GT & SEN - Today's Crikey

[St George]

The AFL and SEN Were Company. Grant Thomas Made a Crowd.

Former Footy Show producer Ralph Horowitz writes:

For a business whose business is communication, the handling at the start of the week of the axing of former St Kilda coach Grant Thomas, by the newly renamed 24 hour Melbourne sports station, "the People’s Republic of SEN-AFL" was a complete debacle.

For those unfamiliar with the story, here’s how the Herald Sun and The Age covered it -- but the guts of it, is that the radio station claimed that the reason for the axing of its most controversial commentator was purely financial, and no one, bar no one believed it ... or believes it.
The more obvious conclusion was that Thomas regularly criticises the AFL and aspects of the AFL, and the AFL basically has SEN over a barrel with the radio rights up for grabs. It’s not only common knowledge in the industry that the AFL -- mainly through their media manager Patrick Keane who regularly voices his displeasure directly to on and off air staff when he has an issue with something that’s heard -- but they can then expect a follow up conversation from the "SEN-AFL" Programming Manager Mark Johnston.

That conversation from Johnston is hardly an encouraging word stressing the station’s editorial independence.

When the story hit the papers on the Tuesday morning, the station’s General Manager Barry Quick held the "fiscal" line as the reasoning on the SEN-AFL breakfast show, saying that Thomas took it (the axing) in great spirits and that, "we’ll no doubt catch up with each other for a beer soon."

That of course sent the bulldust-o-metre through the roof, as did the post interview reaction of the host -- or if you like the breakfast show’s Minister For Information -- Andrew Maher, who said, "lots of calls about Grant Thomas, but we don’t want to talk about that, there’s much more interesting stuff happening in footy..."

So we’ll tell you a flimsy story and then censor what you can talk about on a talkback show.

Of course, the media -- particularly the AFL media -- love nothing more than talking about themselves, so the above situation was a gentle half-volley outside off-stumps to change sports for a metaphor, with the Herald Sun doyen Mike Sheahan chiming in with, "Freedom of speech gets the boot with Thomas sacking" and The Age’s equally respected columnist Greg Baum, whose column was "Radio Station’s axing of Thomas doesn’t add up".

The AFL through various spokespeople said that they had nothing to do with the dismissal, and no one, bar no one believed it.

It was only a month ago that the breakfast show’s weekly contributor Simon Marshall -- a contributor since the station’s inception in 2004 -- lost his gig. Marshall was speaking about AFL umpires during his segment in what the AFL were considering unflattering terms, and the host of the show received a text messages from the AFL telling him to shut the former champion jockey up.

It was his last segment and this week he lost his racing show, "Hold Ya Horses."

Now any publicity is generally considered to be good publicity, particularly when you’re a niche broadcaster (12th overall in latest Nielsen survey) but surely SEN management had the sense to sniff the wind and change or at least alter their line.

Nope.

So today, the Herald Sun footy writer Mark Robinson, himself a contributor since the station’s inception wrote a feature story, "How I also felt pressure." It’s a courageous and worthy piece of first-hand journalism that reflects as badly on the AFL as it does on SEN.

Another contributor to the station, the multi-award winning Patrick Smith wrote about the sporting media losing two "jocks" in vastly different circumstances (Thomas and Matthew Johns) in his Australian column, but curiously the normally fearless writer held back when it came to SEN-AFL:
Grant Thomas was sacked by Melbourne sports station SEN on Monday afternoon. The former coach's role was to supply feisty opinion and expert comment on football. Station management said his dismissal was for financial reasons, an explanation which the industry and community has taken to be a euphemism for excessive criticism of the AFL.

The end of Thomas has been interpreted by the hysterical as a dagger to the heart of freedom of speech. The Age appears deeply troubled by the issue. But the Thomas case comes in two parts. If the AFL is bullying station management to stop criticism of the league by its on-air staff, then that is a most unhealthy situation. The league would argue privately that it is entitled to look after the image of its product, especially those who seek to make money by broadcasting its fixtures. But heightened sensitivity is just one jibe away from censorship.

If, indeed, Thomas was instructed to temper his criticism by the station management and he chose not to, then it is Thomas who is the nincompoop. If he found the obligations placed on him so onerous that he could not be true to himself, then he should have resigned. To do otherwise, to deliberately flout instructions from his employer is to demand to be sacked.

