A prominent media analyst has accused the PR industry of "manipulating" 2GB's Alan Jones controversy to ensure a "big win" for the radio network and its advertisers.
Cox Media principal Peter Cox spoke with ABC News Radio this morning about the role PR is playing in the Jones controversy, and argued it was spinning the situation to benefit 2GB and its former advertisers.
"We've got professional PR operators working the media full time at the moment. This Jones story was probably only worth a few days at the start of last week and they've now spun it out for over a week. It's a great PR coup," he said.
"It's naive to think this is not being well orchestrated. Last week it was dying, then you had Mercedes taking the car back. Now it has been given another kick along by the station making the move to take ads off for a while.
"This is being manipulated very professionally by a PR industry who are experts at doing this.
"Look at all the PR people of the advertisers themselves. Did you know who was advertising on Jones' show before this? Of course not. Now we know who all the big advertisers are and they come out of this with political correctness, in touch with their audiences and consumers. It's a big win for the advertisers."
Cox also suggested that 2GB was harnessing the situation to attract more listeners and increase its profits and future advertising price.
"The network is losing short term money. The listeners aren't going to go anywhere. They're welded on at 2GB and they're going to stay with Jones. Then there's going to be the people that have been Jones supporters in the past who perhaps don't listen to the station so much, they'll be coming back to hear what he's got to say. Then there will be the new group coming through, perhaps a slightly younger generation.
"For the network, it can pick up an audience here so when the advertisers do come back there will be more listeners. It can charge more for the advertising and it would hope then get to, in the long run, get more money out of this."
Cox also said that despite the current hype, the controversy wouldn't be around for much longer.
"The 24 news cycle keeps churning, issues don't tend to stay up very long, 2GB would be trusting that it can get rid of this ban on advertising fairly quickly and get its advertisers back on. If not, it should be making a statement to the stock exchange, it hasn't done that so and it's a smart operation. It obviously doesn't think it will hurt it in the long term."
Yesterday, Macquarie Radio Network announced it was indefinitely suspending all advertising from 2GB's Alan Jones show to protect its sponsors from consumer "cyber-bullying". The move follows social outrage sparked by the broadcaster's comments that Julia Gillard's father "died of shame" because of her "lies".
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