RadioNewsWeb.com

November '99 personalities:Simon Bates-UK Classic FM broadcaster; Gene "Bean" Baxter-LA KROQ(Kevin and Bean); Perrin Beatty -former President CBC ;Ralph Bernard -UK GWR Chief Executive ; Scyld Berry- UK Sunday Telegraph ;Jodee Borgo-John Laws(Sydney 2UE) PA; Geoff Boycott - UK Cricket commentator; John Brennan - Sydney 2UE Programme Director ; Mara Bun -Australian Consumers' Association Spokesman; Julian Burnside QC -Australian Cash for comments enquiry counsel; George Buschman - Sydney 2GB Chief Executive; Bill Caralis - Sydney 2SM Owner; Max Clifford -UK Publicicist; John Conde -(6)- Sydney U2EChairman; Jeremy Cordeaux -(2)-Adelaide 5AD Broadcaster; John Corker -ABA General Counsel; Don Daynard -Toronto CHFI Broadcaster; Prof. David Flint -(3)-former ABA Enquiry chairman; Alex Frame -CBC Radio chief; Jock Given-Australian Communications Law Centre; Nik Goodman-UK Virgin RadioProgramme Director; Jon Harker-Sydney 2GB broadcaster; John Howard-Australian Prime Minister; Harold Jackson- UK Guardian writer; Brian Johns-former ABC Managing Director; Alan Jones-(13) Sydney 2UE broadcaster; Ann Karpf- -(2)-UK Guardian writer; Michael Knight-Australian Olympics Minister; John Laws-(14)- Sydney 2UE broadcaster;Monty McFarlane -CJOR Programme Controller; Harry M Miller-Alan Jones'(sydney 2ue) agent; Eric Nicoli-Chairman EMI Group; Steve Price- Melbourne 3AW broadcaster; Robert Rabinovitch-CBC President; Kevin Ryder- LA KROQ(Kevin and Bean) Howard Sattler-(2) Perth broadcaster; Jonathan Shier-Incoming ABC Managing Director; Rear-Admiral Peter Sinclair -Former NSW Governor; Christopher Warren -Federal secretary of the Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance. Australia; Neil Wiese-Former Adelaide 5AD-5DN news director; Larry Zarian-LA KIEV-AM broadcaster (departing); Stan Zemanek- Sydney 2UE broadcaster (departing) Numbers in brackets indicatethe number of stories involving an individual mentioned more than once

November 1999 Archive

 

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November 1999 Archive
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November 1, 1999:The Australian radio row about cash paid to talk show hosts for promotion of business interests is hotting up. On Friday (Oct 29) radio 2UE presenter John Laws told the Australian Broadcasting Authority hearings into the talk show industry that Radio 2UE chairman John Conde had exempted him from a station edict which banned presenters from embellishing advertisements or taking payments for on-air promotions. He suggested the exemption was given when he spoke to Conde about the memo but Conde issued a statement categorically denying any such conversation. )Now a rival station has started to a press campaign based upon its clean hands.Station 2GB in its campaign says it does not charge for announcer ‘add-ons' or engage in taking ‘kickbacks.'
Sydney Morning Herald report

(next Conde); (next Laws);

November 3, 1999: British radio group GWR, is to launch into digital radio this month; it, expects around half its revenue from digital by 2010
GWR has a 63pc stake in Digital One, sole operator of the British national commercial digitial complex to be launched on November 15. Other groups which have signed up with Digital 1 are Virgin Radio and Talk Radio.
Ralph Bernard, GWR chief executive estimates the company's interest in digital radio could cost it £2m annually over the next 10 years. This amount concerns some analysts, given the unproven interest in digital radio and the high cost of receivers at about £800 each. GWR reported a 9.5pc increase in interim pre-tax profit yesterday to a record £9.1m, benefiting from recent acquisitions, cost controls and increased audience listening hours together with improving advertising rates.
GWR gains around a quarter of its revenue from Classic FM and the rest mainly from the 30 plus local stations it owns.