His last point was the most interesting, and inadvertently underlined the silliness of the management’s public stance.

He’s clearly saying that the station told Thomas to ease up and he ignored them, so why has he let the station management off-the-hook in its limp "financial reasons" public statements? Surely Smith wouldn’t do that.
However its here that SEN management should realize all they had to say was that THEY didn’t like Thomas’s style so THEY made the decision to axe him. Sure "everyone" may have still assumed the AFL was involved, but at least SEN would look like THEY were controlling their own business.
Just finally it should be pointed out that the station "fights the good fight" way out of their weight division. Their parent company Pacific Star has a market capitalisation of $16 million, compared to other AFL radio rights holders, Fairfax Media (3AW) $2,634 million, Austereo (Triple M) $448 million and the government backed ABC.

They also should stop jumping at shadows, as the AFL needs them more than they think. They can’t afford to pay the big money that the AFL is hoping to get for the next round, BUT THE OTHERS CAN, so they are an important pawn in the negotiating rights.

"Racetrack" Ralphy Horowitz is a former Footy Show and Sunday Footy Show producer, and worked at SEN -- pre-AFL rights -- in the station’s first two years (2004-05) in on and off air roles.
________________________________________

[realdeal]

A fantastic article! Robbo's in todays H-Sun was also very courageous. Well Done.

Just confirming what we already know, the AFL is a complete dictatorship!
Disgraceful.

and with that im now cutting down on the many hours i listen to SEN.

[QuestionOfAccuracy]

A fantastic article! Robbo's in todays H-Sun was also very courageous. Well Done.

Just confirming what we already know, the AFL is a complete dictatorship!
Disgraceful.

and with that im now cutting down on the many hours i listen to SEN.

Ditto.

SEN has lost all credibility. Hats off to Robbo' for writing the article, hope he keeps fighting the good fight.

[Munga]

SEN has lost all credibility.

You mean the AFL?

[joffaboy]

Why has the station lost credibility?

If an employer gives you a directive and you ignore it - why wouldn't you get dismissed?

If SEN dont win the AFL right they are gone. Why should the AFL give the right to a station that continues to bash them?

I actually am very dissapointed that GT has been sacked. The best piece of footy radio I have heard for years was between him and Derek Humphrey-Bear - the ex maggot. Absolutely fantastic.

However it is a business decision and Thomas wouldn't toe the line.

If you want umpire bashing - log on to any internet forum.

[plugger66]

Why has the station lost credibility?

If an employer gives you a directive and you ignore it - why wouldn't you get dismissed?

If SEN dont win the AFL right they are gone. Why should the AFL give the right to a station that continues to bash them?

I actually am very dissapointed that GT has been sacked. The best piece of footy radio I have heard for years was between him and Derek Humphrey-Bear - the ex maggot. Absolutely fantastic.

However it is a business decision and Thomas wouldn't toe the line.

If you want umpire bashing - log on to any internet forum.

Exactly. I'm warming to your posts. Two in a row that I would have said word for word if I had good use of the English language.

[Rice Paper]

Who Cares.

Why didn't he mention the last time Grant was sacked? Grant was sacked from The Age for his constant, hysterical carping about Caroline Wilson being a liar and manufacturing the truth in her articles. So what did The Age do to protect thier chief football writer? They sacked Thomas. Now Greg Baum writes an article about free speech, why didn't he say so when Thomas was sacked from The Age for critisising Wilson? The Age are hypocrites

Now SEN sacks Thomas for his constant, hysterical carping about umpires and the AFL, SEN did the same thing as The Age did, they protected their interests.

But don't expect anyone from StKilda to come out and point all this out, do you know why? Because The Age sponsors StKilda. Welcome to real world politics.

Now all this stuff about Mark Robinson fighting the good fight, you don't think his organisation News Ltd hasn't stifled freedom of speech to protect thier self interests in the past? Wake Up.

[realdeal]

But don't expect anyone from StKilda to come out and point all this out, do you know why? Because The Age sponsors StKilda. Welcome to real world politics.

Now all this stuff about Mark Robinson fighting the good fight, you don't think his organisation News Ltd hasn't stifled freedom of speech to protect thier self interests in the past? Wake Up.

doesn't make it right..

Simon Marshall getting the boot is the biggest concern. He was renowned as one of the best and funniest personalities and now he's gone too!

