"Lighten up? They intentionally misled people to enter into a contest where they thought they were winning a vehicle, then at the end of the contest they go "HA HA! Just Joking!""
- I hate to break the bad news to you but that is the whole purpose of a practical joke. Nobody like being the butt of any joke but why should the radio station get punished over the gullibility of a stupid listener?
Maybe because it's illegal to misrepresent a game prize?
Hmmm.... Should any advertisement be able to be called a "practical joke" whenever a store or business establishment decides to not to honor it?
It's absurd anybody would defend the radio station here.
The lady was gullible?? Radio stations hold REAL contests ALL THE TIME with REAL prizes!!
I can't wait for you to win a million dollars in a radio contest and then have them laugh in your face as they hand you a couple stacks of rubber-banded Monopoly money.
I'm sure you'll just be laughing right with them, "Hahah Good one guys, you really got me there!!"
The station should pay through their crooked teeth.
Because it's fraud, legally?
Because they BROKE THE LAW. If you announce the prize in a contest, then that has to BE the prize. They'll be buying her a Hummer, all right.
And I hate to break the news to you, but the radio station in a case like this is held to very specific standards in terms of FCC regulations, advertising, consumer fraud, etc. After that infamous "toy Yoda" case a couple of years ago, I'm surprised a radio station is dumb enough to tolerate this kind of nonsense on the air.
This woman is going to walk away with $60,000 or a Hummer -- no question about it.
Practical jokes are not covered by law -- prizes and contests over the air waves however, are. The woman has a case.