November 5, 1999: UK broadcaster gives old programme new spin Former Radio 1 DJ Simon Bates is to resurrect an old classic for Classic on Sundays. Bates will broadcast a modern version of Our Tune, which puts a piece of classical music at the centre of a memory lane conversation with a listener. The programme goes live on Classic FM at 11.30 Sundays.
November 6 1999: New boss for Virgin National UK music radio station. 26 year old Nik Goodman takes the reins as programme director next month after serving as head of music for three years.

November 6 1999: Big hand smacks baby Discovery Communications Europe has crushed hopes of a fledgling radio station in Scotland that it could pinch the Discovery name. A newly licensed Dundee radio station called itself Discovery 102. But big fish hate minnows flirting with their coat-tails and DCE went to court to protect its name.
November 6 1999: Australian Broadcasting Authority chairman and leading Monarchist, Professor David Flint, is under pressure to step down from the country's cash for comment talk radio enquiry before its hearings resume on November 8.
The authority's legal team have advised him that he should step down voluntarily because of an alleged conflict on interest resulting from radio interviews he gave in his role as the convener of Australians for a Constitutional Monarchy. Professor Flint says he did nothing wrong in giving the interviews to John Laws and Howard Sattler, presenters who themselves as well as their stations are involved in the enquiry. Sydney Morning Herald
-Flint under pressure
(next Flint) (next Laws) (next Sattler)

November 8 1999: Australian hearings into cash for comment in the radio talk show industry are to resume with chairman Professor David Flint still resisting pressures to step down (RNW- Nov 6 ) . Radio 2UE presenter John Laws is scheduled to resume his evidence following his Nov 1st testimony which was publically contested by 2UE chairman John Conde.
(next Conde) (next Flint) ; (next Laws) ;
November 8 1999: Poacher turns gamekeeper Former Vancouver morning man Monty McFarlane has taken up a management role. Funny man McFarlane who talked more than he played music in his drive-time slot resisted leaving his on air job for a decade. Now he’s to be programme controller at CJOR where he began his career in the 70’s.
November 9 1999
: Australian Broadcasting authority chairman, Professor David Flint has stepped down from the cash for comment enquiry which is continuing with a 3-member panel. He says the decision was made rather than risk a legal challenge but denies that he did anything improper in giving interviews earing his pro-monarchy hat to two presenters and stations involved in the enquiry( RNW Nov 6).
At the hearings it was revealed that Radio 2UE threatened to fire presenter John Laws from his $Australian 3 million-per-year contract unless he ended his deals with various commercial organisations. Laws has cancelled some deals but gave previous evidence that this was voluntary; he maintained yesterday that 2UE knew about his deals to endorse products and that the stations policy barring promotion via news or comment did not necessarily apply to him (RNW Nov 1)
Sydney Morning Herald
Flint steps down ( SMH -link expires Dec 9)

New legal team ( SMH -link expires Dec 9)
Hearings report (SMH -link expires Dec 9)

Case against Flint:
Flint's case :
(next Laws)
;

