The news that someone from the Jo Whiley show called in pretending to be a listener is obviously a one-off. It can never have been industry practice to behave so, erm, underhandedly…
Back in the day, however, TV execs did used to pay inordinate attention to “viewers’ calls.” The editor of a famous series — still very much with us — once phoned the duty office after one of his programmes aired to leave a “viewer’s call.”
The phone was answered by the company’s Chairman who happened to be working late.
“I just wanted to say that was one of the most powerful pieces of television I have ever seen,” gushed the exec.
“You made the bloody programme,” came the curt reply.