the regulator said. "In addition, Ofcom was disappointed that TalkSport did not appear to intend providing a refund procedure for reimbursement of those entrants who had been affected. "Ofcom found no evidence that TalkSport sought to mislead listeners deliberately. Nevertheless, it appeared to us that there were insufficient procedures in place to ensure the competition's compliance with rule 2.11 [on the conduct of fair competitions]. "We are particularly concerned with TalkSport's view that the promotion and operation of this competition raised no compliance issues. Ofcom is therefore requiring the licensee to attend a meeting to discuss its compliance procedures in relation to the conduct of listener competitions." • To contact the MediaGuardian news desk email [email protected] or phone 020 3353 3857. For all other inquiries please call the main Guardian switchboard on 020 3353 2000. • If you are writing a comment for publication, please mark clearly "for publication".