November 9 1999
: KGO San Francisco goes all talk Long time MOR station KGO San Francisco has altered its format after 25 years as an MOR station. The world famous broadcaster says increased competition from digital stations has made it change its format. The station owners say everyone is trying to muscle in on the music scene but good talk radio is still relatively rival free.
November 10, 1999: On his third day giving evidence to the Australian Broadcasting Authority's cash for comment enquiry, radio 2UE host John Laws said that he was not told to change his high ratings show although his station had written to hm with concerns about allegations made on the ABC-TV Media Watch programmes in March 1998 and July 1999. He added that he had given his lawyer responsibility for dealing with 2 UE's worries.
Laws has already given evidence that 2UE chairman John Conde had told him the memo issued after the 1998 programme ‘ did not necessarily apply to him' but Conde issued a statement denying this (RNW Nov 1).
Laws's personal assistant and employee, Ms Jodee Borgo, backed Laws. She said she drew his attention to the memo and a few days later he and Conde had a meeting.
Radio 2UE breakfast presenter Alan Jones, testifying for the first time, told the enquiry he did not sell his opinions but admitted he had perhaps not paid enough attention to the detail in some of his sponsorship agreements.
Jones (Australian) $150,000 year deal with Qantas required that he run regular on-air comment about them but Jones said he had not done so although he had mentioned them when he thought it newsworthy.
He had an(Australian) $433,000 agreement with Colonial State Bank which required him to consult with them before commenting on anything which might affect them, a requirement he described as a ‘nonsense' and something which had not happened. Jones also had an (Australian) $500,000 deal with Optus.
Jones said he thought the guidelines memo from 2UE chairman John Conde did apply to him but its detail was not applicable because he did not do anything to cause concern. He also said that he had never tried to disguise live-read commercials as editorial.
Sydney Morning Herald
Laws testimony
Jones testimony
(Next Conde) ; (Next Jones) (next Laws)
November 10, 1999: Expatriate Australian, Jonathan Shier, who left the country in 1976, is the new Managing Director of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, replacing Brian Johns who stepped down in July. He is to take up his post in March Mr Shier, who was born in Melbourne, worked at Thames Television in London from 1985-1993 and was also commercial director of MTG-TV3, the Scandinavian and Baltic commercial television network.
Sydney Morning Herald - reactions to appointment
November 11, 1999: Australian breakfast show host Alan Jones was forced to wriggle in the cash for comment enquiry into Australian talk shows yesterday.
He began by saying he should be judged by his broadcasts not his contract but was then put on the spot as details emerged.
In one exchange he was asked about a mention of a new Optus mobile phone product (Jones has an (Australian) $500,000 a year deal with Optus ) a day after station 2UE chairman John Conde issued a memo warning about broadcasting promotional material the station had not been paid for. Jones replied, to laughter from the public gallery, that he wasn't giving a plug but had had problem with his mobile phone.
When he complained (to Optus) he was so impressed with the available update service(information on shares, the weather etc) they told him about that he had to share with his listeners something that ‘fascinated him'.
He didn't mention the Optus phone problems on air but did do a note to the company sayine he hoped the publicity had helped them.
Jones eventually conceded that there was an conflict between his contracts and 2UE guidelines but maintained he never actually took cash to comment.
The Australian

Jones contradictions

Analysis Sydney Morning Herald
Jones report

Other deals
Jones quizzed
(next Conde) ; (next Jones)

( next column)



November 12, 1999: UK Capital Radio reported solid growth in its radio operations but full year profits were hit by losses of £12 m on its restaurant chain and higher interest charges which doubled to £1.26m; as a result pre-tax profits slumped nearly 40% to £15.8 million sterling. Radio income was up 11% to £39.7m with advertising revenues growing 10.5%
November 12, 1999: Australian Radio 2UE's program director, John Brennan, agreed at the cash for comment enquiry yesterday that he had failed to ensure that broadcasters Alan Jones and John Laws adhered to codes of conduct.
Brennan admitted that he did not ask for details when he became aware of the broadcasters' private sponsorship deals because if he did so it might cause trouble
He added that he was more concerned about keeping the two station stars on top form for their radio shows than enforcing industry codes of conduct but also said that when ABc TV's Media Watch reported details of private contracts held by Laws he didn't believe them.
On specific comments promoting Qantas (the Australian airline) and the trucking industry, he said did not ask questions because ‘Lawsie' had always been a great man for Qantas and loved truckies.
Also testifying at the hearings was broadcaster Alan Jones whose deals with three companies (Cable and Wireless' Optus phones, Qantas and Colonial State Bank--RNW Nov 10) have been looked at in detail. Jones re-iterated that he judged mentions on their news value and has not revealed details of any other sponsors.
The Australian
Jones hot under collar

Brennan leaves stars to own deals
Sydney Morning Herald

Brennan admits failure

Jones stays mum on sponsors
Timid Brennan


( next Jones) (next Laws)
;

November 13, 1999: Australian station 2UE boss John Conde sets the stage for a trans-Australia battle between John Laws and Alan Jones with a plan for Jones to move next year from 2UE breakfast to mornings, and seek to sign up the 70-or-so regional stations which currently take Laws via satellite.Mr Conde spurned a peace offer from Laws on Thursday night and contradicted Laws's version of events surrounding the cash-for-comment saga, accusing Laws of betraying his trust.Laws is now likely to leave 2UE, where he has been top rating for most of the past 11 years. He plans a move to Sydney station 2SM and to broadcast across Australia on a rival satellite network. Laws has already had discussions with the new owner of 2SM, regional operator Bill Caralis. Jones has had higher ratings in Sydney than Laws but Laws has maintained his "King of Radio" title through the listeners he attracts in the bush. 2UE has consistently claimed this rural audience to be more than two million, making the John Laws Morning Show the only national, commercial radio opportunity for advertisers.
The Australian
Conde, Laws & Jones

