Media Watch host Paul Barry tells 2GB’s Ben Fordham to ‘hard’n up’ over Man Shake segment
Radio 2GB Drive host Ben Fordham has fired back at the ABC’s Media Watch program accusing it of misrepresenting his advertising on behalf of weight loss product the Man Shake, which his brother has a stake in.
Fordham spent 15 minutes during his broadcast yesterday criticising Media Watch’s segment from Monday night, accusing them of running a “mishmash” of clips designed to “make it sound like I was handing out endless free publicity for the Man Shake.”
Media Watch host Paul Barry responded to the criticism telling Mumbrella this morning: “I think Ben needs to Hard’n Up. Media Watch raised perfectly legitimate criticisms and dealt with him in an entirely appropriate manner. Fordham’s claims that we misled viewers are 100 per cent wrong.”
During Monday night’s program Media Watch criticised Fordham’s ads for the Man Shake noting instances where guests commentators Jason Morrison or Darryl Brohman “The Big Marn” had ad-libbed around the ads, claiming that had created confusion for listeners around what was editorial and advertising.
Barry cited the radio codes of practice which state: “Advertisements broadcast by the licensee must be presented in such a manner that the reasonable listener is able to distinguish them, at the time of the broadcast, from other program material.”
He added: “We certainly had trouble knowing which was which… The problem, we reckon, is that Ben’s testimonials … and those comments from Jason Morrison and The Big Marn … blur the line.”
Fordham yesterday dismissed the critique saying: “They just ran a mishmash of me talking about the Man Shake on various dates. They wanted to make it sound like I was handing out endless free publicity for the Man Shake. It was grossly misleading.
“The big story Media Watch was fishing for was whether I’ve got a financial stake in the Man Shake. That was their first question. No, I told them. So the story they were dreaming of didn’t really pan out. So the second question was are you being paid to endorse the Man Shake. No, Media Watch I don’t have a financial interest in it and I’m not being paid to promote it.”
The Media Watch program also noted that Fordham’s brother, Nick Fordham, did had a 10 per cent stake in the company which owns Man Shake, and argued that this interest should have been declared to 2GB listeners.
“So instead they dragged my brother into it,” said Fordham in his reply. “He has a small stake in it and announced it on his own website when that deal was done… Media Watch thinks I should be prevented from endorsing a company my brother has a 10 per cent interest in. They believe this is should be off limits. My brother a 36-year-old adult should have special restrictions placed on him when it comes to advertising on 2GB.”
The codes of practice do not specifically cover whether family members of the host have interests in the company being advertised, but most radio broadcasters require hosts to declare when they have an interest in the company being spoken about.
Barry today dismissed Fordham’s complaints saying: “Ben’s suggestion that we misrepresented the nature of his broadcasts, that is just nonsense and entirely without foundation.
“There are two issues that Media Watch dealt with in the program: Was it ethical for Fordham to plug a product in which his brother has a financial interest? And was there a conflict of interest that should have been disclosed
“Was Fordham in breach of the Commercial Radio Code of Practice which requires that a reasonable listener can distinguish between ads and editorial?
“Listening to Fordham’s plugs for the Man Shake we were NOT clear which bits were scripted and paid for by the advertiser and which bits were unsolicited personal endorsements or editorial comments from Ben Fordham and his guests. So we asked him and 2GB to tell us which was which.
“In fact, Fordham and 2GB couldn’t agree on one of the excerpts – which kind of proves our case. We did make it clear in the program that 2GB had assured us that Jason Morrison and The Big Marn’s comments were not ads but ‘spontaneous program comment’. I really don’t think Fordham or 2GB have any cause for complaint.”
Fordham in his broadcast dismissed this interpretation arguing that listeners could tell the difference between editorial and advertising.
“Just like the other (advertisers) Man Shake is a full paying client on 2GB with ads that go to air during my show and during others. From time to time Man Shake has been mentioned outside of the ads, during my show, the same as many other advertisers, but my listeners know the Man Shake is an advertiser because they hear me reading ads for them on sometimes a daily basis,” said Fordham.
