Austereo’s car chase app competition has come under fire for encouraging bad driving. The competition, which saw a virtual car travel 25, 083 kilometres around Sydney via players’ phones, drew criticism from the NSW police. Senior police rang 2DAYFM management late last month to advise them of a report of speeding associated with the competition, as well as their concerns about the dangers the competition posed for road users. The station was asked to consider suspending or ending the competition. NSW Police were advised that the competition would finish within the following week and were assured that the station would increase the promotion of safe driving messages.
An accident caused by the competition was rumoured to have happened on 19 August, but John Thompson, the Manager of the NSW Police Media Unit has told radioinfo:
“There were no collisions reported on the 19th of August [associated with] the 2DAY FM competition… NSW Police did receive a report from an anonymous informant at Camden – on or about the 22nd of August – of concerns about a 2DAY FM car chase competition to win a car. In particular, the informant reported an unidentified individual travelling at high speeds. Senior police rang 2DAYFM management on the 22nd to advise them of the report as well as their concerns about the dangers the competition posed for road users. The station was asked to consider suspending or ending the competition.”
Thompson says Austereo told police the competition was due to end shortly.
A woman also became lost as a result of the competition. Thompson has told radioinfo:
“At 7pm on Friday 26th August, a woman rang police to report being lost in the Mt Kuring-gai National Park. She told officers that she had been involved in a radio competition and took a wrong turn, entering the bush at 5pm. Police walked for 6 km’s where they located her with the assistance of POLAIR, and then walked her back out at 11pm.The woman was treated for shock and dehydration; three officers sustained injuries including cuts and bruises during the operation.”
ABC TV’s Media Watch program covered the incident last week, saying the station declined to stop the competition, but promised to increase its warnings for players to drive safely.
A Southern Cross Austereo spokesperson told Media Watch: “Safety was always the utmost consideration in running the competition.”
The competition’s GPS-tracked path touched over 300 localities from 2Day FM’s World Square headquarters to the likes of Palm Beach, Manly, St Ives, Terrey Hills, Blacktown and Campbelltown. It is similar to a competition conducted by a radio station in Sweden.
In response to questions about the competition, and also the recent new Commercial Radio codes of practice, Kyle and Jackie O criticised Media Watch for being the “fun police,” and portrayed staff at “Auntie” as wearing faun cardigans. Media Watch presenter Jonathan Holmes responded by donning his faun cardigan at the beginning of last week’s show (pictured).
