Jones breached code with race comments

RADIO broadcaster Alan Jones broadcast material likely to encourage violence and vilify people of Middle Eastern descent in the lead-up to a Sydney race riot, the broadcasting regulator has found.

Breach ... Broadcaster Alan Jones made comments likely to encourage violence or brutality and to vilify people of Lebanese and Middle Eastern background, the broadcasting regulator has found / AP

RADIO broadcaster Alan Jones broadcast material likely to encourage violence and vilify people of Middle Eastern descent in the lead-up to a Sydney race riot, the broadcasting regulator has found.

The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has found Harbour Broadcasting Pty Ltd - the licensee of commercial Sydney radio station 2GB - twice breached Australia's broadcasting code in the lead-up to the December 2005 Cronulla riot.

2GB's Breakfast with Alan Jones program came under ACMA scrutiny following complaints from listeners about material aired between December 5 and 9, 2005.

The regulator found the Commercial Radio Code of Practice 2004 was breached by comments aired on Jones's top-rating breakfast program between December 7 and 9, 2005.

Those comments contravened the code by being "likely to encourage violence or brutality" and "likely to vilify people of Lebanese background and of Middle Eastern background on the basis of their ethnicity".

ACMA's report focused on Jones's broadcasting of correspondence from listeners about tensions at Cronulla in the days before the December 11 riot.

It said while the comments were "presented for a purpose in the public interest, being discussion of factors contributing to unrest in Cronulla ... ACMA was not persuaded that the relevant comments were presented reasonably and in good faith".

On December 7, Jones read on air a comment from a listener who recommended that bikie gangs confront "Lebanese thugs" at Cronulla train station.

"It would be worth the price of admission to watch these cowards scurry back onto the train for the return trip to their lairs," Jones read on air.

"And wouldn't it be brilliant if the whole event was captured on TV cameras and featured on the evening news so that we, their parents, family and friends can see who these bastards are."

ACMA found the listener's comments breached section 1.3(a) of the code.

It found that comments made by Jones in his December 8 broadcast implied that people of Middle Eastern background were responsible for raping women in western Sydney.

However, ACMA dismissed complaints about other comments aired on December 5,6, and 9.

ACMA said it would write to Harbour Radio shortly about proposed action against the broadcaster.

Compliance measures could range from suspending or cancelling 2GB's licence to lesser penalties including fines and requiring staff to attend compliance training programs.

ACMA said Jones's broadcasts were the third breach of the vilification provision of the code of practice by Harbour Radio in the past two years.