Media Centre
8th March 2010
PhonepayPlus announces reduction in industry levy: AIME responds
London 8th March, 2010 - PhonepayPlus has announced that it is reducing the levy that it applies to all outpayments from companies that generate revenue from premium rate services. The levy is used to fund the regulator and its activity in overseeing the premium rate industry.
The Association of Interactive Media and Entertainment (AIME) welcomes the announcement of a small reduction in the 2010/11 budget for PhonepayPlus of 3% and an associated reduction in the levy applied to the premium rate services (PRS) industry for the year to 0.21% of applicable revenues by utilising surplus fines funds.Click here to read the full story.
2nd March 2010
Premium rate complaints to industry regulator PhonepayPlus show sharp decline
- AIME led initiatives and collaboration with regulator contribute to positive quarter
London 2nd March, 2010 – Premium rate industry regulator PhonepayPlus has released its quarterly report on how well the interactive industry fared during the last three months of 2009. The report highlights a sharp decline in the amount of complaints that the regulator processed during this time period:
- Complaints to PhonepayPlus dropped by 60% for Q3 2009/10 compared to Q3 2008/9 (2,132 vs 5,442)
- This gives a complaint ratio of one complaint per 100,000 premium rate transactions; down from three complaints per 100,000 in 2007
Click here to read the full story.
3rd November 2009
Ofcom PTV3 - Rules on the promotion of premium rate services: AIME responds
Ofcom today issued a statement to strengthen the rules surrounding use of premium rate phone lines in TV and radio programmes. This follows a lengthy consultation process that started in 2007, with PTV1: ‘Protecting consumers and viewers participating in programmes’; continued with PTV2: ‘Keeping Advertising Separate from Editorial’ and now concludes with a third consultation PTV3: ‘Rules on the promotion of premium rate services’.
AIME has been representing member interests during this consultation process since 2007 and we are pleased to see light at the end of the tunnel after 3 years of consultation in the participation TV industry. The rapid growth of this industry by its very nature presented challenges for a regulatory framework not designed to encompass such services. This process has resulted in several necessary consumer safeguards being put in place by industry and regulator, and has demonstrated an ongoing need for engagement and co-operation between regulators and industry.
Click here to read the full story.
28th October 2009
Ofcom Scope Review: AIME responds
Ofcom today issued a statement following its recent consultation on the premium rate services industry. Specifically the scope review focuses on four key areas:
- Defining what is a premium rate service
- Pricing transparency for premium rate services
- A registration scheme for service promoters
- Complaint handling
AIME has, for many years now, stressed the need for engagement and co-operation between regulators and industry and has been instrumental in highlighting and driving these four issues forward by bringing together regulators, service promoters and operators. In particular AIME has been most vocal around the need for a registration scheme for operators of these services.
Click here to read the full story.
21st October 2009
Global Mobile Organizations Support Mobile Advertising Ecosystem Ebook
London, UK – October 21st, 2009 – MSearchGroove, the source of analysis and commentary on mobile advertising, mobile search and social media, today announced the launch of MobileAd World Focus, a global roundup of the trends, technologies and campaigns impacting the emerging mobile advertising business ecosystem at all levels created in partnership with Convergence World.
Endorsed by leading global mobile organisations including the Association for Interactive Media & Entertainment (AIME), the Mobile Entertainment Forum (MEF), the Mobile Data Association (MDA) and the Mobile Marketing Association (MMA), this publication will educate the marketplace, highlight growth opportunities and expertly document the best practices that make business sense..
Click here to read the full story.
30th July 2009
AIME launches Affiliate Scheme to support companies providing 087 numbers
London 30th July, 2009 - On 1st August 087 numbers will be reclassified as ‘Controlled Premium Rate Services’ (PRS) and this means that regulation will fall under the remit of PhonepayPlus (PP+).
Any company that is reselling 087 services (excluding 0870) will need to follow the PP+ Code of Practice and as such comply with a new set of regulatory practices and responsibilities. This includes things like registration as a service provider with the Information Commissioners Office, undergoing due diligence processes with your customers, and contributing to the PP+ levy.