“Last night Media Watch suggested that our listeners can’t tell the difference between what is an ad and what’s not. This is despite me giving them the facts after they emailed me specific questions and examples. I answered every question they asked and told them the majority of the examples they were citing were in fact paid ads – not free plugs – that’s the way commercial radio works.”
Nic Christensen
Nic Christensen is a former employee of Radio 2GB.
well……who gives a hoot.
Must have been a slow week for Media Watch!!
User ID not verified.
Does anyone know the story behind this product…it seems to get endless exposure in News Ltd publications (let alone 2GB), including amazing social media support via News Ltd outlets. The creator of the product seems to even write editorial for News. eg http://www.dailytelegraph.com......7281463608
Plus it’s featured in Nine outlets like ACA.
Man Shake are either paying a fortune in advertising/advertorial or paying the high profile sports talent to front the product in publicity.
Or lets not be cynical…they could have just one killer PR!
Anyone know?
User ID not verified.
Belmac Investments Pty Ltd – run by Adam Macdougall’s wife. Seems to be a family company linked to a family trust.
I wager they’re simply paying for it.
User ID not verified.
SACD, my hunch from previous manshake exposure is Adam Maddog McDougall is well connected around town as well as having some good $$ to spend. Knowing people knowing people and likely a few back slaps are whats helping him out.
User ID not verified.
SACD – have a look at the talent in The Fordham Company stable and there’s your answer.
The coverage on 2GB is likely primarily live reads which come into discussion from time to time in organic radio talk.
Non-story IMO
User ID not verified.
Presumably there is a harden up manshake that is presumably delicious. In fact I’ve just lost 3kgs just writing the words
User ID not verified.
I remember the days when Media Watch was actually interesting.
User ID not verified.
Hi, Matt here from Hong Kong. I’ve been drinking the manshake for weeks. Love it. Love it enough to write in to a radio station whom I don’t have a personal relationship with.
I’ll write another one liner to you in another few weeks.
User ID not verified.
Why are there so many spelling and grammatical errors in this article? Surely with journos going cheap from Fairfax you could afford subs?
User ID not verified.
really Manshake who gives a toss………it’s time to privatise the Abc,
User ID not verified.
How would you react if Fordham’s on-air endorsement went like this: ‘I just love the man shake. I drink it all the time. Oh and by the way my brother owns a stake in the company.’ Favourable editorial for an advertiser who just happens to be a family member. Aha! Wink wink, nudge nudge.
Would you write an article promoting a product with links to your brother’s company without disclosing it? If the answer is no, then surely you agree that Fordham’s endorsement crosses the line. Cash for comment it ain’t, but that doesn’t mean it’s not suss.
User ID not verified.
How many people and budget does MediaWatch use for 7 mins of TV a week?
User ID not verified.
Media watch does not give a fig what they put to air. They appear to think they are never wrong and can say whatever. Barry needs to go out and get a real job.
User ID not verified.
Seems like the Fordham spinners are calling in a few favors here … apparently this stuff, whatever it is, will make you ripped and ready to rock after a glassful or ten. And while they’re at it, let’s give it to those ABC lefty losers, those haters of free enterprise. Do Fordham’s 2GB elders, Jones and Hadley, guzzle this stuff as well? If so, it’s not working.
User ID not verified.
The way Ben Fordham went on about it for so long made me think Mediawatch had hit a raw nerve. Then all the Tea Party freaks on here and other places chimed in with ‘Ban the ABC’ etc, so I knew that there must be something in it. Next time, let it go through to the keeper Ben. By being so touchy and frothing at the mouth, you told me EVERYTHING I need to know about this.
User ID not verified.
Those complaining about Media Watch are missing to point about what was put to air. Man Shake does seem to get a lot of free publicity on the radio. Far more than what should be run as chit chart and it should be paid for. If it is not free then it should be pointed out it is advertising.
User ID not verified.
At least Adam McDougall doesn’t promote Man Shake in his weekly MadFit page in the Sunday Telegraph.
User ID not verified.
I just can’t believe anyone called a product a ‘manshake’!
User ID not verified.
Methinks the on-air spruikers are having a collective shake of their collective manhoods.
User ID not verified.