"090....."

I've just been reading about those rigged phone in competitions the BBC have been running. Nothing surprises me anymore. I'm well aware that things go on in corporations such as the BBC that we do not know about, but to know that the public have been cheated so blatantly is awful. I feel like I've lost my innocence all over again! I don't have much sympathy for people who waste lots of money entering these competitions, and voting in talent shows; they should surely know by now that they are a rip off. I was stung quite a while ago by one of those late night quizzes, before they were a little more regulated. You never get through, and they charge you for every phone call you make and encourage you to "keep trying". I didn't think I would get charged for the times I didn't get through, and ended up with a phone bill a tenner higher than it normally was. I was lucky it was just £10. I did (and still do) feel stupid though. They should scrap them all, and if they still want to have on-air competitions then bring back the "write your answer on a postcard" format. Isn't TV a big pile of poo lately? Dumbing down? It couldn't get much dumber.