The report by media regulator Ofcom, released today, said some broadcasters "appeared to be in denial" about their responsibilities to viewers and identified money as the main driver behind the growth in TV phone-ins.
The inquiry, led by former deputy chief executive of BBC News Richard Ayre, also highlighted a "lack of transparency" between telecoms operators, producers and broadcasters.
Ayre said: "If broadcasters want audiences to go on spending millions calling in, they need to show they take consumer protection as seriously as programme content."
Ofcom concluded that broadcasters must be must be directly accountable for their use of premium rate services and recommended that TV broadcasters' licences be amended to include requirements for consumer protection relating to PRS and third-party auditing of PRS activity.
The regulator went on to recommend issuing further guidance on the Broadcasting Code, including measures to minimise lost or wrongly-charged entries and to ensure fairness in competitions and transparency in pricing.
It also suggested introducing licence changes for radio broadcasters.
Ofcom launched the inquiry in March following following a spate of scandals involving TV phone-in competitions and quiz shows.
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