Channel 4's "Deal or No Deal" quiz fined

LONDON, Aug 9 (Reuters) Regulators today fined Channel 4's ''Deal or No Deal'' quiz show 30,000 pounds for misleading viewers taking part in a phone-in competition.

Premium rate regulator ICSTIS imposed the fine on the show's phone service provider iTouch.

It said the competition was unfair because contestants calling earlier to guess the amount of cash in one of three sealed boxes had greater chance of winning.

ITouch selected winners at 10-minute intervals during the show, giving those calling towards the end of the programme a slimmer chance of success.

The regulator also found that some viewers of the Noel Edmonds-hosted show may have been induced to take part because they thought it was broadcast live, whereas it was actually pre-recorded.

However, ICSTIS found that overall the breaches of its code of practice only constituted ''moderate consumer harm.'' The fine, which came with a formal reprimand, it is the latest penalty imposed on a television quiz show for deceiving viewers.

A string of phone-in related scandals have tarnished reputations across the UK television industry.

Last month ICSTIS fined the company responsible for the ''You Say, We Pay'' phone-in competition on Channel 4's Richard and Judy show a record 150,000 pounds.

Channel 4 said an internal review had uncovered the problems with the way iTouch selected winners for the ''Deal or No Deal'' quiz and that this procedure had now been changed.

The broadcaster had itself brought the issue to the attention of ICSTIS. It said iTouch would not be appealing the regulator's ruling.

Last week Channel 4 announced it was dropping all but one of its premium-rate phone-in competitions.

REUTERS AE BST2321