2.14 Broadcasters must ensure that viewers and listeners are not materially misled about any broadcast competition or voting.
2.15 Broadcasters must draw up rules for a broadcast competition or vote. These rules must be clear and appropriately made known. In particular, significant conditions that may affect a viewer's or listener's decision to participate must be stated at the time an invitation to participate is broadcast.
Normally i'd ridicule those who complain to ofcom when the results aren't to their liking but in this case i believe there is a real case to answer.
I was under the impression that the contestant with the least number of votes would leave the show, this was stated at the time the invitation to take part in the vote was broadcast. This didn't happen and it effected by decision to take part.
This!
It actually makes me quite sad that some people on here are so blinkered that they can't recognise blatant manipulation.
The thing is, it just says "the act with the fewest votes" not the fewest public votes. Which is why I think they changed the judge's vote to who they wanted to put through to the final. And why Dermot said 'transparent'. It's a fix and absolutely scandalous but for all intents and purposes the act with the fewest votes did leave - Mary, because only 1/4 judges saved her.
The ITV Website said that the act with the fewest votes would leave.
Simon last week said that he was giving the vote back to the public... What on earth did that mean?!
Sorry, yes, I just seen that. I tried editing my post prior but the forum is working at a snail's pace at the moment.
Still, Ofcom will probably throw it out because the show will likely have the right to change the rules at any time.
Edit: The thing says:
Britain has been voting over the last 24 hours and now the semi-finalists find out the result of the public vote. The act with the fewest votes will leave the competition, and the others will compete in next week's final. Including live performances from the cast of hit US series Glee, former X Factor winner Alexandra Burke and chart-topping group the Black Eyed Peas. Hosted by Dermot O'Leary. SUB
It doesn't mention the public. It just says fewest votes. It's been like that since the show started... fewest pubic votes. They'll have purposefully left it vague so they can, if they wanted to, change the format.
It's the reason that Dermot never mentioned anything about it in Saturday's show or indeed throughout this show until the last minute.
So, yes, my original post still stands in this case.
But first you need to obtain proof that Cher had the least votes. Otherwise the person with the least votes DID leave the competition.
No people dont. All they need to show is that X Facttor misled people to get them to vote. If they stated lowest goes then lots of others will vote, they may not have if they knew it was a singoff. OFCOM aren't interested in the result, they are interested if the voting and teh results there of were mis represented.
I mean, it's up to the show how they do it. There's no set rules for what should happen. In this series they decided to have a sing off instead of a straight elimination. They also had a wildcard this series. They are not restricted to one set of directions.
I do think it was so Cher could be put through, but it's an entertainment show and as long as they never skewed the voting figures (like put Matt through when he got less than Mary or something), then there's nothing Ofcom will do.
No rules have been broken. You haven't been mislead (no, really, they never said they were or weren't going to do the sing off so there's no way you could be mislead unless you thought it was going to be the same as previously, but that's not misleading because they never said that).
You should direct complaints to ITV and Syco, and tell them you're disappointed with the change.
Previous mass ofcom complaints were about stupid things that were well within the rules, but this time it's not the case. They did say that there would be no sing off and broadcasting rules clearly say you cannot mislead people about how a vote will be conducted.
The thing is, it just says "the act with the fewest votes" not the fewest public votes. Which is why I think they changed the judge's vote to who they wanted to put through to the final. And why Dermot said 'transparent'. It's a fix and absolutely scandalous but for all intents and purposes the act with the fewest votes did leave - Mary, because only 1/4 judges saved her.
Nope....there is no way you can construe "act with the fewest votes" to mean the act that loses the sing off.
I generally make fun of these Ofcom campaigns but in this case there was clearly misrepresentation by ITV of the nature of the elimination process. People who have spent money on voting have every right to complain.
OK, as a Cher supporter who has always wanted Cher to at least reach the final, I have to say that it doesn't seem right that there was a sing-off..
The X Factor site says :
"Britain has been voting over the last 24 hours and now the semi-finalists find out the result of the public vote"
Precedent ( not a rule ) has been that the judges don't vote when it gets to that last 5. Especially as it is precedent though if doing differently this year that should have been made very clear to the public.
I have seen or heard nothing before tonight about there being a sing-off..
I myself see in black and white the quote above from the X Factor site, There are also allegations that Louis is on record the one with the lowest vote was out.
I have quite often( I'd say rightly ) scoffed at folk that talk about running to OFFCOM for ridiculous reasons.
But I do think that here there is a case. It is clear to me that folk understood lowest vote was out, and it is also there in writing. It is also very clear that many folk would not have voted if they knew it was down to the judges ( suspecting rightly or wrongly if a sing-off it was almost preordained Cher and Mary would be the bottom two and Cher would be saved )
A large number of folk have been misled into phoning when they would not otherwise have done so. It is at the very least a case for consideration by OFFCOM.
Finally all that said, this is something that appears wrong about X Factor. Please don't abuse Cher for it. All through the series some rather sad souls have been extremely personally insulting about her and while already a supporter this has only strengthened my support for Cher. I accept others have simply not liked her performances which is fair enough.
