Nine rejects allegations Today’s Block of Cash giveaway is a scam
Nine has rejected allegations put forward in an online petition which suggest its Today Show Block of Cash giveaway is a scam.
Yesterday’s winner of the $130,000 cash prize Josh Huxley, of Halekulani, just north of Wyong on New South Wales’ Central Coast appeared on camera shortly after he answered his phone with the ‘I wake up with Today’ catchphrase.
For one viewer, Coralie Allan from Gilston in Queensland, this proves the competition is a “scam”.
In a Change.org petition, Allan states: “This call is supposed to be random. A television crew in presence, in his house belies this claim.
“20 minutes before the supposed ‘random’ call, the hosts of the show were encouraging people to call in and enter as there was supposedly still time to be in the draw. The terms and conditions on their website, state that “Competition days close 16:30 AEDT each Sun-Thurs up until 18/05/17. Draws at 17:00 AEDT/AEST on each competition day. Cash calls made following day Mon-Fri up until 19/05/17. Yet on the morning of 10/05/2017, the hosts were encouraging people to ring in and enter at a cost of $0.55 cents per call or sms, knowing that the competition for that draw had closed.”
Allan argues yesterday’s segment breaches Australian Competition and Consumer Commission rules which state “you must not engage in conduct that is likely to mislead or deceive” and “you must not make false or misleading claims or statements”.
“Clearly, there has been a breach of both in this case,” Allan argues on the petition.
“1. The competition was closed – yet Channel 9 was still making money from people calling in up until the actual segment.
“2. The winner was chosen in advance – so entrants were disadvantaged from the beginning and there entries were null and void, in spite of having paid for them, as evidenced by the ‘planted’ TV crew in attendance.”
Allan is demanding Channel Nine “refund all monies to entrants for the Block of Cash Giveaway considering the false claims made regarding the fairness of the competition at entrants expense”.
Nine has rejected Allan’s claims, with a spokesperson stating: “The competition is run in accordance with clearly stated terms and conditions to protect all entrants and ensure fairness in the operations”.
“As a live television show, when it is possible to have a crew in the vicinity of the call recipient, and if they answer the call correctly, we are able to capture the reaction as soon as possible,” the TV network’s statement reads.
“Often, the public is unaware of the presence of a crew because the call is not answered in time. When there is a moment of joy to be shared, we endeavour to do so with our viewers.”
The statement does not address Allan’s concerns over the Today Show hosts urging audience members to call in to enter the draw despite the winners having already been drawn from the entry pool.
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I think the hosts encourage people to call and enter ANY draw. I don’t think it was specific to yesterdays. You have to be in it to win it, and they make 2 calls every day, Monday to Friday.
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I’m sure callers would still be registered for the next draw……but the hosts should make that clear to the viewers.
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In late April they became a laughing stock after they made about 12 calls on air and no one answered. Sounds like producers have been told to void that in future. The suggestion they send crews to the homes of possible winners is laughable.
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well, they actually film the ‘winner’ post event
then with the magic of television, they replay the vision as if it had happened live, usually if outside of metro they will get a regional News crew to turn up and shoot the ‘winning moment’ which may also include the original audio overlaid so it has a ‘live’ feeling but really it is just a reenactment ….
Its a bit like calling Lotto a scam because we don’t get to watch the draw live anymore…
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Hundreds of people complain about trade promotions every day. Does Mumbrella intent to write an article about each of them?
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Maybe they get him to do a lie detection then we will see the truth,but i will never make another call i would rather give to charity.
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Isn’t this similar to “scratchies” where the major prize may have been won and claimed but newsagents continue to sell tickets as if it were still possible to win? It is exactly like selling raffle tickets after the draw.
Deception. That’s the legal term.
Would a TV Station ever involve themselves in deceptive practices? Hmmm. What’s the likelihood of being caught?
As contestants on “Blind Date” (Graham Webb’s show), we were supplied with the questions well before the recording. I have no doubt “the date” was also supplied with the questions. I also have no doubt the practice still exists.
Since almost all “reality” shows are faked to an extent – since all wildlife shows feature magical critters which appear under rocks to be filmed but which in actuality have been transported to location in a bag in the back of a ute, can we really rely on morning giveaways to be the shining light of probity???
Harry Butler used to say “put him back where you found him” as he popped a critter back under the rock or log. Later the animal wrangler would grab it and put it back in the hessian bag. back on the truck. Back to the zoo.
Fake? Or just entertaining?
Field Producer:
“Let me take you back to when you didn’t know who’d won. Can you tell us how you were feeling? Specifically, were you anxious and apprehensive but excited”
Participant:
“Whew, I don’t know who’s going to win but I’m feeling anxious and apprehensive but I’m still excited!”
Good boy.
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