Alan Jones versus the Opera House
With ‘Sydney’s largest billboard’ – The Sydney Opera House – now set to project a gigantic ad for “the world’s richest turf race”, Mumbrella’s editor Vivienne Kelly looks at how one of the city’s most prominent broadcasters, Alan Jones, the state’s premier and some on-air antics got us to this point.
At Mumbrella, we’re often criticised for focusing too much on the FM dial in our radio coverage – particularly when it comes to the release of radio ratings surveys. Indeed, in the aftermath of the fifth radio ratings survey of 2018 in August, when we sent out a breaking news alert about Kyle & Jackie O on Kiis FM losing their FM ratings crown, many people were at pains to point out that actually, the story was that Alan Jones was still on top – of everybody, regardless of dial.
The Sydney Opera House: The city’s largest billboard?
I explained on the podcast at the time that during times of political and Prime Ministerial stability – remember those days? – the television news bulletins didn’t open with “Good evening. Day 3,103 and John Howard is still Prime Minister.” When, however, our lords and masters in Canberra lose their bananas and play an allegedly-more-grown-up version of schoolyard handball (“Sorry, Malc, you’ve had your time in the King box, back down to Dunce for you”), that will open our bulletins.
Our PM and Premier can now offer racing NSW rights to project ads onto the Parliament buildings to reflect the fact that gambling owns Australian democracy.
Jones is a nasty bully and spiv.
Good on you Louise. Bloody disgrace these broadcasters using their influence to destroy an icon for the gain of government proceeds !whats in for Jones – cash obviously !! ITS NOT A BLOODY BILLBOARD. THE SAILS ARE NOT FOR SALE !!
I can’t comprehend how people can’t see the difference between a projection supporting the national rugby team or an event like Mardi Gras, to this Racing NSW proposal. Moral compasses aside, it simply breaks the current commercial policy in place.
150k signatures on a change.org petition in three days shows that those that think this is a storm in a teacup are (as usual) completely out of touch with the people, not to mention the other major issue of Alan Jones’ on-air bullying interview which for many other journalists would be a breach of their employment contract.
https://www.change.org/p/defend-our-opera-house-support-louise-herron-4ebd912c-e760-43f1-a396-3e7468869056
The Opera House doesn’t use the sails to promote the events that are actually on in The Opera House. Only the events that AJ and his mates pressure the government to promote.
Disgraceful.
Let’s hope that the pressure of public opinion has this overturned. Add this to the go-ahead to demolish and rebuild the SFS and you can say good-bye to this government. And the SFS is another Jones cause that no-body wants. Leave the Opera House alone.
I am truly angered and disappointed.
And I want to harp on about it.
An old white male bullies a CEO and the Premier capitulates – the same “leader” who bans a rave rather than introduce pill-testing machines (that are proven to save lives).
The Opposition “leader” Luke Foley does Sweet FA (and loses my vote); Albo shows he’s not “leaderly” as well (lost my vote right there, matey); and that other “leader” ScoMo backs the wrong horse, of course (he never had my vote). I mean, where the bloody hell are you, PM?
This lack of real leadership is appalling and gives me a massive headache.
So please, advertising industry, could we collectively fight back?
Perhaps we could start by allowing HERRON to advertise their product on the sails in support of the CEO – and everyone who objects to this??
Suggestions welcome,
Harpo
Whilst I do NOT support Jones in any shape or form (and I did have a on-air stint at 2GB in the 90s, albeit on a non-paid basis), I do NOT support this ever increasing use of the term “old white male” as if it is some sort of weird species that should be ignored, pilloried, or even put down being a dangerous threat to those who are not in the category
Just what is “old” or “white” these days anyway? (Male I understand – mostly).
I think they need to be called out as they are over-archingly the perpetrators of poor behaviour – I may not be talking about you, but I am referencing many others including some OWM friends stuck in the past.
Old white male is ageist and sexist. You cant use it and then say i’m not talking about you.
Here’s an idea – let’s project advertising onto the Hillsong Church, as well as St Marys and St Andrews cathedrals in Sydney, and then stand back as you wait for the PM and Jones’ horrified reactions. It is insulting and offensive. To many Australians, the Opera House is just as scared. But the fact a Premier and a PM bowed down so quickly to a bully is the most disturbing act of all and very telling about the times we’re living through.
I am appalled at the bullying tactics aimed at a woman in a powerful role by a shock jock, albeit a supposedly intelligent one. Where are the MeToo movement now? We must not allow such vitriol directed to a respected woman in power, simply because she said NO to Alan Jones.
please, this is not about gender.
Remember Alan’s revolting remarks about Julia Gillard? He seems to reserve his most contemptible behaviour for women.
Remember when Lou Barrett criticized the #MeToo movement?
Oh wait… that’s about as unrelated to this issue as your comment…
Firstly, I don’t see an issue. Secondly, I’m hoping to see Redzel draw out wide to then cross them and lead.
