Perhaps the AFL is
feeling the recent media heat on such vexing issues as its drug testing U turn
and all the umpire problems more than we realised. That or AFL chief executive Andrew
Demetriou is intent on drawing his own line in the sand as to media serving two
masters (or perhaps in the case of
journalist Jim Wilson – several).

Wilson, a former Seven
sports journalist was employed as MCG Legends Room match-day host at Saturday’s
official AFL elimination final corporate hospitality function at the Melbourne v Geelong game. But
when league boss Andrew Demetriou realised who the MC was, he intervened and
directed that Wilson be removed and swapped to another function
room to be replaced from that room by another football media type – Stephen
Phillips.

It seems Wilson and
the league CEO have had a strong recent disagreement relating to Wilson’s media
punditry – which he manages to share around with the kind of multiplicity of
roles his higher profile sister Rebecca has made into a baffling stock in
trade given her toxic relations with some sections of media and the wider world
of sport!

But until now, “Jimbo” has hardly been seen as a media head-kicker. And yet he now finds himself seemingly
in corporate Siberia if it’s the AFL calling the tune or issuing the
cheque.

I won’t presume to
know the basis for Demetriou being unreceptive to rewarding a man who he sees
as biting the hand that helps feed him, but it does raise an interesting ethical
question for media types generally.
Clearly there are many journalists’ who do paid corporate work for sporting
bodies all around the country, so while in the pundit’s eyes this doesn’t pose
a conflict of interest; under the kind of transparency now expected of all media,
shouldn’t we be entitled to know of such relationships?

Last night I heard a
talkback caller allege Jim Wilson is also undertaking paid work on behalf of
the Commonwealth Games organization – and I would assume has been writing or commentating
on matters that touch on the Games from time to time in the Herald Sun if not
in other media? If that’s the case –
then surely readers should know what is the nature of his paid association?