Journalists taken for a ride | Media Watch

Key Concepts:

• Philanthropic Marketing/PR
• Unlawful Lottery Allegations
• Media Censorship/Influence
• Racing NSW/Peter Valandis
• Conflicts of Interest
• Editorial Independence
• NRL/Media Relations

1. Adrien Portelli's Supermarket Voucher Giveaways:

• Billionaire Adrien Portelli, dubbed "Lambo Guy," distributed $100-$200 supermarket vouchers, creating large queues and media attention.
• The giveaways were portrayed as a pre-holiday act of kindness, generating positive coverage across 26 news bulletins.
• Portelli faces criminal charges for allegedly running an unlawful lottery in South Australia through his company, which is advertised as a membership reward service offering shopping discounts.
• The Alliance for Gambling Reform suggests the giveaways drive traffic to Portelli's website and prize draws, which offer a $1 million prize.
• Portelli claims the giveaways are not transactional and denies inviting the media.
• 10 Late News highlighted the charges of running an unlawful lottery while reporting on the giveaways.

2. Gay Waterhouse and Media Censorship:

• An exclusive interview with racing legend Gay Waterhouse on Sky Racing was delayed, allegedly due to criticism of the Rose Hill sale proposal.
• The Rose Hill sale involves turning Sydney's historic Rose Hill Racecourse into 25,000 homes.
• Peter Valandis, head of Racing New South Wales, is a key figure in the Rose Hill saga.
• Kate Mccclimont of the Sydney Morning Herald reported on the delayed interview and quoted Waterhouse on Valandis's power.
• The Waterhouse quote was initially removed from Mccclimont's story but later reinstated after a newsroom dispute.
• The interview, when aired, was stripped of any criticism of Peter Valandis and Racing New South Wales.
• Waterhouse expressed disappointment but not surprise at the censorship.
• Sky Racing has a policy requiring employees to depict the racing industry positively and avoid criticism of Racing New South Wales.

3. Daily Telegraph and Racing New South Wales:

• The Daily Telegraph has shown a lack of critical coverage of Peter Valandis and Racing New South Wales.
• Examples of positive coverage include headlines like "Another St peter miracle" and "the future's looking a billion dollars with the land's vision greatest showman."

4. Sydney Morning Herald and Racing New South Wales:

• The Sydney Morning Herald has published some stories critical of Racing New South Wales and its boss.
• However, there have been instances where Waterhouse's criticisms of Valandis and Racing New South Wales were deemed "not fit to print."
• In July of the previous year, a reporter and photographer were assigned to cover a parliamentary inquiry into the Rose Hill controversy.
• Waterhouse testified that Valandis controls racing and the media coverage.
• Valandis denied the allegations as a smear campaign.
• The ABC, news.com.au, and Channel 9 reported Waterhouse's allegations, but the Daily Telegraph did not include them in their story.
• The Sydney Morning Herald did not publish anything about Waterhouse's testimony.
• Waterhouse was unimpressed by the Herald and the Telegraph's coverage.

5. Conflicts of Interest and Media Influence:

• The potential influence of millions of dollars from bookmakers, facilitated by Racing New South Wales, on media coverage is questioned.
• Peter Valandis is known for hosting media executives and journalists in his corporate box at Royal Randwick, offering free meals and drinks.
• Valandis is also the head of the NRL and launched the 2024 and 2025 seasons in Las Vegas.
• The Sydney Morning Herald's travel expenses to Las Vegas were partly funded by the NRL.
• Ben English, editor of the Daily Telegraph, believes firsthand reporting is best and claims no commercial agreements constrain their reporting.
• Valandis claims cultivating journalists is part of his job and denies media censorship or control.
• Valandis admitted to using his corporate box to build relationships with decision-makers in politics and media, which he later leveraged for the benefit of the NRL.

6. Conclusion:

The segment explores potential conflicts of interest and media influence in two distinct scenarios. First, it examines how positive media coverage of Adrien Portelli's philanthropic acts may overshadow his legal troubles. Second, it investigates the relationship between Racing New South Wales, Peter Valandis, and various media outlets, raising questions about editorial independence and the potential for censorship or biased reporting. The segment concludes by questioning whether certain media outlets are providing a "free ride" to powerful institutions due to financial perks and close relationships.