So ITV Play has launched today, and you can watch it online!
Seemingly, there’s no end to these channels, and I’d expect that at least one other channel on Freeview is likely to convert fully to this format – FTN is practically there already with only four hours a day of non-quiz programming. Even repeats of Most Haunted can’t compete with the lure of your viewers’ cash.
At least Ofcom is getting interested. This week’s Weekly Bulletin (PDF) begins with a clarifying piece on what you can and can’t do with these channels (and also any other premium rate phone competitions).
Personally, I think that they’re tantamount to encouraging gambling. And combined with growth in other areas of gaming, we’re setting ourselves up for some big problems further down the line.
What I find really hard to understand about these programmes, is how unbelievably bad they are. Quite how audiences can watch the programmes is beyond me, aside from mordant curiosity. At least with your average gameshow, the questions and answers come thick and fast (although Dermot Murnaghan manages to stretch out a relatively small number of questions on Eggheads into a full half-hour driving the viewer mad. Chris Tarrent does it much better on Millionaire).
Once a few more BT phone bills have come through, I can only hope that the appeal of these channels will be short-lived and they’ll turn into live tarot-card readings or something even worse.
UPDATE: The Treasury has decided that it’s examining the regulation of TV quiz channels. Quite what this is going to entail is unclear. Is The Treasury just after its cut?