Bribes sought for sports TV time?

Press, 18 February 1983, Page 14

Bribes sought for sports TV time?

NZPA Sydney Prominent Sydney television sports commentators have been seeking bribes to give plugs for minor sports, sports promotions, and personalities, according to reports. Two leading Sydney television sports commentators have confirmed to Radio 2GB that big money was changing hands to arrange television exposure for certain sports. Ron Casey and Ray Warren, rugby league commentators, have told the ■ station that, they believe large amounts of money are paid for exposure of minor sports. However, the well known Rex Mossop, of television Channel 7, has denied any such practice in sports journalism. “There are innuendos and rumours but that is all there is,” Mr Mossop told 2GB. But 2GB says Warren and Casey are both explicit in their confirmation that the sports plugs payola has been in full swing for many years.

Both condemned the practice, the station said. The radio station, which is running an investigation into the practice, said that the National Basketball League president, Dr John Raschke, the 2GB sports director, Richard Fisk, a former N.S.W. secretary of the Australian Boxing Federation, a member of the A.B.F. executive, Russ Menadue, the editor of “Chequered Flag” motoring magazine, Nick Munting, and others had confirmed that the allegations were true. “Some have provided statutory declarations to this effect and named the television personality involved. Others have been too afraid of harming the continuing exposure of their sport to want to be publicly named,” said the station. It plans to run an interview with a member of the management team of the boxer, Tony Mundine, who alleges that $5OO was demanded by the television sports personality before ah interview with the boxer

would be recorded or aired. The radio station plans to reveal later how organised crime has infiltrated rugby league through the league’s .interests in licensed clubs. In the Sydney “Daily Telegraph” a commentator, Ron Casey, said he was angry about unspecific allegations, as they cast doubt over everyone in the industry. He said he was not involved in any way with the taking of bribes. In interviews with 2GB, Mr Casey said he felt a few news media people were “on the take.” “The public can easily see who is on the take,” he said. “If suddenly on a television programme you see a sport that might only draw 300 or 400 people getting a 10-min-ute exposure, you ask questions. “If I was the manager of a television or radio station or the editor of a newspaper I would ask questions if a minor sport was getting huge coverage,” he said.