The show ‘Call in Today?’ is produced by Telemedia InteracTV, a Hungarian company believed to be the world’s largest producer of interactive shows.
MTV launched the show in October 2007. Callers are charged NT$20 (US$0.58) per voice or text response and the first to answer correctly wins a cash prize.
MTV launched the show in October 2007. Callers are charged NT$20 (US$0.58) per voice or text response and the first to answer correctly wins a cash prize.
Consumers believe the payout is too low, said Angela Lee, chief of the broadcasting content division, National Communications Commission.
“The show has generated 30 million consumer responses, which at NT$20 per call or text message, would produce income of NT$600 million,” said Lee. “But the regularly awarded prizes are only a few thousand NT dollars, and the grand drawings are only tens of thousands.”
On February 25, the NCC turned the case over to local authorities for investigation.
“MTV Networks has become aware that Media United, its Taiwanese licensee responsible for the MTV Taiwan show titled ‘Call In Today’ has recently been a subject of claims of fraudulent practices,” said a spokesperson at MTV Networks Asia. “MTV Networks is working closely with Media United to investigate the claims made against it.”
In a 2006 interview in the New York Times, Telemedia InteracTV founder and chairman Jeno Torocsik, said the money is split more or less equally between his company, the TV station, the telecoms and the game show winners.
The MTV Networks Asia spokesperson added: “MTV Networks does not gain any profit from the show and the game nor is involved in any kind of arrangement between Media United and Telemedia InteracTV. The deal solely rests between MTVN’s licensee Media United who operates and runs the business for MTV Taiwan channel and Telemedia InteracTV.”
