Hi rache,

Remember those turds and the "cash for comment" scandal.

"In 1999, reporters Richard Ackland, Deborah Richards and Anne Connolly from ABC's Media Watch programme revealed that 2UE talk back hosts John Laws and Alan Jones had been paid to give favourable comment to companies including Qantas, Optus, Foxtel, Mirvac and major Australian banks, without disclosing this arrangement to listeners. Prior to giving favourable commentary to a group of banks, Laws had repeatedly criticised them for imposing unjustified fees on customers while cutting back on services."

I certainly remember the "cash for comment" scandal. From memory, Jones was getting about $150 every time he said the word "Optus" and from the way he tends to add specific words to certain brands, I suspect Laws is still working that sort of deal with a couple of companies - for example The Daily Telegraph, "excellent journal that it is".

The interesting thing about those shock-jocks is that when they are invariably sued, the legal defence is usually that they are not journalists but "entertainers" and so what they say should only be taken as opinion.
Even Tucker Carlson's boss in the USA claimed in Court that "no reasonable person" would mistake Tucker's comments as being factual, yet so many do.

There was a book some years ago called "Emperors of the Airwaves" that described each broadcaster's technique and strategy and how fake it really is.

"In the real world, nothing happens at the right time at the right place. It is the job of journalists and historians to correct that." (Mark Twain).

Paul, and the problem with like minded people disagreeing on minor points is what? I guess for greenies such as yourself, TV shows like Q&A, The Conversation or the Channel 10 rubbish with that Ali bloke where every one agrees with everyone else is more palatable to your groupthink mind, it's lefties like yourself (and others of a similar ilk on this forum) that discourage robust debate, get over yourself mate and embrace the discussion instead of trying to shut it down!

Hi Fireballs,

Firstly welcome back to the Forum, after a year or so of absence.

Not sure what your point is about those despised "Greenies" and "Lefties" you refer to. As for me shutting down robust debate, you are free to post whatever you see fit on this Forum, allowing for the constraints of the Moderator. The fact you don't take much of an opportunity to do so is up to you. I do watch Q&A and several other ABC offerings as well, I'm not familiar with this Ali bloke you speak of, I'm not up with him at all.

As for you giving me advice on anything, stick it up your arse.

Thanks FireballXL5 for your comments.

Looks like Paul1405 has the similar comments as our famous a*s*kisser Loudmouth. I guess that's where his focus lies. It's ok for some