By Ruth Skilbeck
Mainstream media have largely ignored what must be seen to be an important background factor in the mass exodus of Alan Jone's sponsors and supporters this week- and that is the decision this week to reject an appeal by Alan Jones against a High Court finding that he incited hatred in comments that he made on his talkback radio show before the Cronulla riots in Sydney in 2005.
The finding against Jones is reported in the last paragraph of article on page 10 of the weekend Sydney Morning Herald, titled "2GB back in court on defamation claims".
The main story is that the High Court partially upheld an appeal over comments made by another 2GB broadcaster in the aftermath of the Cronulla riots.
Macquarie Radio, owner of 2GB is publicly saying it is supporting Jones, whilst at the same time suspending all ads on his 2GB radio show.
Efforts are clearly being made to cast the controversy in terms of "activism" versus "advertising" - perhaps disingenuously at the same time making accusations against social media campaigns.
Will we see the mainstream media addressing the critical -and unforgotten- history of local talkback radio "hate speech" that left a lasting impact on Sydney's residents, and that reared its ugly head again last weekend in revelations of the "disrespectful" remarks directed against the grieving PM -that her recently deceased father had "died of shame"?
Surely the finding this week against Jones in his attempt to appeal his "hate speech" High Court finding, combined with the evidence of his remarks about the PM, had some influence in prestige sponsors such as Mercedes-Benz driving away at top speed.
©Copyright Ruth Skilbeck
Showing posts with label political communication. Show all posts
Showing posts with label political communication. Show all posts
Sunday 7 October 2012
Alan Jones loses High Court appeal against hate speech, this week; mass sponsor exodus from 2GB
By Ruth Skilbeck
Since
the story broke last Saturday of broadcaster Alan Jones’ comments at a Sydney
University Liberal Club function that the PMs father had “died of shame” social
media has shown, once again, that it is the new force to be reckoned with in
influencing public opinion, superseding talkback radio in the online media age.
In his press conference, last Sunday, over
his comments that the PM’s father “died of shame”, controversial broadcaster
Alan Jones assured his audience that it would be “’business as usual’ this
week”.
As it’s turned out he couldn’t have got it
more wrong.
The events of this week have been anything
but for the veteran broadcaster, 71, who has found himself subjected to what
many of the talkback show host’s former victims may see as “poetic justice” for
the broadcaster who in 2005 was charged with hate speech- that was found to
lead to race riots in Sydney’s Cronulla.
This week a decision was made to reject Alan Jones' appeal against a High Court finding that he incited hatred in comments he made
before the Cronulla Riots reported by Fairfax Media- that led to widespread mayhem and community damage
in Sydney’s multi-cultural beachside suburb.
Yesterday’s announcement by Mercedes Benz
that it is repossessing Alan Jones’ sponsored car, and withdrawing all its
advertising, from Macquarie Radio that owns 2GB, in protest at Jones latest "disrespectful" comments,
has been followed by the announcement today that the radio station is suspending
all advertising for Jones show.
All week, social media campaigns have
gathered enormous popular support to boycott 2GB and its advertisers in protest
against Jones's comments. Within days a change.org online petition had gathered more than
100,000 signatures.
Another “casualty” has been Simon Berger
community and government relations manager for Woolworths and Liberal Party
member. He was responsible for a jacket made of chaff bags - in reference to
remarks made by Alan Jones that the PM should be put into a “chaff bag” (sack)
and “dumped in the sea”- that was autographed by Jones and auctioned at the Young
Liberals function. Mr Berger resigned during the week.
©Copyright Ruth Skilbeck
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