SEN is for the people. The reason the AFL is so sensitive is because these hosts aswell as the hundreds of callers to SEN are correct. If the the AFL actually listened to the public instead of censoring it then they'd have nothing to worry about.

[stinger]

A fantastic article! Robbo's in todays H-Sun was also very courageous. Well Done.

Just confirming what we already know, the AFL is a complete dictatorship!
Disgraceful.

and with that im now cutting down on the many hours i listen to SEN.

and flowering liars to boot.....

[vacuous space]

If you want umpire bashing - log on to any internet forum.

I could not possibly agree more on this. Whenever I listen to SEN, I always find myself thinking they'd talk less about the umpiring. I can completely understand if there was a directive from the higher ups at the station to stop talking about it. If Thomas was told to shut up about it, he's an idiot for not doing so. But he can't seem to let things go.

His antagonistic relationship with AFL house never helped when he was here. It hasn't helped him since he left. His complete unwillingness to be a team player keeps costing him jobs. Eventually he's going to run out of football jobs he can get. Then he'll get letters from the AFL telling him to stop using their intellectual property on his blog. He should stick to talking about football. At least he knows something about that. I really couldn't care less what he tinks of AD, AA, JG et al.

[Devilhead]

Andolf and his henchman are out of control

Is there anyway we can get the Americans involved

[aussierules0k]

[kosifantutti23]

Why has the station lost credibility?

If an employer gives you a directive and you ignore it - why wouldn't you get dismissed?

If SEN dont win the AFL right they are gone. Why should the AFL give the right to a station that continues to bash them?

I actually am very dissapointed that GT has been sacked. The best piece of footy radio I have heard for years was between him and Derek Humphrey-Bear - the ex maggot. Absolutely fantastic.

However it is a business decision and Thomas wouldn't toe the line.

If you want umpire bashing - log on to any internet forum.

Well to start with, they claimed it was a financial decision, but even you haven't bought that.

Secondly I don't want to be spoon fed AFL approved tripe from SEN, I want to hear what GT, Derek Humphrery Bear, Finey, Jim from Hawthorn, Francis Leach, Eddie Maguire and Scott Goodings really think. That's what talk radio should be all about.

[stinger]

For what ever reason, this is a perfect example of how big companies control what the masses think and discuss, thru control of the media.

No different to GE owing and controlling CNBC.

If GT can be sacked for his comments about a sport, you can imagine the back room pressure put on "reporters" (repeaters is a better description) by "news" editors.

Go ahead enjoy your "news".

http://video.google.com.au/videoplay?do ... 2401&hl=en

you are right of course........freedom of speech...and freedom of the press have never been under greater threat in this country......and it's not the government's fault for once.....

[BakesFan]

For what ever reason, this is a perfect example of how big companies control what the masses think and discuss, thru control of the media.

No different to GE owing and controlling CNBC.

If GT can be sacked for his comments about a sport, you can imagine the back room pressure put on "reporters" (repeaters is a better description) by "news" editors.

Go ahead enjoy your "news".

http://video.google.com.au/videoplay?do ... 2401&hl=en

You are 100% correct, aok.

Thomas was/is no doubt a controversial character, and he doesn't spout the "Gospel according to Adolf"
He presents an alternate view on the propganda from AFL house, and as such, gives everyone the opportunity to make up their own mind.

Having said all that; the issue here isn't Grant Thomas (as much as he'd like to think so).

The issue is corporate manipulation of news and free speech... and it hasn't been honed to this fine an art since jackbooted psychos stomped around Europe.

SEN and the AFL should be ashamed of themselves.

Of couse, most of the above is just opinion and you have the right to debate, or agree with, any of it......and that's the way it should be.

PEACE

[stinger]

bit of it creeping onto on this forum too.....and i make no apologies for saying so

[saint66au]

bit of it creeping onto on this forum too.....and i make no apologies for saying so

Thats fine..care to provide us with an example?

[joffaboy]

bit of it creeping onto on this forum too.....and i make no apologies for saying so

Thats fine..care to provide us with an example?

yes would also be interested.

It was a business decision. For financial reason - absolutely. If SEN loses the right their finances are completely stuffed and so is the station and so is the many many people who rely on the station for their living.

Grant Thomas was a truly terrific special comments man. I really enjoyed his view - it was out of the box and left field.

