“SCA’s Legal Advice Is Wrong”, Says Seven News Director

Jason Morrison (Director of News, Channel 7 Sydney) at Radio Alive 2017

It was unsurprising that the recent spat between 2GB host Ray Hadley and Southern Cross Austereo (SCA) came up at the Radio Alive conference in Melbourne on Friday, with one panellist in particular voicing his support for the controversial shock jock.

Speaking to B&T, Jason Morrison (pictured above), director of news at Channel Seven in Sydney, said SCA’s decision to pull Hadley from its Triple M Central West broadcast every time he talked about a court case involving an employee of one of the network’s advertisers was uncalled for.

“I don’t know if this is a commercial decision or not, but I know SCA’s legal advice is wrong, because the advice that everyone else seems to have is that it’s very, very safe to talk about this issue in the way it’s been talked about, including us, Fairfax, News Corp,” he said.

“Even the ABC has broadcast this story, statewide and in that region.

“Perhaps they’re just being cautious, but to pull somebody off the air and decide it’s too risky, I think they should make a decision as to whether they have him at all.”

Having worked at 2GB himself, Morrison described it as a well-run organisation that’s genuinely respectful of legal processes, and said Hadley would have got his facts straight on the story before reporting on it.

“If SCA doesn’t trust certain parts of his show, they shouldn’t have him on the station at all,” he said.

“Ray is an edgy broadcaster who is known for his provocative discussions, and that’s his attraction, and why he’s been number one for as long as he has.

“For SCA to decide that they didn’t like one bit of his show, they should’ve taken he good, the bad and the awkward.

“I mean, you back the guy to have him on your station, but there’s something you don’t like him doing, so you just pull him off for that bit, but put him back on for the rest. I’ve never heard of that.”

Morrison said there is always a genuine separation between church and state in radio stations and media organisations around the advertisers and what goes to air.

“I am amazed that somehow there’s been an allowance for one to dictate the other, if indeed that is the case, but SCA is saying it’s not and I’ll take their word for that.”

Please note: Morrison’s views represented in this article are his own and don’t necessarily reflect those of the Seven Network.




Latest News

Revium Snags Peter Bauld From Deloitte Digital
  • Advertising

Revium Snags Peter Bauld From Deloitte Digital

Revium, a leading full-service digital and AI consultancy, has announced the appointment of Peter Bauld (lead image) as Executive General Manager. Revium is a full-service digital and AI consultancy with over 20 years of experience creating engaging digital experiences for leading organisations and their customers. Bauld joins Revium after an illustrious career spanning over two […]

Veridooh Snatches Prashand Menon From ScentreGroup
  • Advertising

Veridooh Snatches Prashand Menon From ScentreGroup

Out-of-home OOH) and digital media leader Prashand Menon (lead image) has joined OOH ad tech company Veridooh as group business director within NSW and QLD. Menon joins Veridooh from his most recent role as ScentreGroup’s group business director and brings with him more than 10 years of experience in Australian media. Previously, he held positions […]

Kat & Co Transforms Into THE WORLD OF Experiential Agency
  • Advertising

Kat & Co Transforms Into THE WORLD OF Experiential Agency

After more than twelve years of producing experiences for some of the world’s most innovative brands, including Hermes, Van Cleef & Arpels, Louis Vuitton, and Tiffany & Co, Kat & Co has quietly metamorphosed into THE WORLD OF. THE WORLD OF is an experiential agency at the juncture of culture, technology and the human condition. […]

SMG Studio Launches Risk: Global Domination X Dune Part Two
  • Campaigns

SMG Studio Launches Risk: Global Domination X Dune Part Two

Through a licensing agreement with Legendary Entertainment, SMG Studio inked the rights to adapt Dune: Part Two into a game based on Risk: Global Domination, Hasbro’s interactive board game. Inspired by Denis Villeneuve’s cinematic masterpiece, Dune: Part Two, this new digital adaptation, RISK: Global Domination X Dune: Part Two, is poised to captivate players from […]

QMS: Taylor Swift, Lunar New Year & Mardi Gras Were Boon For OOH Market
  • Marketing

QMS: Taylor Swift, Lunar New Year & Mardi Gras Were Boon For OOH Market

Taylor Swift, Lunar New Year and the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Festival have had a dramatic impact on the number of people moving in and around Sydney over the past month, drawing big crowds into the heart of the city and its surrounding suburbs. New data from digital outdoor company QMS reveals a […]