If you think X Factor and / or Simon are to be complained about fair enough, but it not the fault of a young girl living a dream.
The terms and conditions state that they can change the rules at any time
Exactly, so nobody can complain. All this rubbish about the tv guide, the terms and conditions are what Ofcom will look at, and they cover this scenario.
Previous mass ofcom complaints were about stupid things that were well within the rules, but this time it's not the case. They did say that there would be no sing off and broadcasting rules clearly say you cannot mislead people about how a vote will be conducted.
Where did they say that?
It sounded to me that they purposefully left everything vague so, if they wanted to, they could change it.
The schedule says "The act with the fewest votes will leave the competition"... Mary got the fewest votes from the judges. This will also be why Dermot made Louis confirm who he was putting through, and not sending home.
Comments
Yes,the Broadcasting Complaints Commision......www.bcc.ie
This!
It actually makes me quite sad that some people on here are so blinkered that they can't recognise blatant manipulation.
Well, on the show, the person with the most votes went through. LIES, ALL LIES!
The sad thing is that the people of Ireland came through for Mary.
Sorry, yes, I just seen that. I tried editing my post prior but the forum is working at a snail's pace at the moment.
Still, Ofcom will probably throw it out because the show will likely have the right to change the rules at any time.
Edit: The thing says:
Britain has been voting over the last 24 hours and now the semi-finalists find out the result of the public vote. The act with the fewest votes will leave the competition, and the others will compete in next week's final. Including live performances from the cast of hit US series Glee, former X Factor winner Alexandra Burke and chart-topping group the Black Eyed Peas. Hosted by Dermot O'Leary. SUB
It doesn't mention the public. It just says fewest votes. It's been like that since the show started... fewest pubic votes. They'll have purposefully left it vague so they can, if they wanted to, change the format.
It's the reason that Dermot never mentioned anything about it in Saturday's show or indeed throughout this show until the last minute.
So, yes, my original post still stands in this case.
No people dont. All they need to show is that X Facttor misled people to get them to vote. If they stated lowest goes then lots of others will vote, they may not have if they knew it was a singoff. OFCOM aren't interested in the result, they are interested if the voting and teh results there of were mis represented.
Previous mass ofcom complaints were about stupid things that were well within the rules, but this time it's not the case. They did say that there would be no sing off and broadcasting rules clearly say you cannot mislead people about how a vote will be conducted.
Nope....there is no way you can construe "act with the fewest votes" to mean the act that loses the sing off.
If true, it makes the rulebreak even more blatant.
You only have to look at the Guardian Live Blog to see that the sing off came straight out of nowhere.
The terms and conditions state that they can change the rules at any time
The X Factor site says :
"Britain has been voting over the last 24 hours and now the semi-finalists find out the result of the public vote"
Precedent ( not a rule ) has been that the judges don't vote when it gets to that last 5. Especially as it is precedent though if doing differently this year that should have been made very clear to the public.
I have seen or heard nothing before tonight about there being a sing-off..
I myself see in black and white the quote above from the X Factor site, There are also allegations that Louis is on record the one with the lowest vote was out.
I have quite often( I'd say rightly ) scoffed at folk that talk about running to OFFCOM for ridiculous reasons.
But I do think that here there is a case. It is clear to me that folk understood lowest vote was out, and it is also there in writing. It is also very clear that many folk would not have voted if they knew it was down to the judges ( suspecting rightly or wrongly if a sing-off it was almost preordained Cher and Mary would be the bottom two and Cher would be saved )
A large number of folk have been misled into phoning when they would not otherwise have done so. It is at the very least a case for consideration by OFFCOM.
Finally all that said, this is something that appears wrong about X Factor. Please don't abuse Cher for it. All through the series some rather sad souls have been extremely personally insulting about her and while already a supporter this has only strengthened my support for Cher. I accept others have simply not liked her performances which is fair enough.
If you think X Factor and / or Simon are to be complained about fair enough, but it not the fault of a young girl living a dream.
Exactly, so nobody can complain. All this rubbish about the tv guide, the terms and conditions are what Ofcom will look at, and they cover this scenario.
They can change the rules for contestants at any time, but the public voting has to be beyond reproach.
Endemol tried the same excuse in BB with Nikki when she was voted back in after being evicted. They were fined £30,000.
Which means the act with the fewest Votes LEFT, just as it says on that page!!!
Hysteria, all Hysteria!
That would be when they mention the word PUBLIC vote!!
>>> "semi-finalists find out the result of the public vote. The act with the fewest votes will leave the competition"
They can, but that doesn't change the fact that they have to be transparent about what you are voting for, and the process by which is works.
Where did they say that?
It sounded to me that they purposefully left everything vague so, if they wanted to, they could change it.
The schedule says "The act with the fewest votes will leave the competition"... Mary got the fewest votes from the judges. This will also be why Dermot made Louis confirm who he was putting through, and not sending home.