Tribunal chairman
Sydney Morning Herald

Jones deals
)
Laws faces sack

(Next Conde); (next Jones) (next Laws)
November 14, 1999: Australian radio star John Laws is reported to have told friends he'll sue his station 2UE is he is sacked over the cash for comment enquiry. Laws' contract at the station runs for two more years but there have been persistent suggestions that it will be terminated.
The Australian
Laws threatens to sue 2UE

(next Laws)

November 15 1999: Two new national digital radio stations were launched in the UK. Digital One began broadcasting at 1300 local carrying Talk Radio, Virgin Radio and Classic FM plus new channels Planter Rock and Core.
Core is aimed at Radio 1 listeners, with contemporary pop music; Planet Rock stops with 1980s classic rock. They are notionally available in two thrids of the UK.
Equipment is currently both expensive and scarce --around £400-£500 for a radio with only around 2000 sets in use in the country so far.
November 15, 1999:The Australian cash-for-comment radio shows enquiry has been shown a document alleging that their agents went directly to broadcasters Alan Jones and John Laws to get plugs for celebrity clients. It's also been hearing about Jones' involvement with a contentios property development scheme. Jones is reported to have been paid around Australian $70,000 for favourable on-air tratment of the Walsh Bay project which was criticised by heritage and architectural organisations including the National Trust of Australia. The Australian
Radio stars plug celebrities
Sydney Morning Herald

Jones property scheme deal

(next Jones)
(next Laws)

November 15, 1999: UK Guardian reports Australian radio cash-for-comment enquiry.
UK Guardian Story

November 16, 1999: Australian broadcaster Alan Jones may be recalled to give evidence about a draft contract for him to lobby politicians on behalf of a luxury apartment development at the historic Walsh Bay wharves. Jones strongly advocated the property on air in 1998 when the proposal was being considered by the Department of Urban Affais and Planning.
Sydney Morning Herald

November 17, 1999: Radio 2UE Breakfast presenter Alan Jones has been recalled to the cash-for-comment radio inquiry which is being expanded to include his contracts with two property developers,Walsh Bay Finances Pty Ltd and Walker Corporation.
The Australian Broadcasting Authority has subpoened documents from both companies. Jones gave glowing on-air reports about the controversial Sydney development the morning after reaching a deal, reported as Australian $200,000 per annum plus share-price related bonuses, with the developers.
He says he made the comment after reading a column in the Sydney Daily Telegraph and the contract didn't affect the accuracy of his report.

Meanwhile radio 2UE's internal review has blamed station management for failing to prevent the crisis and urged a tightening of ethical rules – even if it has to sacrifice some of its stars. The review was headed by former NSW governor Rear-Admiral Peter Sinclair.
It acknowledges 2UE has a long-standing goal of ethical conduct but says it has failed to protect itself from the furore surrounding its two biggest stars, John Laws and Alan Jones.
The report recommends that announcers should need 2UE approval for all contracts with corporate sponsors and disclose all potential conflicts of interest – including directorships of companies, family links, membership of organisations and the receipt of "exceptional" gifts or favours.
The Australian.

2UE Internal Report

Jones says development praise a co-incidence
Sydney Morning Herald
2UE 75th anniversary party
Jones recalled

(next Jones) (next Laws)


November 18, 1999: More details continue to emerge about Radio 2UE broadcaster Alan Jones' private sponsorship deals and he continues to insist he has not given free on-air plugs but has used his news judgement.
The Australian reports that he has been paid Australian $250,000 per annum since 1997 by property developer, the Walker Corporation plus a bonus of up to $200,000 if the company's shares did well.
In February 1998 Walker Corporation announced a 107 per cent profit rise to $18.6 million and Jones sent a memo to his agent, Harry M. Miller asking if he was being paid enough , adding " Let's face it, they wouldn't be in the public place without moi!'' The memo, he told the enquiry , was a jest! Counsel at the Australian radio cash-for-comment enquiry, Julian Burnside QC, remarked in response to Jones evidence that the curious thing about Jones' testimony was that he seemed to have done things he was not obliged to do under his contracts and not the things he was obliged to. Regarding another deal - for Australian $200,000 p.a. with Walsh Bay Finance-(RNW Nov 16 & 17) Jones insisted his comments in support of the controversial deal the next day were just a coincidence.
Radio 2UE chairman John Conde told the enquiry his station was seeking the termination of Jones private deals with Sydney develoment corporations.
The Australian

