the talkback trap

A confession this afternoon. A confession and admission about the business I work in. Talkback radio.

It has its flaws and its frailties. People try to get propaganda to air – especially trying to push a political barrow, especially around election time. And it applies to both sides of Parliament.

The thing about talkback radio is that you can call in anonymously and protect your identity and disguise any affiliation with any political party or lobby group.

Some programme hosts insist on people giving their names and suburbs. I don’t. Mainly because Mary from Hawthorn could in real life be Betty from Brighton. You get to know some voices and recognise their bandwagon.

It’s in the news today because a woman called Corinne called a Brisbane radio station where Kim Beazley was taking calls. She attacked the new Industrial Relations laws and Beazley praised her for her “ moral stance”.

Some moral stance. She omitted to tell listeners that she was a staffer for a Labor MP and president of the Queensland Young Labor organisation.

John Howard had fun with it in the House but then he let slip a rare politically incorrect comment. Corinne was photographed at the dinner celebrating Premier Peter Beattie’s ten years in office.

Howard said: "I have to sat that that I looked at Corinne before I did Gough and Peter. I know I will get into trouble for saying that in this politically correct age but I am too advanced in that view to change.”

But back to talkback calls. We had a caller off-air yesterday complaining that a call about Optus and sackings and IR was a set-up. It crossed my mind and I challenged several points – and pointed out that Optus had announced its planned staff cuts weeks if not several months ago.

We don’t censor calls. We don’t stop people from getting on air. I try to be alert. But some bodgie calls do get through.

Thursday, March 30, 2006

©Copyright Derryn Hinch 2006