$250 damages for chap who's number was broadcast accidentally

Link: BBC NEWS | World | Asia-Pacific | Damages over China TV text gaffe

In China a man who received thousands of text messages when his mobile phone number was accidentally used in a TV series has been awarded compensation.

Chen Bing’s number had been read out slowly on a television series so another character could write it down.

His phone’s inbox was then flooded with thousands of nuisance text messages from strangers starting in July 2004.

Alex caught this one. Heh. Gosh, that must be a bit of an arse, eh?

What were TV viewers thinking? Why were they texting the number in the first place?