Media plays it for laughs on April Fool's day
Media plays it for laughs on April Fool's day
April 01, 2008 12:20pm
ABC Radio in Sydney today tried to convince listeners a stand at the SCG would honour the flamboyant former Sydney Swans player, who helped attract publicity for the AFL club's entry into the rugby league-mad city in the 1980s.
The idea was universally panned, until it was revealed it was an April Fool's joke.
It was just one of many media stunts this morning involving everyone from Kate Richie to the Sunrise team - and of course NEWS.com.au.
Did our story about a Google application that can see into the future fool you?
Around the web, newspaper sites had plenty of fun as they tried to dupe their readers.
The Herald Sun had readers believing the city's congestion woes were over with the Yarra to become a third freeway.
The Mercury capitalised on fears about foxes in Tasmania, with "photo evidence" of the elusive pest.
And The Australian refused to miss out on the fun with a historian's guide to hoaxing.
Meanwhile, back on the airwaves it took a while for Melbourne ABC Radio breakfast host Red Symons to work out the Beijing Olympics weren't going to run the women's events two weeks after the men's.
Someone eventually told him it was an April Fool's joke.
Sneaky Kate Ritchie, whose final Home and Away episode after 20 years airs tonight, told listeners of Nova Radio's Merrick and Rosso program that she had signed up to guest star on rival soapie, Neighbours. Not happening.
And, the Seven Network's Sunrise program's presenters played musical chairs.
Kochie was sports presenter and Mel read the news, while Mark Baretta and Natalie Barr played host? It was only for the day, and it didn't take long for viewers to work it out.
Richard Branson's Virgin Blue airline also got into the spirit of April Fool's day.
The discount airline ran ads in newspapers offering the "no chair fare" - half priced fares for passengers willing to stand for the duration of the flight.
Free calf massages are offered for flights longer than two hours long. The offer closes at 6pm today.
With AAP
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