Journalists taken for a ride | Media Watch

Key Concepts

• "Lambo Guy" Adrien Portelli: A billionaire known for handing out supermarket vouchers and facing criminal charges related to an alleged unlawful lottery.
• Racing New South Wales (RNSW) & Peter Valandis (PVL): The governing body of racing in NSW and its CEO, respectively, wielding significant influence in the industry and media.
• Rose Hill Racecourse Controversy: A proposal to sell the historic racecourse for residential development, opposed by Gay Waterhouse.
• Media Influence & Censorship: Concerns about the media's coverage of Portelli and RNSW, including potential censorship and conflicts of interest.
• Corporate Hospitality & Perks: The practice of offering journalists and media executives hospitality and perks, potentially influencing their reporting.

Adrien Portelli's Supermarket Voucher Giveaways

• The Act: Billionaire Adrien Portelli, dubbed "Lambo Guy," distributed $100 and $200 supermarket vouchers in Queensland and New South Wales.
• Media Coverage: The giveaways generated positive media coverage across 26 bulletins, portraying Portelli as a generous benefactor.
• Underlying Issues: Portelli faces criminal charges for allegedly running an unlawful lottery through his company, which is accused of being a subscription-based lottery disguised as a membership reward service.
• Alliance for Gambling Reform's Perspective: The Alliance believes the media attention drives traffic to Portelli's website and prize draws.
• Portelli's Defense: Portelli claims the giveaways are not transactional and denies inviting the media to the events, dismissing the charges as "compliance issues."
• 10 Late News's Coverage: 10 Late News was noted for mentioning Portelli's charges of running an unlawful lottery while reporting on his grocery bill payments.

Gay Waterhouse, Peter Valandis, and Media Censorship

• The Interview: An exclusive interview with Gay Waterhouse on Sky Racing was initially pulled, allegedly due to her criticism of the Rose Hill sale and Peter Valandis.
• Kate Mccclimont's Investigation: Sydney Morning Herald reporter Kate Mccclimont investigated the pulled interview and quoted Waterhouse on Valandis's power: "You have a very powerful CEO in Mr Valandis and he controls racing and he controls everyone in racing."
• Quote Removal & Reinstatement: Mccclimont's quote was initially removed but later reinstated after her protest.
• Censorship: The interview, when aired, was stripped of any criticism of Peter Valandis and Racing New South Wales. Waterhouse stated, "I was disappointed but not surprised that my Sky Channel interview was so heavily censored as was the interviewer Ray Thomas."
• Sky Racing Policy: A Sky Racing policy requires employees to depict the racing industry positively and avoid disparaging RNSW.
• Daily Telegraph's Coverage: The Daily Telegraph has been observed to avoid criticism of Racing New South Wales and Peter Valandis.

The Rose Hill Inquiry and Media Omissions

• Parliamentary Inquiry: A parliamentary inquiry investigated the Rose Hill controversy, where Waterhouse testified about pressure on witnesses and Valandis's control.
• Waterhouse's Testimony: Waterhouse stated, "You have a very powerful CEO in Mr Valandis and he controls racing and he controls everyone in racing... you only have to look at your your um you know the newspapers now and the media coverage it's very controlled."
• Valandis's Response: Valandis dismissed the claims as a smear campaign.
• Media Coverage Discrepancies: While ABC, news.com.au, and Channel 9 reported Waterhouse's allegations, the Daily Telegraph omitted them. The Sydney Morning Herald published nothing on the story.
• Waterhouse's Disappointment: Waterhouse expressed disappointment that her "hard-hitting" evidence was ignored by the Sydney Morning Herald and the Daily Telegraph.

Conflicts of Interest and Media Perks

• Financial Ties: Concerns were raised about the millions of dollars flowing from bookmakers, facilitated by Racing New South Wales, to the Sydney Morning Herald and the Daily Telegraph for form guide publications.
• Corporate Hospitality: Peter Valandis is known for hosting media executives in his corporate box at Royal Randwick, offering lavish meals and drinks.
• NRL Season Launch in Las Vegas: The Herald's owner, Channel 9, which broadcasts NRL games, sent a large contingent to the Las Vegas launch, with expenses partly funded by the NRL.
• Valandis's Influence: Valandis admitted to using his corporate box to cultivate relationships with decision-makers in media and politics, stating, "I bring high p you know the the decision makers both in politics in media and anywhere else to that room and they become your friends... in the back of my mind I know one day I'm going to need them."
• Valandis's Defense: Valandis claims cultivating journalists is part of his job and rejects claims of media censorship.

Synthesis/Conclusion

The Media Watch segment highlights potential conflicts of interest and censorship within the Australian media landscape. It raises concerns about the positive portrayal of Adrien Portelli despite his legal troubles, the heavily managed coverage of Racing New South Wales and Peter Valandis, and the influence of corporate hospitality and financial ties on media reporting. The segment questions whether media outlets are providing unbiased coverage or if they are influenced by financial incentives and relationships with powerful figures.