Fed: ALP to outlaw cash for comment

AAP General News (Australia)
08-02-2000
Fed: ALP to outlaw cash for comment

HOBART, Aug 2 AAP - Cash for comment would be outlawed under a Labor government, with
the ALP national conference today endorsing a prohibition on hidden sponsorship of broadcasters.

The conference backed an amendment to the Broadcasting Services Act, outlawing undisclosed
paid endorsements or advertising by broadcasters.

"That all forms of unidentified endorsement or advertising for which a fee of other
form of payment has been received in exchange for public broadcast be made unlawful,"

the ALP platform now reads.

The mover of the motion, South Australian Senator Chris Schacht, said it would ensure
a future Labor government put an end to the sorts of hidden sponsorships deals used by
radio broadcasters Alan Jones and John Laws.

"The outrageous things that occurred last year where it was identified that certain
radio commentators and announcers had received millions of dollars to speak favourably
on behalf of certain commercial products without identifying it clearly created an ethical
issue," he told AAP.

"We believe the the best way to deal with this is to ban it outright, not allow any
exemptions, as it's banned outright in America."

Senator Schacht said the move would effectively outlaw sponsorships, as it would force
all paid comments to be effectively identified as advertisements.

AAP ss/hu/de

KEYWORD: ALP DEALS

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