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Grade: I'm not ashamed of phone lines controversy
Last updated at 12:37pm on 07.03.07ITV executive chairman Michael Grade insisted today he was "not ashamed" of anything as he promised his channel's controversial premium-rate phone lines would return.
He said the suspension of the interactive services was a temporary measure while ITV conducted a review of its systems amid the row over television phone-ins.
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No shame: Michael Grade says the phone lines controversy at ITV has been 'examined'
"What has happened is the internal regulations, external regulations haven't kept pace with the speed of growth," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.
"So we decided to call time out, examine our systems - trust is the most important thing."
He went on: "The premium phone bits on programmes will come back and the public reassured, we have examined it and our compliance procedures are immaculate."
The independent review was launched after it emerged that ITV overcharged X Factor viewers to the tune of £200,000 in an interactive vote blunder.
Other programmes affected include This Morning and Loose Women on ITV1, which both feature paid-for competitions.
But Mr Grade maintained today: "I'm not ashamed of anything we do, I'm not ashamed of the fact that viewers enjoy participating in programmes.
"It's part of the staple our viewers enjoy. We must make sure that we manage the systems properly."
He also highlighted a "lack of innovation" in programming today after the announcement of a sharp fall in ITV's annual profits.
Two months into his role as executive chairman, Mr Grade said he had developed more positive impressions than negative ones about ITV, adding that most of the problems were within the control of the company to remedy.
In annual results published today, ITV said net advertising revenues fell 8 per cent during the year to £1.49 billion, with the figure for flagship channel ITV1 £181 million lower at £1.28 billion.
Strong growth from the broadcaster's digital channels helped offset some of the weakness at ITV1.
Underlying earnings for the year were down to £375 million from £460 million, with bottom-line pre-tax profits off by £23 million at £288 million.
Reader views (1)
Fraud is not a word one bands around lightly. I am not surprised that ITV are being accused of fraud and cheating the public out of their hard-earned cash - from the telephone premium rate scam.
I should know what they are like as it was me who first approached them with the original idea for the interactive premium rate telephone programmes.
ITV, along with others, later-on in time lied and cheated me out of my concepts, and ideas and are now having to pay a small price for their deceit. Of course, I have not received my percentage, yet.
- Baccini, Bedfordshire, UK
