The Laws of the land

There are so many reasons to be disgusted by John Laws and Alan Jones. 
Their willingness to change their views at the drop of a hat full of money, 
for one thing; the contempt they have for their listeners, who they 
willingly deceive, and for their role as public spokespeople, which they 
abuse for personal gain.

Last week, the Australian Broadcasting Authority began its inquiry into the 
sponsorship deals of Laws and Jones, Sydney's leading talk-back radio 
hosts, both of whom are employed by commercial radio station 2UE.

The John Laws Affair, or the "cash for comment" affair, as it is otherwise 
known, has revealed a great deal about how the commercial media manipulates 
public opinion for the benefit of private business interests.

The media's chief commentators are mouthpieces for whoever pays the most 
cash. As Laws' $200,000 contract with the Australian Trucking Association 
has shown, they can use their influence to force the hand of government 
decision-making.

This political power is another reason why they can charge such exorbitant 
fees for their "services".

Secrets

Their "live", "improvised" commentary was, unknown to the public, actually 
heavily scripted and rehearsed; Laws' and Jones' highly-regarded opinions 
were secretly determined and paid for by undisclosed third parties.

The list of contracts with corporate advertisers is breathtaking. It 
included: the Bankers' Association ($500,000 a year); NRMA $300,000; Star 
City casino $250,000 plus perks; Qantas $200,000 plus free flights; Optus 
$825,000; Foxtel $300,000; the Registered Clubs Association $200,000; the 
Colonial State Bank $433,000; and who knows what from 2UE itself.

In 1998 Laws reportedly grossed $11.6 million from his radio program which 
is broadcast on 75 stations around Australia.

Big corporations do not pay this sort of money unless they are getting 
something in return.

The "live", "improvised" commentary has proven very powerful in selling 
ideas and products.

2UE boss John Conde has hitched himself to the "secrets" bandwaggon, saying 
it was even a secret from him and has sought to distance himself and 2UE 
from the deals of Laws and Jones.

If Conde or 2UE were found to have acted improperly, then the station's 
licence could be cancelled or suspended.

Bedfellows

The mass media's coverage of the Laws Affair, tends to be confined to 
listing sponsors and sums of money involved, without passing judgement, 
some commentators even asking the question: "Is it really wrong?". "So 
their comments are paid for and they make an obscene amount of money, but 
it's not a crime to be rich, is it?".

The failure to take a principled stand is understandable. The commercial 
media do not want to direct too much heat towards Laws and Jones in case 
the heat is turned on the media as a whole.

These two coin-operated commentators are, after all, just the most blatant 
examples of what occurs in more subtle ways throughout the commercial 
media, which, like Laws and Jones, also relies on sponsorship and 
advertising.

The Laws Affair has clearly shown that the supposedly "independent" media 
is used as a tool of capitalism for profit-making; where anything can be 
justified as, to quote Laws, "normal commercial practice".

It is a warning of what could happen to the ABC if it continues down the 
path of corporate partnerships and commercialisation.

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