Audiovisual and radio competitions that encourage the use of premium-rate services
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Arcom has been alerted to the conditions under which several radio and TV programs have encouraged their listeners and viewers to use premium rate services as part of on-air competitions.
It examined the programs Les Grandes Gueules, N'oubliez pas les paroles, Affaire conclue, Les 12 coups de midi, Petits plats en équilibre and Pékin Express : duos de chocs, respectively shown from March 7 to April 1, 2022, May 9, 2022 and September 21, 2022.
Following this review, Arcom :
- warned the service editor RMC against a renewed breach of article 3-3 of its agreement (lack of information on the cost of a contest);
- sent letters to TF1, France 2 and M6 service editors, informing them of the breaches observed and reminding them of their obligations to protect viewers in the event of such contests involving an incentive to use premium-rate services (possibility of obtaining a refund not displayed in characters identical to those of the service number ; confusion between two surcharged contests, with viewers not informed about one of them; viewers not clearly informed of their right to obtain reimbursement of communication and correspondence costs incurred);
- sent a letter to all radio and television service editors, reminding them of the regulations applicable to audiovisuel and radio competitions involving the use of premium-rate services.