Icstis give broadcasters two weeks

Regulator Icstis has outlined a range of measures to help restore public confidence in premium rate phone service used in TV.

Following talks with broadcasters and producers this morning, the Icstis chairman, Sir Alistair Graham, said his priority was to ensure viewers got a "fair deal" all the main broadcasters had reported irregularities with premium-rate phone-ins and interactive services.

New rules include the setting up of a monitoring system to inspect participation TV programmes and to ensure phone-ins and interactive services are being run fairly.

Rules of participation TV competitions should also be published in a "complete, accurate and easily understood" format, including on broadcasters' websites. A new licensing regime will be put in place for premium-rate service providers within three months, defining responsibility for their operation.

Icstis is also considering an industry-wide "trustmark" for such services, in order to help build public trust in participation TV.

A letter will go out to broadcasters by the end of Monday asking them "to carry out a review of current and forthcoming participation TV programming to ensure there's no risk of consumer harm".

He added that he expected the findings to be relayed to Icstis within two weeks.

ITV and Five have both suspended premium phone services until a full review is completed.