KDKA Radio fined $6,000 for phony giveaway

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09037/947278-80.stm

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The Federal Communications Commission yesterday fined CBS-affiliate KDKA Radio $6,000 for a 2007 Thanksgiving Day prank in which host Marty Griffin promised $1 million to the 13th caller to his show.

According to the FCC ruling, Mr. Griffin, host of "The Marty Griffin Show," at about 9:10 a.m. on Nov. 22, 2007, announced that he would give $1 million to his 13th caller. He said there was a person in the studio with a "briefcase handcuffed to him with $1 million in it."

Listeners called, but there was no payoff.

The fine was in response to an unnamed complainant who said he was told that he was the 13th caller. He sat on hold for 45 minutes and then gave a brief interview, but when he asked about the prize, he was told there was no prize and the call was disconnected.
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What a bunch of a-holes. The fine should have been larger. I think that most people would be skeptical if a radio station offered $1M to the 13th caller, but in these trying times why would you even think this was funny?

Too bad they aren't fined for the Kevin Miller stunt during the election.

the 13th caller, kept him on hold for 45 minutes, conducted a short interview with him, and then, when he asked about the prize, they told him there was no prize and hung up on him.

Talk about cruel assholes.