November 20 1999: UK Guardian radio critic Anne Karpf attacks UK Radio 4 satire as limp, stale and fatuous' ...
UK Guardian
Story
(next Karpf)

November 20, 1999: Final submissions have begun in the Australian radio cash for comment enquiry with calls for urgent regulation of the . industry and the banks as well as broadcasters coming under attack.
Australian Consumers' Association Spokesman , Ms Mara Bun, not only said that 2UE presenters Alan Jones and John Laws had breached public trust but commented on the potential impact on the formation of public policy in terms of the banking industry.
She said that in September 1998 the press had reported the willingness of the Prime Minister, Mr John Howard, to review the ''four pillars'' policy which prevents the four major banks from merging, but noted his concerns about public opinion on the matter. In October, the Australian Bankers' Association began negotiations with Laws.
Cash for lack of comment was just as important as cash for comment, she said, citing the banks' objective in the deal as reducing Laws's negative comments to nil.
Jones was also had a bank deal, with the Colonial State Bank worth Australian $433,000. (RNW Nov 10)
Ms Buns' betrayal of trust comments were backed up by the Federal secretary of the Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance, Mr Christopher Warren, representing journalists. He added that it was difficult to think of a more serious breach of trust in broadcasting since the payola scandal hit American radio in the '50s,'' he said.

(continued next column)



(Cash for comment Nov 20 continued)

Communications Law Centre director Mr Jock Given told the inquiry the evidence revealed that self-regulation codes had failed, and that urgent action was now needed to put conditions on 2UE's licence and impose a standard on the entire radio industry.
He also called for the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission to investigate further whether there had been a breach of provisions which prevent misleading and deceptive advertising and for changes to the Broadcasting Act.
The Federation of Australian Radio Broadcasters, representing the industry, said the problems revealed could be tackled by self-regulation and the industry tightening its codes.According to a paper trail of sponsor press releases, Jones's scripts and broadcasting transcripts linked by the broadcasting authority's investigators, Jones has clocked up some 95 separate breaches of either clause 3.1(a) of Code 3 or clause 2.2(d) of Code 2 of the voluntary rule book governing commercial radio.
The hearings have now adjourned for ten days.
The Australian

Comment-the roots of it

Jones, the Bank advocate
Calls for tougher laws
Sydney Morning Herald

Betrayal of trust (
SMH -link expires Dec 20)

(next Jones)
(next Laws)


November 21, 1999: Californian station, KROQ, once known for it's innovations, has come under attack in the pages of the Los Angeles Times for the current output and, from one correspondent, for is sex bias in staffing policies. It's accused any sense of diversity and adventure, limiting DJ's to a safe playlist, and all but ignoring British rock in the 90s.

November 23, 1999:Former Glendale(California) Mayor Larry Zarian, who left the city council in April to host his weekday radio talk show on KIEV-AM radio , is moving on according to the Los Angeles Times. This is despite the success of the show which was extended from one hour to two hours because of high ratings. He's now working on a project to host a political programme on cable TV which will start on a Charter Communications station in January. He's keeping quiet about the details and also whether this portends any moves to seek state political office.

