MPs summon BBC deputy chief over fake competitions

A parliamentary committee says it will summon the BBC’s Deputy Director General to answer concerns about a string of fake phone-in competitions that has tarnished the British public broadcaster’s reputation.

Mark Byford, a former Head of BBC World Service, and the BBC’s Chief Operating Officer Caroline Thomson have been told to appear before the Culture, Media and Sport Committee next Tuesday over “widespread and systemic problems” in the use of premium-rate telephone services.

The committee will also hear evidence from Michael Grade, the Executive Chairman of commercial broadcaster ITV.

The announcement came hours after the BBC suspended some senior editors over the issue. ”We can confirm that some senior editorial leaders have been asked to step back from their duties. We cannot give any numbers or details,” a BBC spokeswoman said.

The BBC said it was suspending phone-related competitions from Thursday after admitting it had put fake winners on air in a number of programmes, including popular charity fund-raising shows.

Source: Media Network, Reuters