Big Brother / Minick / Channel4 -- what am I paying for?

More on the Big Brother voting issue. 

I’ve been running this past a few people who I’ve spoken to in the mobile industry recently.  I’d welcome your perspective on this point:

When I pay 60p (50p + the standard rate) to send my vote to Big Brother because I want to vote out one of the snivelling wrecks on the show, what service am I buying?  Or more precisely: What service are they selling?

It’s clear than went I’m billed £3 for downloading a ringtone.  I’m buying the ringtone content.

When I get an SMS goal update, it’s clear I’m paying for the timely delivery of the content.

When I send a £1 text participating in a TV quiz, it’s clear I’m paying my cash to enter the draw. 

But when I pay to send a premium text to Big Brother, what am I buying?

Am I buying ‘entertainment’?  Is that it?

Or am I buying a service?  What am I paying the money for?

Who am I paying the money to?  Minick.  Minick then give a cut to Channel4.  Minick are sat in the middle taking the cash and transmitting my vote to Channel4.  So who, then, is the owner of the service?  Strictly speaking, it’s Minick — but they don’t have any say whatsoever over the content of the Big Brother show.  So it’s not quite fair for the buck to stop with them, is it?

I’d welcome your viewpoints on this.