Alan Jones’ show a waste of time 

Dave Lennon writes: Re. “Alan Jones warns Labor pollies: ignore me at your peril” (yesterday) Jones’ claim to the biggest radio audience in Australia needs the light of truth shone on it. I would humbly suggest the biggest radio audience in Australia belongs to Macca, who lays claim to well over a million listeners. When nationally syndicated sport and other daily shows are taken into account, clearly Jones does not have what he claims. Let’s look at his audience. It is predominantly over 55. The 65-to-death demographic  is where the biggest block of his audience sit. Ominously for Jones, that’s also where he took the biggest hit in the last ratings. Any decent political analyst will tell you the 55-plus gang tend to be set in their voting ways; there are very few swinging votes to be had there.

In radio terms, Jones has what’s known as a dying audience. Contrast that with Kyle Sandilands’ audience demographic and you can see why apart from anything else, soft questions, etc,  a pollie with any sense would be wanting to be on any show with a young demographic. They talk to the people whose vote still can be changed. The PM has done some of her best media work of Triple J breakfast with Tom & Alex. Whichever way you cut it, any ALP or Greens candidate who goes on Jones’ show is wasting his or her time. He can be safely ignored because in the end if he changes a tiny handful of votes that would be the full extent of his influence on any poll. And finally, the Alan Jones everyone should hear.

Alan Baird writes: This debate has nothing to do with how unperturbed Citizen Jones is by the Labor boycott of his appalling program and everything to do with what Labor loses by agreeing to turn up. The very fact that some did agree to talk actually shows the pathetic state that in which the party finds itself. Soon they end up justifying the few progressive policies they retain and become even more indistinguishable from the Libs than they already are. Jones and Ray Hadley are not a force for good in our community and remain an outlet for paid-up rent-seekers at the big end of town. Appearing on that program with tails tucked in will only reinforce the poor impression the party creates for itself, and I gave up voting for them aeons ago!

State elections a warning to Canberra

Mike Hobson writes: Re. “State polls with ‘federal implications’? Time to kill the myth” (yesterday). Agree with your article, plus I have an impression that voters “use” state elections to give the federal government a reminder/warning that it might not be as popular as it thinks, but voter\s fully intend to vote for the incumbent at the next federal election — I can see this happening to in September. Also, I think the Greens are going … going … gone, like the Democrats, who never recovered from the retirement of their first leader, Mr Chipp — likewise the DLP (to a lesser extent).

Public hatred for privatised services?

Richard Barlow writes: Re. “Essential: Gillard falls further, and voters hate privatisation” (yesterday). I agree that polling shows that people hate privatisation, but I am not sure what their hated means. I recall in the last NZ election selling assets was as unpopular as the Key government promoting the policy was popular. WA Premier Colin Barnett as privatised hospitals and has just been overwhelmingly re-elected. Do people care who provides the service as long as it is there ?