Click here to read the full story.
16th July 2009
AIME Best Practice Guidelines for managing mobile Premium Rate Services launched with commitments from first five Terminating Providers
London 24th June, 2009 – The Association for Interactive Media & Entertainment (AIME) has brought together the UK’s leading mobile SMS aggregators (Terminating Providers) to fuse Best Practices, Standards and Guidelines which relate to the planning, deployment and management of premium rate mobile services.
AIME members, who are mobile Terminating Providers, and typically also Application Providers, have agreed a series of measures to reduce the incidence of Merchant Promoters (MP) who cause consumer harm by breaching the PhonepayPlus Code of Conduct and other regulations. The AIME members that commit to follow the Best Practice Guidelines have agreed to implement all steps and procedures contained in these guidelines.
Click here to read the full story.
24th Jun 2009
AIME to co-ordinate industry response to PhonepayPlus 12th Code of Practice
London 24th June, 2009 – AIME, the industry association for interactive media and entertainment, welcomes today’s announcement by PhonepayPlus that it intends to undertake a significant review of its Code of Practice.
Today’s announcement launched a wide-ranging discussion paper on the development of the 12th Code and takes into account Ofcom’s current Scope Review Consultation as a foundation for four main changes to the current regulatory regime.
Click here to read the full story.
30 Mar 2009
AIME elects Ed Boddington of Harvest Media as new Chairman
The Association for Interactive Media & Entertainment (AIME) – the leading trade body in the interactive media sector – is pleased to announce that Ed Boddginton, CEO and Founder of Harvest Media Group, has been elected as Chairman of the AIME Board.
In his role as chairman Ed will oversee and steer AIME through its various core functions including representing AIME members’ interests to industry regulatory bodies such as Ofcom, PhonePayPlus and the ASA, and also help members to connect with each other through various initiatives to advance all forms of Interactive Media business.
Click here to read the full story.
30th April 2008
Ofcom to announce that ITV faces a record £4m fine for phone line fiasco
According to news reports Ofcom is set to hand down a £4m fine to ITV as the media watchdog publishes conclusions of its six month investigation in to the UK commercial broadcaster. The investigation follows the premium rate phone-in fiascos of last year which involved many high-profile flagship ITV shows such as Ant and Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway and Soap Star Super Star.
Click here to read the full story.
8 April 2008
AIME launches Interactive Broadcast Services Guide
- cross platform guide outlines best practice for broadcasters and service providers
AIME, (formerly the NOC) the trade association for the interactive media and entertainment industry, today launched its free Interactive Broadcast Services Guide. The guide provides practical advice on the processes involved in executing interactive and premium rate services such as programme voting, reverse auctions, competitions, text to screen and chat, from mobile phones, interactive voice response (IVR) and red button on digital TV.
Click here to read the full story.
18 March 2008
NOC rebrands as AIME and elects new board to reflect changing value chain for interactive media
Network for Online Commerce (NOC), the trade association for the Interactive Media and Entertainment industry, today announced that it has re-branded as the Association for Interactive Media and Entertainment (AIME) to reflect the changing industry landscape and evolving technololgy and service provider value-chain around interactive media.
Click here to read the full story.
09 January 2008
NOC commissions survey into the effectiveness or not of Payforit – have your say
The introduction of the Payforit WAP-like billing mechanism in the UK last year has been mired in controversy, with service providers and content and media companies questioning whether it offers the necessary flexibility and usability to open up the mobile content market. In response to these concerns, the Network for Online Commerce ( NOC ), the leading trade body for the interactive media and entertainment industry, has commissioned the Fathom Consultancy Group to undertake a survey of the Payforit billing system employed by the Mobile Network Operators.
Click here to read the full story.
18th October 2007
News Reaction: Today Deloitte report for ITV will reveal extent of premium rate phone fiascos
ITV has just revealed the results of a self imposed investigation by accountancy firm Deloitte, which details the extent of the premium rate phone fiascos that have rocked the premium rate, interactive and broadcast industries since ‘Richard and Judy day’ back in February 07.
Click here to read the full story…
© 2009