Mnet's 'PD 101' hit with the highest level penalty for rigging votes

Source: Seoul Newspaper

Mnet's audition show 'Produce 101' has been hit with the highest penalty for rigging votes.

On the 10th, the Korea Communications Standards Commission (KCC) announced that it has decided on a fine, the highest level of sanctions under Broadcasting Act for all 'Produce' seasons, including Mnet's "Produce 101," "Produce 101 Season 2, ""Produce 48" and "Produce X 101."

An official from the KCC stated, "Mnet told viewers that final group members would be determined only through viewer participation and encouraged paid text voting only to manipulate voting results to deceive viewers and hinder fair voting. Not only this, but its also a matter of grave concern that audition participants' efforts were wasted through vote manipulations."

According to the Korea Communications Standards Commission (KCSC), Mnet manipulated the results of each round of voting in four programs from Season 1 to Season 4, arbitrarily set the final rankings before the vote, reversed the successful candidates and the eliminated, and selected the members, deceiving them as if they were the results of the viewer vote.

In addition to the results of the first round of voting in season 1, the KCSC prosecutors further confirmed that the results of the fourth round of voting were fabricated.

Lee So-young, a review committee member explained in detail how each season's manipulation occurred. She revealed, "In Season 1, rankings of 4 candidates for the 1st round were manipulated. For Season 2, two were changed from the first round, two from the final selection list. In season 3, 12 were selected in advance in the final member selection stage." 

When asked by the subcommittee whether the manipulations detailed were correct Lim Hyung-chan, vice president of CJ ENM's strategic support office replied "Yes."

A Truth Commission representative stated, "The results of the prosecution's investigation revealed that the fourth live text voting (final selection) process for the first season of the season was manipulated, and that one member of the debut group IOI was selected from the manipulation."

The amount of fines will be determined at a general meeting later in the day, considering the details, extent, duration and number of violations.

Meanwhile, the meeting decided to issue a warning against SBS' "The King: The Lord of Eternity," which used advertising phrases that excessively highlighted indirect advertisements and reminded people of certain products.

In addition, three other companies, CJ O Shopping, NS Home Shopping and Public Shopping, were cautioned for broadcast content that could mislead the product's efficacy. 

'Produce 48' Final 12 rankings - IZ*ONE

1. [+185, -97] This is how far these broadcast programs go...makes me think of 4.15..hmm
2. [+89, -34] So they aren't going to disband IZ*ONE?
3. [+80, -71] Any sane person knows they did the same with the April 15th elections too..
4. [+39, -17] We used the K-voting system developed by the Korean Electoral Commission. This is the same way we voted for the April 15 election.
5. [+36, -22] Let's reveal the voting details for the 4.15 elections too..
6. [+22, -1] So..in conclusion...they've been manipulating since IOI?
7. [+22, -10] Wow, Season 3 is the season when Produce 48's IZ*ONE came out..so 12 people were chosen in advance during the final member selection process? And yet they're still active... Crazy. Now that's the true rigged group. There are people I like too but I feel sorry for the ones that got dropped out. 
8. [+6, -0] Such dirty behavior from adults who trample on kids' dreams...they ought to be ashamed.