November 23, 1999: Already under pressure in the cash-for-comment enquiry, radio 2UE broadcaster John Laws was in court at a committal hearing on another matter in Sydney yesterday.
This time it's over a interview broadcast in August last year with a juror in a murder case. The defendant had been found not guilty but this woman rang the victim's widow to say she didn't like the verdict. Laws used his skills-and the fact that the woman was a lunch friend of Mrs Laws, to get an interview with the woman who'd also been earlier interviewed by his 2UE colleague Alan Jones.
Under the Australian Jury Act it's illegal to solicit information from jurors about what happened in the jury room. The hearing will decide if Laws is to be sent for trial.
( next Jones); (next Laws)

November 24, 1999: The Australian radio cash-for-comment scandal is now almost nationwide. Originally centred on Sydney station 2UE stars Alan Jones and John Laws, it now encompasses Perth (Howard Sattler), Adelaide(Jeremy Cordeaux) and Melbourne where 3AW is under investigation. 3AW parent company Southern Cross has been subpoenaed for documents over commercial deals with Crown Casino, Volvo Australia and the Melbourne City Link toll road project.
Away from the cash-for-comment saga, the Australian reports that Australia's National Rugby League has agreed in principle to sell Sydney radio station 2GB exclusive commercial rights to the game from next year for an annual fee of almost Australian $1 million. Rights were held by 2UE.
The paper says Jon Harker, former 2GB and Channel Seven broadcaster is believed to have agreed to head the broadcasts.
The Australian
Steve Price under investigation
NRL deal for 2GB Sydney
(next Jones) (next Cordeaux) (next Laws)

November 25, 1999: The Los Angeles Times reports rumblings of a big shake-up in Southern California's radio landscape .It says that Kevin and Bean ( Kevin Ryder and Gene "Bean" Baxter), the morning duo at alternative-rock trend-setter KROQ-FM for 10 years, could be moving--possibly to the afternoon drive-time shift at classic-rocker KLOS-FM (95.5). The pair's contract with KROQ, a flagship of the Viacom/CBS/Infinity radio empire, expires at the end of the month and negotiations for a new deal are expected to continue until the last moment. The team has been meeting other stations and is said to have received a particularly warm welcome at Disney/ABC-owned KLOS.

November 25, 1999: The Toronto Globe and Mail reports plans by CHWO Radio, based in Oakville, Ontario, to apply for a licence to broadcast programmes for those aged 50 and above.
Tentatively called Prime Time Radio, it would reject rick and shock jocks in favour of what it terms easy-listening music combined with health and lifestyle shows. The programmer's existing Oakville radio signal would be transformed into a Christian station.

November 25, 1999: The Sydney Daily Telegraph reports that radio 2UE is formulating an ambitious counter-attack to its axing from calling the rugby league and could switch to coverage linked with television.
The station is also seeking legal advice and may launch action against the National Rugby League over its decision to award rights next season to rival station 2GB (RNW-Nov 24)
Daily Telegraph 2UE fights for rugby

November 26, 1999: Big setback for CBC Radio plans. The Toronto Globe and Mail reports that Canadian Broadcasting Company president Robert Rabinovitch has begun scaling back the public broadcaster's ambitions by abruptly cancelling plans for a third radio network.
Radio Three, a proposed nationwide FM network aimed at youth, had been the crown jewel in former CBC president Perrin Beatty's plan to expand the CBC into what he termed "constellation" of new networks, cable and satellite stations and Internet outlets.
Mr. Rabinovitch said all expansion plans were being reviewed and his approach was to concentrate on core operations as a public-service broadcaster.
CBC Radio head Alex Frame announced what he described as the "painful" decision to defer the Radio Three application in an internal E-mail to staff. CBC was hard hit in the 90's by federal budget cuts which trimmed a third of its budget and staff.
The CBC will proceed with one expansion plan, a French-language cable channel devoted to the performing arts, in partnership with the French TV channel Arte and Bell Canada Enterprise
s.
Toronto Globe and Mail story
November 26, 1999: Harold Jackson in his radio item in today's UK Guardian notes that "it seems extraordinary that, until his death at the age of 82, Hoagy Carmichael remained embarrassed by his inability to read music. No matter that his innate talent had swept him to worldwide fame as a songwriter and performer, he never lost his awe of those like George Gershwin "who could read fly specks at 25 yards".
It does seem extraordinary as was Hoagy -- Georgie Fame presents Hoagy On My Mind (10.0pm, Radio 2), first of a four-part musical biography.

UK Guardian story

November 26, 1999:The Toronto Globe and Mail reports that station CHFI is running a contest to tickets for the farewell bash for morning host Don Daynard.
Don signs off into semi-retirement (he'' still hosts a programme of Saturday night and Sunday Morning Oldies) on December 10th after more than 21 years in the morning seat.

