3aw Admits Prize Went To Relative
The Age
Thursday December 30, 1999
A 3AW radio producer allowed a $4000 prize to go to his brother-in-law, the station's general manager, Mr Graham Mott, said yesterday.
Mr Mott's admission came after he completed an internal investigation into allegations of prize rigging on Nightline, the former late-night program of sacked host Bruce Mansfield.
While he cleared Mr Mansfield and his on-air partner Philip Brady of any wrongdoing, Mr Mott said that in hindsight the producer, Mr Simon Owens, should have made it clear to the presenters that the winning caller was his brother-in-law.
The brother-in-law received a $4000 lounge chair with a surround sound system in April last year. Mr Owens has offered to pay it back, but Mr Mott said 3AW will offer listeners another $4000 prize in its place.
``It was not a wise thing to do," Mr Mott said. ``But I am satisfied it was a fairly innocent act."
Mr Mott said Mr Owens had called his brother-in-law because he thought the night's talkback topic - people who do multiple jobs - applied to him. Mr Owens initially told his brother-in-law he would not win the prize because he was a relative, Mr Mott said.
But Mr Mansfield and Mr Brady, who did not know the caller was Mr Owens' brother-in-law, thought the call was the best on the night and said so on air, Mr Mott said.
``Bruce and Phil then looked at the producer (for approval to give the prize) and he nodded," Mr Mott said.
``It was a stupid call, but not an illegal call," Mr Mott said. ``I believe no deliberate wrongdoing has taken place but (Mr Owens) has made a judgment call that in hindsight could have been handled a lot better."
But a source who was in the room with Mr Owens on the night - 23 April - yesterday insisted it was ``a contrived operation". The source, who has declined to be named, made the original allegation of prize rigging to Mr Mott.
Mr Mott accused the source of bitterness. ``I find it extraordinary that it took him 19 months to bring (the allegation) up, and only after he had a bitter end to his relationship with his one-time business partner Bruce Mansfield."
Mr Mansfield, 55, was sacked last week after The Age revealed he had solicited free holidays, services and products in return for on-air mentions and interviews on 3AW.
Mr Mott said Mr Owens, who has produced Nightline for four years, would not be disciplined. ``I've told him what a stupid decision it was and I reminded him how we conduct our business at 3AW. I don't believe it was an attempt to defraud anyone.
``That's not how we operate at 3AW. As I've said many times, 3AW prides itself on acting with integrity. It's the way we run our business."
© 1999 The Age