The previous post Radio Ga Ga looked at the ever deteriorating standards in Australian talkback radio – including inciting racial hate and prejuidice, cash for comment, distortion, lies, breaches of the rules of contempt and a general absence of any respect for the ethics of journalism.
As I explained, this is because these people are not journalists, they are entertainers paid to pull in sufficient audiences to satisfy the advertisers who ultimately are the clients of the radio stations. The deregulation of the industry in the early 1990s has brought this situation about. And the regulator ACMA is ineffectual.
I suggested that if citizens and consumers are as energised about this as I am, that they directly contact the advertisers and sponsors (and franchisees of those companies) and advise them they will boycott their products in protest at their association with media outlets that do not exercise proper journalistic standards.
(If you think this is idealistic, look what has happened to Glenn Beck on Fox in the US).
Here’s a suggested letter:
“We are writing to protest the association of your company with (insert station name here).
We fully support a free media and the right of people to express an opinion. However, we are increasingly concerned about the way radio licences are being used in some cases to incite racial, ethnic and religious prejuidices and even violence.
In that context and given your business’ sponsorship of (insert station name), we are contemplating no longer buying your products or services. We urge you as a responsible member of the business community to reconsider advertising on this station.
We have copied this letter to the industry regulator ACMA.”
ACMA’s email address is broadcasting@acma.gov.au or just click here.
broadcasting@acma.gov.au
12 Comments
Laurie Gaffney · March 5, 2011 at 2:01 AM
Thank you for this. Hoping thousands get on this bandwagon
ChrisintheCapital · March 5, 2011 at 2:23 AM
I've emailed a few already!
Anonymous · March 5, 2011 at 3:02 AM
What is sad is seeing some announcers, some I quite like, expressing unthinking or extreme views, I have not heard from them the past.
I wonder how much freedom individual announcers have in the views or topics that are discussed. Going on what is coming out of our wireless today, not much.
Anonymous · March 5, 2011 at 6:26 AM
Commercial radio turned propaganda machine? What a great format! Pollies get five minutes free airtime to spruik policies that Jones and co tear apart. Manic rants aimed at redneck alley the whole feeding frenzy goes home sated except for millions of listeners belittled, bullied and slighted by an industry gutted of talent and innovation. Worse still, this format is networked across Australia so that metropolitan and rural communities get the same wretched message. Cheap nasty listening from a handful of licence holders bent on making a quid fair means or foul. I’m surprised advertisers aren't more discerning about how they promote themselves. “Redneck Radio brought to you by ..”!
Anonymous · March 5, 2011 at 10:01 AM
This is a great idea except because of the increasingly hysterical nature of talkback I switched off some time ago.
I wouldn't know who the sponsors are.
Can anyone assist with this?
Anonymous · March 5, 2011 at 11:03 AM
like wise turned off months ago dont remmber who the sponsers are
i wonder if they realise theya re loosing customers.
Lee · March 6, 2011 at 3:00 AM
It worked for Glenn Beck, who has lost loads of sponsors since a similar campaign kicked off in the US. Even better, his ratings are going down, down, down.
Now where can we find some teeth for ACMA?
Anonymous · March 7, 2011 at 2:45 AM
Glenn Beck is certifiable. The lunacy has spread to Murdoch's papers here as Mungo notes:
The Australian’s obsessive loathing of the Greens is now bordering on the psychotic; it has now spilled over into an indiscriminate attack on what it calls “inner-city Labor followers” as whole. This, according to Shanahan, is code for progressives, the educated, the environmentally conscious; much to be preferred are traditional Labor voters – churchgoers, social conservatives, blue-collar workers.
In fact the two groups have co-existed more or less harmoniously for at least 50 years…
http://www.abc.net.au/unleashed/44724.html
The Worst of Perth · March 7, 2011 at 9:18 AM
Dear Cranky Old Buffer Funerals. I have been a loyal customer of your firm for 20 years, “dropping off” six previous husbands, however I have decided to take my present husband's carking to a different firm due to the deteriorating standards of journalism on your show.
Anonymous · March 7, 2011 at 10:36 AM
Mr D,
What is the reasoning for CCing copies of correspondence to ACMA?
Thank you.
Scott · March 9, 2011 at 12:33 AM
@the worst of Perth;
What radio station were you listening to? Back in the day when I was still living in Adelaide, an employer forced me to listen to 5DN, which had a playlist exclusive to the 1950's and every second ad was a funeral home. I always wondered how you'd think you'd keep listeners when the ads were reminding them how close they were to snuffing it.
In Adelaide it was 5AA which had the lock on the big-mouth low brain talk back radio, but (being Adelaide) the highest ratings and most influential shock jocks were the football broadcasters.
Good luck with the boycott.
piranhastriker · March 9, 2011 at 1:38 AM
And the list for Advertiser List for MTR: http://www.mtr1377.com.au/index.php?option=com_adcentre&Itemid=187