Industry body moves to assure 'fairness and safety' in order to kick start the market.
The UK mobile interactive TV space has completed another move towards its rehabilitation, with the Association for Interactive Media & Entertainment (AIME) publishing an industry-based set of best practice guidelines.Specifically, the guide relates to the "planning, deployment and management of interactive participation TV services using mobile technologies".
The news follows the publishing of an 'approved service providers' list by watchdog PhonepayPlus last month, as the industry looks to recover from a series of voting scandals.
AIME’s Guidelines on P-TV services will now be presented to both Ofcom and PPP to demonstrate what the industry has achieved in setting its own framework within overall regulatory requirements.
Ann Cook, controller of interactive for ITV, said: “AIME has successfully brought the industry together through the Interactive Broadcast Forum and this document is a major milestone in efforts towards the reintroduction of SMS voting in a way that upholds the principles of consumer protection and regulatory compliance. As a leader in this area, we are pleased to be involved in AIME's work and believe that this guide will help set consistent industry standards."
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Matthew Postgate, controller of Mobile BBC, added: “It is of utmost importance to the BBC that audiences feel safe when they engage with participation TV services. Audience interaction is increasingly an expected part of the modern broadcast experience, so it is essential that a code of conduct is established to ensure that audiences can enjoy this interaction safely. We welcome AIME’s Best Practice guidelines and are happy to continue to work with the organisation to ensure the relevance of these standards in the future. “