Got your blinkers on there Tony
I’d like to do a promotion for military hardware in the Domain. Is that OK?
It is very sad listening to some interviewers questioning their guests.
Case in point was today’s interview conducted by Alan Jones with PM Scott Morrison on 2GB.
After much waffling by the PM, who reckons he knows everything, Alan should have asked him the obvious question.
Question :” if the Everest is so important to tourism and will attract world-wide coverage, will you PM allow the horses and barriers to be displayed on Parliament House, Canberra?
And on another note, do you recall the outrage when Opposition Leader Luke Foley dared to suggest hoisting the Aboriginal flag alongside the Australian flag on the Harbour Bridge!
We are not serious and some interviewers need to get fair dinkum.
Alan Jones has become a caricature of himself. The dummy spits are more regular, the only thing that’s changed is the intensity.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Nm5bTGqRzI
I swear one day he’ll hyperventilate and that’s the last we’ll hear of him.
Let’s for just one moment not get hysterical. Alan Jones is a bully bigot and a misogynist . The Opera House is not just any other billboard .In the eyes of the world it stands for something. Just one moment think if St Paul’s Cathedral or Westminster Abbey was used to as a billboard to celebrate and publicise a horse race. So no I’m not hysterical just disgusted. And for good measure I should add I enjoy horse racing and in the advertising industry has been very good to me for many years. Charles
Why advertisers and politicians think Jones is so important confounds me.
His listeners are not a valuable or financial demographic, and they cannot be influenced – because let’s face it, they are generally poor, old and utterly entrenched in their far right views.
The so-called “power” Jones is believed to have is really all smoke and mirrors.
I thoroughly agree with Louise Herron who was simply trying to do her job only to be bullied by Allan Jones. Who does he think he is an non elected piece of crap, sorry that would be insulting to a substance that has a useful function.
The state and federal governments are bending over to this thug to promote gambling on a national icon.
Considering the Opera House was funded by a Lottery i.e gambling,
this whole scenario appears to be a bit hypocritical to say the least. Aside from that the “uproar” has given the event more publicity than they could ever have hoped for, you could say an odds on winner.
If advertising a major event on the sails of the Opera House is a cause for concern, don’t allow ANYTHING other than Vivid anywhere near it. I may find promoting the gay mardi gras on the Opera House equally offensive to those who have a problem with a horse race. If left to the personal convictions of one person, we would be better represented collectively by a blanket NO.
Alan Jones is out of control
If I had a drone, I would hang a square of cloth from it and block the light as it came out of the projector. Just to stick it up Jones.
At the start of the week this would have been a barely covered gimmick, now everyone knows about the event, and every news channel will be covering it in great detail, and those shining lights against it will only increase it’s visibility and reach. The ATC must be loving every moment of it!
Bingo.
Undermining one of Sydney and Australia’s premier iconic brands is just plain dumb. Good one AJ!
I can only imagine the magnitude of indifference I’d feel seeing a horse race, Mercedes Benz, a packet of crisps etc being advertised on the Opera house if I was visiting it.
This is an action for short term profit that makes a long term profound statement about the status of the Opera house’s sails as prime advertising real estate. We’ll sell what culture we have for the right price.
As much as we’re all about advertising, some places / cultural icons need to be off limits. There are boundaries for reasons….But if it’s to be open slather I’d like to run an ad on jones’s coffin when it’s eventually lowered in the grave please.
Get a life you left wing numb nuts. I don’t see a difference between Vivid (for arty farties) and The Everest (for people who punt and like money). Get over yourselves
Well one is a gambling business with too much influence and the other is not.
But the real point you miss is that the Premier and PM kissed Jones’ arse because of his clout and gambling clout, which is sick.
Hi Viv. Would be interested to hear TDC’s point of view as the company that provided the projection services to Racing NSW tonight.
This race event will be the perfect thing for Sydneysiders to hate.
Alan jones is a dinasaur at best. He would have his hands deep in the pockets of many brands that are not in the public interest. Just his own. There needs to be an inquiry into the influence he wields to his own ends. It would be disturbing at best.
The perpetually angry Left who dwell within 5km of major cities have a knack for hyper-promoting the causes they hate the most. They have turned what might have been a million dollar publicity stunt, into a $1Billion dollar publicity stunt with their free labour and hysteria.
In the USA 2 years ago, their hysterics put Trump into the White House, and only last week put Brett Kavanaugh into SCOTUS. Are they slow learners? A bit simple perhaps? Not exactly quick on the uptake. The best way to vanquish is to ignore.
It’s not left wing hysteria to care about our iconic brands and it’s not a left/right issue as much as some want to skew it that way (an argument that is itself being used increasingly by the right to shut down objections). I think running advertising on our icons cheapens and undermines their value, maybe not immediately, but in the long term. Brand integrity is an amazingly valuable commodity. Caving into crassly commercialising our brands, for me is nuts.
And I live well outside a 5km radius from the cbd.