November 27, 1999: In her radio column in the UK Guardian, critic Anne Karpf, says that for the second week running UK publicist Max Clifford has treated the Uk's Talk Radio station as part of his personal fiefdom: first Gary Glitter's accuser, and now **Jeffrey Archer's Ted Francis nemesis, have occupied key slots on the station. She says that for Clifford, the station is a useful adjunct to the press, a mopper-up of tabloid titbits, a place where the scandal-monger speaks (exclusively).
**Lord Jeffrey Archer stood down as a candidate for Mayor of Lndon after Ted Francis said he's been asked to give Archer a false alibi
Australian talk radio -see below and later--does seem to have the UK version on a hiding to nothing, this month (Ed)
Karpf Guardian column
November 27, 1999: The Australian reports that Sydney station 2UE already reeling from the cash-for-comment enquiry, losing rugby to rival 2GB (RNW ) and late night jock Stan Zemanek, is now under pressure from advertisers.
They're said to be nervous of being associated with star presenters John Laws and Alan Jones and some are trying to drive prices down
The paper says Jones's morning show commands 2UE's highest rates: $1100 for a 30-second live read and $800 for a 30-second pre-recorded spot. At 2GB, a pre-recorded advertisement will at most cost $500, on Graham Richardson's breakfast show.
In Melbourne, the Australian reports that station 3AW advertorials and cosy interviews are the focus of the broadcasting investigation into Melbourne radio, not drive-time presenter Steve Price as had been suggested. (RNW Nov 24)
This was said in a letter to Souther Cross Broadcasting ( 3AW's parent company) by Australian Broadcasting Authority general counsel, John Corker,
Price has waged an on-air campaign against the ABA for conducting a "witch-hunt" but is still facing allegations over his relationship with a Volvo car dealership.
The Australian
Pressures mount on U2E

Melbourne 3AW
(next Jones) (next Laws)

November 28, 1999:Australia's cash-for-comment scandal continues although hearings are still in recess. Australia's Sunday Mail says that Adelaide 5AD talk show host, Jeremy Cordeaux, is expected to be summonsed before the enquiry. This follows allegations of a plan to secure payments for favourable editorial treatment.
Cordeaux is expected to give evidence behind closed doors not in a full public hearing.
Former 5AD-5DN news director, Neil Wiese, who was sacked by 1993, complained about the alleged plan to the ABA. It found no evidence to support his complaint.
In Sydney, Australia's Sunday Telegraph, reports that radio station 2GB has called for rival station 2UE to be stripped of its Olympic broadcasting rights because of the cash-for-comment affair.
The papers says that in a letter to the SOCOG board on Friday afternoon, 2GB chief executive George Buschman said it would be "entirely inappropriate for 2UE to retain the radio rights" because of the conduct of its two stars, John Laws and Alan Jones.
Olympics Minister Michael Knight said SOCOG will honour the 2UE contract.
Sunday Telegraph -2GB steps up pressure on 2 UE
Sunday Mail - Adelaide enquiry


November 28th, 1999: In Britain's Sunday Telegraph, Scyld Berry, comments on the takeover of radio rights to English cricket by Talk Radio.
He notes that former Test Cricketer Geoff Boycott seemed to have mellowed although initially he gave the English cricketers almost as much of a pasting in his commentary as their South African opponents did on the field.
He also notes that for some 15 mins sponsors went unmentioned before 'normal service' was resumed with two plugs in three minutes.

Sunday Telegraph report
November 29, 1999: The Australian reports that Olympics Minister Michael Knight has endorsed radio 2UE's performance (RNW - Nov 28)and thrown cold water on suggestions by rival 2GB chief executive George Buschmann that its involvement in the cash-for-comment scandal should lead to it being stripped of Olympic broadcasting rights.
The Australian report

November 30, 1999: EMI Group, the music company , yesterday sold its 13.3 per cent stake in GWR Group, the radio company which owns Classic FM.
Company chairman Eric Nicoli said this was in line with previously stated intentions to to focus on its core businesses; it was no reflection on the UK radio industry whose outlook was positive nor GWR which was particularly well placed to compete effectively.



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