SYDNEY - Sydney radio station 2UE and star talkback hosts John Laws and Alan Jones have been found guilty of almost 100 breaches of Australian broadcasting law and codes of practice.
The Australian Broadcasting Authority, the industry's watchdog, released its report yesterday into a four-month inquiry into the "cash-for-comments" scandal.
The authority ordered 2UE to disclose all commercial agreements entered into by its presenters or programme producers. It also said all advertisements should be clearly distinguished from other programme matter.
Authority investigations are continuing into radio stations in Perth, Adelaide and Melbourne.
The 500-page report followed a 17-day hearing from October to December last year, which focused on 2UE but broadened to include alleged deals at other stations.
The inquiry arose from revelations in July that Laws, reputed to be Australia's most influential broadcaster, had done a million-dollar deal to promote the image of banks on his show. Laws had begun making supportive on-air comments about banks after having been one of their biggest critics.
The report follows further revelations that Laws' agent, John Fordham, wrote to Socog, the committee organising the Sydney Olympics, last June to offer Laws' services in promoting the Games for $A300,000 ($388,500).
The letter was written the same day that Laws had been scathing about the selling ability of the personalities chosen by Socog for promotional work - former Newcastle league skipper Paul Harragon, Aussie rules star Tony Lockett and Wallaby rugby captain John Eales.
Laws said the three "couldn't sell ice creams in hell," but he was happy to take their place - "cost you money, but I am available."
Socog declined the offer.
During the authority's hearing, evidence was given that Laws had various sponsorship deals with big companies worth more than $A3 million. Jones, a former test rugby and premiership league coach, had deals worth more than $A1 million.
The authority found that, since 1998, broadcasts by Laws and Jones had breached the commercial radio code of practice 90 times and the Broadcasting Services Act five times.
Inquiry head Michael Gordon-Smith said the breaches involved a failure to identify political material properly, and a failure to disclose relevant facts and ensure that advertisements were not presented as news.
The panel did not accept Laws and Jones' submissions that listeners would know whether a statement was comment or advertising, and that their commercial arrangements should remain confidential.
Gordon-Smith said the authority's role was to regulate the licensees and it did not have the power to impose a fine.
- NZPA
Star talkback hosts 'breached codes'
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