TV show chiefs agree to provide a cheaper hotline

BOSSES of a new television show about saving money have bowed to pressure from the Irish Examiner about a viewers’ hotline that can cost almost e1 to call.

Now Vision Independent Productions has set up a cheaper hotline so viewers can leave tips to be broadcast on a consumer show called Highly Recommended, which goes on air in November on RTÉ One.

The show’s original hotline was an 0818 national rate number, meaning calls from mobiles can cost as much as 98 cents a time and 17c from landlines.

Earlier this week, consumer watchdogs called on RTÉ to provide a standard Dublin 01 number as calls could have been as low as 30c from mobiles or 6.7c from landlines.

Call costs vary because 0818 numbers are excluded from discount calling packages offered by the likes of Eircom while national numbers are charged at higher rates by mobile phone firms 3 and O2.

Now viewers can ring 01-8602832 or 0818-270 -941 to contact the show after the Irish Examiner contacted the show’s producers and asked for a cheaper number.

Yesterday RTÉ television said a national rate number had originally been chosen so all callers across the Republic would pay the same.

“National rate 0818 numbers are quite simply not premium rate numbers,” said a senior RTÉ spokesman yesterday.

“Viewers are not being encouraged to ring an ‘expensive’ hotline: 0818 is a number with charges at national rate and charges may vary by operator.

“Ideas can also be submitted by email so viewers have the option of calling or emailing their suggestions to the programme.”

The broadcaster will not receive a share of the calling costs charged to consumers for ringing the 0818 number.

But Phonovation, the firm running the hotline for RTÉ, will get a small slice of the income if enough callers ring the 0818 line, he admitted.

Fronted by Joe Duffy, Highly Recommended will go out on Sunday evenings from November 11 and is a mix of a consumer affairs programme and a game show.

Contestants compete to win a €2,000 prize by offering the best money-saving advice to a panel of three judges.

The panel — including former Dunnes Stores head Ben Dunne — will pick out the best tip every week.

RTÉ is appealing for consumers with tips, or for members of the public who want to be in the audience, to contact the show.

RTÉ wants to hear from savvy consumers who have saved money, for instance, by driving a hard bargain at the travel agents, by cutting their health insurance costs or by finding an unusual way of watching the pennies.

Viewers can also contact the show by email at [e-mail]