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TV ‘PSYCHICS’ SHOULD not be giving out advice on health matters. That’s the conclusion one can draw from the latest round of decisions by the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland on complaints made by the public against certain TV and radio shows.
Psychic Readings Live, which shows on TV3, had three complaints upheld against it. One complainant submitted two complaints, both of which concerned the on-air ‘psychic’ giving readings on health matters.
One of the programmes cited was broadcast on 26 June last when a caller asked about the outcome of hospital test results. The lady said later that she had breast cancer and hoped the results would be good. The psychic presenter did not make it clear to the caller that she could not discuss health matters and states, “Is it good or is it bad? Well, em, I would say it’s good at this moment in time…” and later chose a tarot card for the caller, saying it was one of celebration.
The second programme cited in this complaint about discussion of health matters concerned a caller on 5 July being told that she suffered from depression.
TV3 had rebutted the complaints saying that the psychics could not control the questions being asked and that callers were made aware of the “nature of the service” through an information strap and reference to a website which held full terms and conditions of the broadcast.
The BAI rejected this defence and upheld the complaint:
While noting that the programme is live and that there is an element of uncertainty concerning what a caller may ask the presenter once put on-air, it was evident to the Committee from its review of the broadcast on the 26th June that the presenter made no effort to end the call once it became clear that the question related to a health issue. In the case of the programme of 5th July, the presenter alone raised the issue of depression, a health condition to which commercial communications of this nature cannot make reference.
Another complaint – to which TV3 did not respond directly – referred to a claim that the show “preys on the vulnerable in society by telling them to call for answers on a premium-rate number at €2.50 per minute”. Later, TV3 told the BAI that the programme meets all regulatory requirements and that particularly distressed or vulnerable callers are provided with the helpline numbers of organisations “that may be in a position to assist them after the on-air call”.
The BAI however, upheld the complaint, saying that the programme especially flouts a section of the General Communications Code which says that a commercial broadcast for fortune teller services must be clearly communicated as for entertainment purposes only. It also felt that the programme did not uphold the section of the code which says such broadcasts must have a sense of responsibility “both to the individual and to society”.
You can read the full judgments of the BAI here.
The BAI told TheJournal.ie that TV3, as with any broadcaster which has a complaint upheld against them, must broadcast the decision of the BAI within 21 days. This is normally done before the show in question – and has been done already by TV3, the BAI confirmed.
The BAI also told TheJournal.ie today that it has written to TV3 asking them to outline how they intended to address the issues raised in the complaints.
If there are persistent breaches of the code, action could be taken and a further inquiry implemented. There are provisions for financial penalties, said the BAI, but this would only happen in the case of persistent breaches and if those alleged breaches were reported formally by members of the public to the BAI.
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sur they should have seen that coming !!!!
This type of programming is obscene and should not be allowed. The rates they charge are shocking and even underneath the number in small print it says ‘readings are open to interpretation ‘.WTF. These shysters are preying on on people sometimes when they are at their most vulnerable and looking for a little solace and hope in their lives. These scam artists should be shut down
‘Fools and their money’ comes to mind.
I agree they should not be on the air but rest assured, if nobody ever called they would soon be off the air completely.
Just because the users of the service are idiots doesn’t mean it’s ok to exploit them.
I already commented on this story tomorrow.
The people involved in this know its a scam & prey on niave & vunerable people.
bring back Fergus from live at 3. he knew his place
TV3 taking advantage of the most vulnerable of people in Ireland – shameful !
It is pure exploitation in my view and I don’t know why TV3 are not being called to account more publicly on it.
That TV3 might argue that they meet the technical requirements to disclose that its an “entertainment service” is nothing more than lip service and belies the clear fact that the show is presented as if offering much more than entertainment.
I’ve never heard a psychic say to a caller that
“None of this means anything becuase I’m only here to entertain you but I think you’re going to get a promotion in your job and your dead grandmother is very happy now. However, as I said I’m really just making this stuff up for entertainment purposes”.
Its a bad joke and TV3 should be villifed for it
They can’t even get the names of the callers right when they are repeatedly told them. The German guy is one of the funniest shysters I have come across.
I wouldn’t ring one of them even if it was a free phone number. They’re a bunch of sleazy shysters! They couldn’t predict that Friday would come after Thursday
But it does… Psychic Dave call 1850 333 456
The best one are the callers who know its a scam and just take the piss.. comedy gold.
What does an average person and a psychic have in common………………
Neither are psychic
Stupid programming and nasty feckers exploiting the vulnerable. Unfortunately there must be a market for this lying shite otherwise the wonderful people in TV3 wouldn’t air it.
that flathan fella is some gimp
it has to be be said that tv3 is the sun newspaper of the television world, pure shite, dead air would be better than the majority of the tripe they churn out
Maybe they should get Vincent Browne to do the readings
people who are stupid enough to ring in deserve to get fleeced in my opinion,what’s the difference from this hocus pocus & dropping money in the church collection plate,it’s all bull
While channel hopping I came across this pile of money grabbing tripe on tv3 a few times and listened to Flathan a few times.
It’s all a load of crap. Total crap. 3 calls I heard come in to him were from drunk women, and that’s not being sexist either, they were women and they were obviously drunk. The point is that they ask a big meandering question running up their phone bills and then have to listen to a quite obviously bullsh1t answer that you or I could make up.
Another thing, if tv3 are saying they cant do anything about the question asked because it is a live show, then it just goes to prove what a load of crap this is. If they are supposedly psychics then they’d know what was going to be asked. (I know!)
They are not better the people doing the weather on tv 3 they never get it right
TV3 bring back Law and Order and take these Vile people who prey and steal from the vunerable of our tv..Con Artists …
Ha flathan the fantastic and his wardrobe of wonder ,I have to stop now and then to have a little laugh at his clothes and the struggles he has speaking English ,he was talking to this guy one night who didn’t sound very interested and before hanging up the guy somehow fitted in a big “fuc4 yoou “, I didn’t stop laughing for a good bit,tv3 should cancel this crap ,the sad lonely people ringing in are being fleeced!tv3 should be ashamed to take that money .
Just shows how tacky TV2 are.
there are some hilarious pisstakers who call in from time to time but it’s a shockingly bad programme,should be banned,its like a rerun of that play tv from a few years back,that was another nugget from tv3,I could be mistaken but was Jen from republic of telly a presenter on play tv?
Another batch of health reading complaints upheld by the BAI on the 27th Oct
Psychic readings is the best way for psychic.
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