Large Scale Cheating on RAJ TV?

Flipping TV channels and happened to see "Cinema Theriyuma" on Raj TV (13-Feb-2011, around 10.40pm). A show to "Guess the Celebrities". One needs to call 5664426 - Rs.10/- per minute. It's very clear that the show is rigged to the core. "Supposed" callers give the wrong answer every time. I'm quite suspicious that the channel is placing fake calls to build up the momentum. See the photo below - it's clear it's Sarat Kumar and Rajinikanth - the calls have been coming in wrong for half an hour now - unbelievable.

Interestingly my mom just walked by and said she blew about Rs.100 a few days ago on this call - was made to wait on the call by someone who prompted her to stay on for 10 minutes - counter ticking. It's sad - I'm quite sure there are tons of such gullible people who get duped. A search on the net shows good number of complaints about this program. I'd say shame on the channel and the relevant regulators for allowing this to go on. Clearly a sign of unholy nexus between tv channel, telephone companies and dare I say regulators as well?

My blood boils

when I see these nasty, stinky, stupid family dramas on TV, and audience hooked onto them like crazy!! :)

On a different note, it however presents an interesting opportunity for those studios to provide a social networking platform to bring together and "bond"/bind their audience ;-) Not to mention provide an opportunity to watch the reruns, download them onto a set-top-box, etc. Enter Eos and the like!