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RTE Cashing in on child for easy revenue

I read with incredulity the Sunday Tribune Article of August 7th 2005 in relation to RTE phone-ins target kids. As a parent of two and PRO of NPAVSCC I must take issue with Bride Rosney, spokesperson for RTE who stated that

"It's not up to RTE to supervise how children spend their money."

Where do I begin? ! The fact that they are being exploited financially is not something teenagers automatically think of when they are tearing to enter a competition for tickets to see Samantha Mumba or who ever is the current wow on the music scene. . This is why I believe RTE should support parents and young people by not facilitating such exploitation. through exorbitant call charges.

As a national broadcaster RTE would do well to read the BBC Editorial Guidelines in relation to Telephone Services and Children & consent. Under Section 15 and Telephone Services it states

"We should normally ensure that premium rate calls are priced at the lowest tariff. They should not normally be used to generate a profit with the exception of BBC charity appeals.

We must prompt children to seek permission to call from the bill payer."

Also under Section 9 and Children editorial principles it states

"We must ensure that children and young people are not caused unnecessary anxiety and distress by their involvement in programmes or by their broadcast."

The principle of not using children to generate profit which guides the BBC does not seem to have travelled across the water and into RTE's editorial bowels which allowed 87 premium rate phone-in competitions on the Den in 2004. These calls ranged from 25c to 95c per minute. As stated in your paper last Sunday, the Den had significantly more premium RTE services than any other RTE programme last year.

Again, if one examines REGTEL, (Regulator of Premium Rate Telecommunications Sevices Ltd) and its revised Code of Practice which is in effect since January 2004,it states under its Provisions relating to specific categories of service, section 8.1.3 Children's Services and any associated Promotional Material must not:

(I) make direct appeals to children to buy, unless the product or Service is one likely to be of interest to them and one which they could reasonably be expected to afford for themselves;

(iv)encourage excessive use of Premium Rate Services

The National Parents Association for Vocational Schools and Community Colleges does not believe that RTE should be generating financial profit from children and young people and instead should follow good practice as identified in the BBC Editorial Guidelines. Furthermore, if

"Revenue is not the objective here "

as was stated by RTE last Sunday, then we call on them to make their premium calls non-profit making.