However SEN have to be responsible to more than just Grant Thomas. It has to win the right to footy to stay viable. if the owner of football doesn't want to deal with a station that bashes it constantly (actually I dont mind Demetrio and Anderson being bashed - they should be accountable - however thew constant carping on about umpires is absolutely counterproductive) - well that put SEN in a precarious position.

if you work for someone and they ask you to stop your behaviour however you continue to do what you have been asked not to and your employer makes a decision in the best intrests of the organisation and all of the employees that you should not be there - well i dont see the problem.

As i said I will miss GT and hope he can get a gig at 3AW or MMM as his comments and insight is a breath of fresh air.

[SteveStevens66]

[quote="BakesFan"]

the issue here isn't Grant Thomas (as much as he'd like to think so).

The issue is corporate manipulation of news and free speech... and it hasn't been honed to this fine an art since jackbooted psychos stomped around Europe.

SEN and the AFL should be ashamed of themselves.

This is precisely the point. It is not about GT. As Stinger said: "freedom of speech...and freedom of the press have never been under greater threat in this country" This is the issue.

Joffaboy said: "If you want umpire bashing - log on to any internet forum." And with that you've hit on the core problem. Who, in this case, decides what constitutes "umpire bashing"? Having freedom of speech ensures that no one has the authority to make such judgments.

It doesn't take a genius to see that commentators, when they even bother, offer only the mildest critique of umpires or anything else to do with the AFL. No "bashing" of any sort goes on in the official media because they, both employees and management, are all petrified of the consequences. The money is big, they are all living large, and no one wants to rock the boat and so they don't even need to receive text messages mid-broadcast from Patrick Keane. And that is because there is a chilling culture of self-censorship at work.

No, this has nothing to do with GT. It is much bigger and more important than any one individual. The core element of Australian culture, freedom of expression, is under threat.

[saintspremiers]

Dimwit is a liar, you could tell by his tone of voice.

No use denying it Dimwit

[stinger]

bit of it creeping onto on this forum too.....and i make no apologies for saying so

Thats fine..care to provide us with an example?

easy...didn't have to look far at all.......

http://www.saintsational.com/forum/view ... hp?t=52081

[Richter]

The issue is corporate manipulation of news and free speech... and it hasn't been honed to this fine an art since jackbooted psychos stomped around Europe.

.....................

No, this has nothing to do with GT. It is much bigger and more important than any one individual. The core element of Australian culture, freedom of expression, is under threat.

Ooh, the melodrama!

[BakesFan]

The issue is corporate manipulation of news and free speech... and it hasn't been honed to this fine an art since jackbooted psychos stomped around Europe.

.....................

No, this has nothing to do with GT. It is much bigger and more important than any one individual. The core element of Australian culture, freedom of expression, is under threat.

Ooh, the melodrama!

Oooh, the superb effort at reasonable discussion.

[Eastern]

So

Conspiracy theory involving the AFL or

Stuff Up by SEN Management

I was taught that when it became a choice between Conspiracy Theory and Stuff Up, it would be Stuff Up 99% of the time !!

[Mr Magic]

We're 7 games into the 2009 season and we've seen countless examples of opposition players 'turning over the footy' or 'stuffing up' due to implied pressure they've felt from us.

We will probably never know truly if the AFL did/didn't 'heavy' SEN. It may well be that the management of SEN, heavily involved in trying to secure the rights to broadcast AFL Footy from 2010, may have felt that their negotiating position would be better served by severing ties with GT?
Maybe they too suffered 'implied pressure' from the AFL in their negotiations?

If that was the case then they could well claim it was a 'financial decision' as they might have believed that if they lose the footy rights they will suffer a huge financial loss?
The reality is that if they do lose the footy rights there is every likeliehood they will go 'belly-up'. AFL football is their single most important product and without it they will be in diabolical financial trouble.

Their management would be, IMO, making 1o0% sure they are doing everything right in trying to negotiate an ongoing agreement for access to the footy. To do anything else would be a severe dereliction of duty to their shareholders, personalities and staff.
If that means jettisoning on-air personalities who they felt were 'hurting' their negotiating position even 1%, then they probably had no alternative than to act the way they did.



But another thing is clear.

GT is one of the unluckiest guys going around.
He continually seems to get sacked without any inkling that he is in trouble.
I'm struggling to think of another example of anybody who has had such similar bad luck.