Canberra Greens fail in bid to ban face of talkback host Alan Jones from ACT bus advertising
A Greens-backed petition to lump photos of shock jock Alan Jones in the same category as junk food, alcohol, gambling, fossil fuels and weapons, has been knocked back.
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A month-long attack campaign by the ACT Greens on top-rating broadcaster Alan Jones, attempting to ban his face from advertisements on Canberra buses has failed miserably.
Local radio station 2CC in July began broadcasting Jones’s full show, having previously broadcast a daily, one-hour highlights package, and launched an advertising blitz on Canberra promoting their improved offerings.
Greens backbencher Caroline Le Couteur in October urged the ACT Legislative Assembly to tighten the rules for advertising on Canberra buses.
The proposed changes, Ms Le Couteur said, aimed to lump Jones’s image in with other products which are subject to strict advertising rules, including “junk food, alcohol, gambling, fossil fuels and weapons”.
The Greens’s proposal was prompted by a petition circulated by the Canberra Women in Business group, which echoed a letter-writing campaign by activist group Sleeping Giants.
Ms Le Couteur told the Legislative Assembly those who signed the petition thought Jones “does not uphold acceptable community values”.
Ms Le Couteur also told the Legislative Assembly Jones “does not respect women publicly” and that “the promotion of this broadcaster is inconsistent with the values we should uphold in our community”.
The ACT government this week rejected the Greens-backed petition, saying ads with Jones’s face were not offensive.
“Unfortunately the ACT Government is not in a position to ban or remove the advertising at this time,” the government’s response to the petition said.
Jones’s expanded presence on Canberra airwaves has coincided with a boost in 2CC’s ratings share by more than a third.
Jones’s station, 2GB, declined to comment.
Calls to 2CC went unanswered.