GMTV TV’s Scam And Opera’s ‘Premium Rat’
“PAYBACK,” announces the Mirror’s front page. “GMTV promise refunds to viewers ripped off in phone quiz scandal.”
But surely there is no scandal. Only yesterday Opera Interactive Technology was telling Mail readers of its own “preliminary investigation”.
The company which runs GMTV phone quizzes, and whose executive Mark Nuttall is said to have issued an email telling staff “Make sure they never find out you are picking the winners early!”, is now ready to pay viewers the £40million it “conned” out of them?
Perhaps the company’s preliminary investigation was not as thorough as it could have been, and certainly not as probing as that conducted by the BBC TV show Panorama?
GMTV viewers used to dealing in hard facts, the very people versed in answering dialing premium-rate phone lines to answer questions along the lines of “What colour is red?” and “Are you alive?” are likely to be confused.
As GMTV tells the Mirror: “We are determined to reimburse viewers who believe they have lost out.”
The qualifier “believe” seems churlish in light of this largesse. Especially since GMTV may well have to pay back the money from its own pocket. The Mail says GMTV staff fear the move will cost them their jobs.
For now, GMTV has terminated its contract with Opera and found “irregularities” in the service provider’s system. All its phone-in contests have been suspended. And, as the Mail says, GMTV is looking at launching legal actions against Opera.
Perhaps Opera chief executive Gary Corbett – Panorama claims he saw the aforesaid Nuttall email – can enlarge on the matter?
But the Mirror says he has “refused” to comment on the story. But if you see him, you can ask him about the matter.
The Mirror has a picture of Corbett on its front page. And a larger picture of the man said to be worth £75million inside beneath the headline “PREMIUM RAT”.
Maybe one of the Opera staff said to have been suspended in light of the company’s “further investigation” will speak on Corbett’s behalf?
Or one of the hard done by GMTV viewers may like to escape their institution and track Corbett down.
As the Sun says, Corbett’s may well be at his £1million mansion in Winsford, Cheshire. The property features a 3-hole golf course.
If he’s not there, Corbett may be at his £1,5million property in “a posh Birmingham suburb”. This residence houses Corbett’s ex-wife. Track her down and she may be only too happy to tell all.
Posted: 24th, April 2007 | In: Tabloids Comment (1) | TrackBack | Permalink
