ITV plc, the leading commercial television company in the United Kingdom, has reported a drop in pre-tax profits of nearly 40% over the last six months. The broadcaster has been hit by a reduction in advertising revenues and a fall of over £20 million in returns from premium rate phone calls. Executive chairman Michael Grade denies that recent phone-in failures had damaged the ITV brand and says he is confident that there is still a big place for interactive television. He repeated his "zero tolerance" approach to those in the television industry responsible for what he called an "apparent and casual contempt towards viewers". "We have to convince the public that our systems ensure that they get precisely what they pay for," he said.