The greyhound racing industry exists with the support of numerous media outlets.
The General Principles of the Australian Press Council are based on four core values: accuracy and clarity, fairness and balance, privacy and avoiding harm, and integrity and transparency.
Let’s examine how the racing industry has eroded those principles.
ACM pulls greyhound petition story
According to a Matilda Duncan article in Long Snouts, Australian Community Media (ACM) deleted a story on a greyhound racing petition from the Busselton-Dunsborough Mail in Western Australia after pressure from “east coast” management.
The staff is no longer allowed to write about greyhounds.
Millionaire Antony Catalano and billionaire Anthony Waislitz own ACM. The Mandurah Mail, one of Catalano’s publications, sponsors competitions. The Canberra Times, The Newcastle Herald, The Examiner, and the Illawarra Mercury are just a few of the more than a hundred mastheads that ACM owns throughout Australia.
ACM's partnership with GRNSW
According to a pro-racing article in the Illawarra Mercury, this post was developed as part of an ACM cooperation with Greyhound Racing NSW. Numerous pieces that are currently appearing in local newspapers reflect this revelation.
According to a Media Watch programme, the alleged author of these stories, Michael Cowley, is the PR representative for GRNSW (Media Watch – greyhounds and ACM).
We’ll see whether Mr Cowley will publish a sympathetic essay regarding the 44% spike in racing fatalities in NSW in 2021.
Influence through investment
This year, CPG found indications of a more significant direct influence. For instance, a local publication informed us that the neighbourhood greyhound club threatened to stop advertising if negative pieces were printed.
The greyhound racing industry is not afraid to use its sway over the media.
Greyhound Racing NSW brags in its 2019–20 annual report about having News Corp, Nine, and Crocmedia as media partners.
For instance, the Poetry in Motion marketing campaign benefited from “editorial integration” with News Corp on four feature articles, three segments on Nine News, and two on The Today Show.
The “brand health of GRNSW and ongoing sustainability of the industry” are increased by promoting the Greyhounds As Pets programme through GAP ambassadors.
Stronger collaborations with Channel 7 and 3AW were announced in the Greyhound Racing Victoria annual report. In addition, regional media alliances were enhanced through investments in “country media operations.”
Millions spent to hide the reality
According to the GRV annual report for FY19/20, $2.26 million was spent on “marketing and promotions” for clubs, and $4.48 million was spent on “strategic marketing and communications” for the sector.
For the same time period, GRNSW spent $6.7m on “Media & Digital.” However, only $1 million was spent on “media & content” in 2013.
And, of course, the unwatchable Thrill of the Chase has been carried on Channel 9 Gem and Channel 7mate. Not to mention the media campaign that succeeded in getting NSW’s Baird racing ban lifted.
Various media continue to support the sector with sponsorships of races and racetracks blatantly.
These include:
- Coast FM & 3YB (Warrnambool VIC)
- Bendigo Advertiser (Bendigo VIC)
- 3BA/Power FM (Ballarat VIC)
- The Weekly Advertiser (Horsham VIC)
- Shepparton News (Shepparton VIC)
- Mandurah Mail (Mandurah WA)
- 2LM and ZZZFM (Lismore NSW)
- The Mercury (Hobart TAS)
- The Examiner (Launceston TAS)
- The Advocate (Devonport TAS)
The result of pro-racing media
Behind a veil of deceptive reporting and publications supported by the racing business, the apparent misery of greyhounds vanishes. Nevertheless, dog racing is kept up as a myth, and the industry continues.
Thankfully, there are still a lot of journalists who uphold morality, ethics, and a desire to tell the truth. But unfortunately, greyhounds will continue to perish as long as business controls the media.