Memorandum submitted by Ann Tomsett
I am very glad to see in the Financial Mail
on Sunday that you are to chair a committee to discuss Quiz Shows.
One evening I joined in when the prize was £25,000,
convinced I had the answer but every call was a negative reply.
My Telewest bill was £140, not the usual £60. I had
not realised I had phoned so intensely. That night I continued
to watch out of interest, but was astonished when the show went
off air (after three hours) and no one had won the prize and no
answer was given either. It was then that I realised the whole
thing was a scam to raise funds for failing TV companies.
I made inquiries as to where I could complain.
I am a person of average intelligence, but there are many who
have not even that and I could see great hardship with paying
bills coming to the more vulnerable. Especially as Telewest does
give out small prizes of between £100 to £800—to
cover themselves.
I wrote to Ofcom and told them pretty much what
I mentioned here and I am very pleased that letters like mine
are being taken up and done something about.
2 November 2006
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