TV channels have of late been making lot of money with the weakness of mobile users. It may be any stupid programme, the TV channels ask for the opinion of viewers and ask them to SMS their opinion to a particular number. The catch is the SMS costs anywhere between Rs. 5 and Rs. 10.
In another instance, many TV channels offer visuals and ask the viewers to SMS the answers. They even offer prize money for the viewers. Here the TV channels make merry by lining their pockets with the SMS money shared by the service provider and the channels. Suppose, if the channel receives 100,000 SMSes, in effect it is pocketing money anywhere between Rs,. 700,000 and Rs. 100,000. Nobody knows the sharing system. But it is a fact, it would be a sizable amount.
To be precise, it is a crime under the provisions of Prize Chits & Money Circulation Schemes (Banning) Act, 1978. But so far there has not been a single complaint against it. Because nobody knows that it is a crime.
