Comedy awards lodge ITV complaint
Producers complain of unfair treatment
The producers of the British Comedy Awards have written to ITV urging it to broadcast the event.Unique Communications argues that dropping the event over an alleged phone-vote problem in 2005, is inconsistent with the broadcaster’s treatment of other programmes.
The company says it is ‘inexplicable’ that Ant and Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway remains on air despite an auditors’ report finding it duped viewers over four series, while the comedy awards are penalised over a one-off mistake.
In the letter, seen by trade magazine Broadcast, Unique said: ‘This is not in anyway to condone or excuse the apparent error on the BCA but to ensure it is placed in the context of, and relative to, the other findings of the review and actions taken by ITV. Anything else creates unfounded suspicion and innuendo.’
ITV has said it would ‘postpone’ its broadcast of the December event for the first time in its 17-year history pending a report from media law firm Olswang about the phone vote for the People’s Choice award in 2005.
Published: 22 Oct 2007
