Channel 4 dumps Quiz Call

As reported in yesterday's Broadcast magazine, Channel 4 is quickly distancing itself from the highly controversial Quiz TV market.

^{Published on 20th October 2006 at 14:52 by Brian Butterworth}
As reported in yesterday's Broadcast magazine, Channel 4 is quickly distancing itself from the highly controversial Quiz TV market.

In the last month, following investigations in newspapers such as The Times and the Glasgow Sunday Mail, the regulators Ofcom and ICSTIS have started looking into complaints that the channels are simply a form of TV lottery, rather than a game of skill.

A Channel 4 spokesperson confirmed that the channel is in advanced talks with a third party to dispose of Ostrich Media Limited, a subsidiary of Channel 4 that produces Quiz Call, its transactional TV channel.

The spokesperson told UK Free TV, "In the 14 months since Quiz Call launched the transactional TV market has become increasingly competitive, and Channel 4 no longer believes that the opportunity exists for it to make significant profits from call TV in the UK. The international market for call TV is growing and we believe the business has a better chance of expanding in the hands of a third party with experience of operating outside the UK. We are exploring a number of strategic uses for the Freeview slot currently occupied by Quiz Call and have therefore taken the decision to sell the business."

One complaint has been that the new, highly popular movie channel Film4 will not be available after switchover for people who currently cannot receive Freeview, as the channel is not carried on one of the public service multiplexes.

With the removal of Quiz Call from Freeview, it would seem to make sense to move the Film4 channel to multiplex 2, which will increase the number of homes that can watch it (slightly now, hugely in the coming years). I would expect the vacated slot to be used for a More4+1 service, or perhaps a Film4+1 service.

See also: Do we need quiz channels?

Update, 3 November 2006: Channel 4 announced today that QuizCall will be removed from Freeview on November 15th, and will be replaced in the short term by Film4+1. In the longer term they will be launching a new channel.

What sort of new channel would you like to see from Channel 4?

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ITV: Ten million fake premium rate calls
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Your comments are always welcome. Please use the form below to add your thoughts or questions to this page. We will get back to you as soon as we can.

Transferring Film 4 to Multiplex2 would be great. I live in a weak reception area but receive channels on Multiplex2, Currently, I cannot receive Film 4

Posted by RON SEARLE (2 posts) on Tuesday 31 October 2006 5:05PM

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Hello Briantist, I am trying to find out why I dont get film 4. My postcode is GU179AA and my signal strenghth is full 10 on channel 29. but i just get a black screen. the info button does tell me the film i am missing. i dont really understand about the multiplexs but if theres something i might need to change on my matsui dv3 box please help me.

I have pre-ordered a new topup tv box in the hope that it will solve this problem but if not i will be wasting my money.

Chri.

Posted by vicpine (3 posts) on Tuesday 31 October 2006 11:37PM

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Please try this My Freeview box has no EPG, is missing Film4 or the channel line up is wrong

Posted by Briantist platinum

(21,369 posts) on Wednesday 1 November 2006 11:58AM

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Hurray, the death of at least one of those useless TV Quiz shows that really annoy me. Most of them are rigged to make sure the company make the money back on the phones. I also notice that Channel 4 got done for breaking the rules regarding the fact it has to be advertised properly, I can think of a number of companies that break that rule. The worst one is when they say they've got no callers on TV and when you call you get the message to tell you that you haven't been selected as it's too busy, how can you not be selected when they've got no callers?? That is false advertising and all of them do it.

Posted by TheKLF99 (2 posts) on Thursday 2 November 2006 8:02AM

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Channel 4 announced today that QuizCall will be removed from Freeview on November 15th, and will be replaced in the short term by More4+1. In the longer term they will be launching a new channel.

Posted by Briantist platinum

(21,369 posts) on Friday 3 November 2006 5:50PM

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According to http://community.channel4.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/3696002921/m/1950058466 it will be Film4+1, not More4+1

Posted by Briantist platinum

(21,369 posts) on Saturday 4 November 2006 6:34PM

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Insiders ( whistle blowers ) have confirmed that there are many scams pulled on Quiz Call. They knew beforehand that no-one would get through because they neglected to even accept any calls. Therefor those that paid for an entry at 75p per minute should demand money back. This evening, 7th Nove. From 8pm there was a quiz, programmes starting with S. This had till I stopped checking been on for 5 hours. Taking calls, But only two right answers out of fourteen. This may go on till 3am, Making a vast profit for this scam quiz. They have become so greedy and also feed off of the greed and dysfuntionality of viewers.

Posted by Anthony Rodgers (2 posts) on Wednesday 8 November 2006 12:20AM

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i like to see sky one on freeview 24hrs a day more people will buy freeviews boxes than ever before and please take the shopping channals off they are just a waste of channal space

Posted by william fox (3 posts) on Monday 13 November 2006 8:22PM

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Sky one is a subscription channel, and forms part of Sky's package of subscription channels, and is unlikely to appear on Freeview.

Posted by Briantist platinum

(21,369 posts) on Tuesday 14 November 2006 1:04PM

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my wife won 400.00 pounds on this show on November 30th 2006-after repeated phone calls to the customer services dept she still has not recieved any payment-all they do is give her the run around on the phone-twice they have said a cheque has been sent but it never arrives.
How can they get away with this on national tv.?

Posted by tyrone chard (1 post) on Thursday 25 January 2007 9:27AM

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tyrone chard: which channel was this on?

Posted by Briantist platinum

(21,369 posts) on Thursday 25 January 2007 9:45AM

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Quiz call should be made to explain how mathmatical and picture puzzles were worked out.

Posted by Andrew Day (1 post) on Sunday 18 February 2007 11:12PM

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Andrew Day: indeed, all puzzles. But, as pointed out today in Media Guardian, the channels are there because the broadcasters have "to use every part of its secdule to maxiumum effect"

Posted by Briantist platinum

(21,369 posts) on Monday 19 February 2007 10:04AM

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Not only are the phone charges a rip off (and bear in mind you'll rarely get through first time, it usually takes a few goes) but so are the quizzes themselves.

For instance, can someone explain how the answer to 'add together all the numbers - number of wheels on five taxis, six plus sixteen, numbers on a telephone keypad' - comes to something in excess of 10500?

Posted by david (1 post) on Friday 9 March 2007 10:47AM

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they are bastards

Posted by jake (1 post) on Monday 26 March 2007 6:59PM

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Marketing News: Channel 4 and Five TV quizzes break Ofcom rules - MarketingWeek

Posted by Briantist platinum

(21,369 posts) on Monday 26 March 2007 10:04PM

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Hi there.
I watch ITV 1, 2, 3 and 4 but after
1 AM they all show this rediculous
Quiz Call with these moron presenters shouting the odds inviting the use of
0901 and 0906 high premium rip off phone numbers. I find these shows irritating and objectionable to say the least. I would say that only gullible idiots and low life use these quiz calls and I would ask the Government to totally ban these shows and make them illegal A.S.A.P.

Posted by E. V. Clutcher (2 posts) on Saturday 20 October 2007 1:21AM

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In one half hour period last night Channel 5 received over 20,000 calls. It "selected" one roughly every 2 minutes, none of which won a prize.
The programme lasted 5 hours. A nice little earner ! !

Posted by Kenneth Newton (1 post) on Saturday 19 January 2008 11:40AM

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