background briefing 4 ................10

More from the critics, and what an interesting bunch they are

"... I suspect it is the aim of the ABC to coax younger viewers into watching ABC TV. Younger people seem to tolerate vulgar language much more easily than do older people. This is reflected in that atrocious promotion where a character in slow motion finger-paints an image in the air. The older version was bad enough, but at least the image was of the ABC logo. The latest episodes are even worse. It's annoying enough having the picture continually fading to black, but the end result of having a set of male genitalia displayed on the screen is the limit! What next, the female genitalia?"

Letter in The Age, 21/10/99

Bananas in trouble again

In a 1996 submission to the Senate Inquiry into Sexuality Discrimination a Dr Stuart Reece of Queensland had an interesting deconstruction of Play School and Bananas in Pyjamas. He made the bizarre suggestion that these programs contained paedophile overtones.

"That the ABC is homosexual friendly is generally all too obvious; as are the horrible looks of evil glee that seem to possess the faces of the 'teachers' on Playschool as they prepare to 'catch the teddy bears' unawares - of course. So does our estimable national broadcaster teach the children of heterosexuals, with whom they normally disdain to speak, the 'delights' of the 'paedophilic chase',"

Reece wrote in his submission.

Iain Clacher, Queensland Pride, Oct 1999.

Use and abuse of language at the cash-for-comment inquiry

Asked about the description of his arrangement with the banks as 'cash for comment', Laws said:

"I think that is preposterous, and I think it is demeaning, and I think it is damaging, and I think it is untrue."

John Laws would like to solve some of his problems by changes to the language. He told the inquiry he doesn't like the words 'editorial' or 'free plug' or 'transparency'.

"You don't buy John Laws. John Laws chooses you.

So many may come but few are chosen." Bob Miller, LawsÕ agent. [Laws] said it was difficult not to comment on his sponsors because listeners kept mentioning them. 'Script for unscripted call to Laws.' In fax from Tony Aveling of the Bankers' Association to John Laws.

The Australian Bankers' Association didn't give John laws $500,000 to silence him or buy his opinion. It was to help 'educate' him about banks, association chief Tony Aveling told the [ABA] inquiry.

"I think the banks thing was one of the best public service things that radio has done since the war, because we then allowed people to get a better understanding of what it was about."

John Laws

'No one's ever asked me to say something in return for money. ... It is important that listeners feel that what Alan Jones says are Alan Jones' views. I think my listeners know that's the case.'

Alan Jones on 2UE 21/9/99

"It should be clearly understood by the announcer that to breach the policy is theft of air time and associated revenue."

Former NSW Governor Peter Sinclair, convenor of 2UE's own inquiry.

'The ABC has scored a great coup with its objectively truthful revelations about Laws' deals, challenging doubters to prove we don't need it any more, and repairing some of the damage Laws and the bankers may have done to my profession.'

Frank Devine

Take a bow, Australian Story

We'd like to throw a bouquet to whoever it was that put that story of Patrick Rafter together for ABC's Australian Story.

It was beyond good, beyond great, beyond the possibilities of all the commercial channels. In one half-hour of sparkling quality, uninterrupted television, the viewer was able to get right into the heart of the Rafter family and get a thorough understanding of the warm down-home environment from which our No 1 tennis champion has sprung. The insights, the camera-work, the flow of the story - the whole damn lot of it - was first-class and it should be required viewing for all those short-sighted and mean-spirited mongrel dogs who have advocated cutting funding to the ABC.

(No names, no pack-drill, and nothing personal, Senator Richard Alston, Federal Minister for Communications.)

Peter Fitzsimons, Sydney Morning Herald, 28/8/99