A leaked News Corp advertiser pitch deck has revealed that the Rupert Murdoch-owned news company is pitching its coverage of the Voice to Parliament referendum as an “educational series” that will “empower our readers” and explain why indigenous communities face disadvantages in society.
Lead image: News Corp Australasia executive chairman Michael Miller
The leaked documents, seen by the Nine-owned Australian Financial Review, also show that a single full-page advert around the campaign will cost between $20,000 and $40,000.
“‘Your Voice’ will be an engaging and informative multimedia editorial series across metro, regional and online mastheads designed to empower our readers with an understanding of the challenges faced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People, the implications and what it means for all Australians moving forward,” the introduction to the sales pitch says.
The pitch then splits into four phases of content. The first, called “THE GAP,” starts at the end of August. It said that News Corp’s titles will be “exploring the most important issues and solutions via daily editorial coverage.” These include life expectancy, poor health outcomes, suicide, unemployment and incarceration rates.
The second phase is an “education series” in September that seeks to inform readers on Uluru Statement from the Heart and the three-step process of “Voice, truth and treaty.” This content series will feature “leading opinion writers, Indigenous and non-Indigenous on each side of the argument answering the question, ‘What is the best outcome for Australia?’”.
The third phase, “MY VOICE” will further unpack the Uluru Statement. The final phase will be the glossy booklet closer to the referendum vote.
Full-page ads for the Herald Sun, Telegraph and Courier Mail are listed at $39,150, $33,349 and $21,749 respectively, with discounts for previous clients. However, an industry insider told the AFR that regular and major newspaper ad buyers would pay a third of the listed price.
The AFR, however, noted that while “News Corp does have some columnists who support the Voice,” the majority of its editorial coverage on the referendum campaigns against it. For example, it said that Herald Sun columnist Andrew Bolt likened the Voice to South Africa’s apartheid and The Australian’s Peta Credlin wrote that there was “little doubt that a new class of Indigenous officialdom would be created” along with “far-reaching Aboriginal controls” in the Voice.
A News Corp spokesperson declined to comment.
