Station abandons free brothel massages

The George FM midday show is hosted by station founder Thane Kirby. Photo / Bradley Ambrose

An auckland radio station has pulled a competition in which it was giving away free massages at an Auckland brothel.

The George FM midday show, hosted by station founder Thane Kirby, is sponsored by The Pelican Club, which regularly offers giveaways on the show.

Drink vouchers are the usual prizes but several weeks ago it offered free "massages" from the girls at the club.

One prize is believed to have been given out. Emily Turnbull, station manager at George FM, said once she realised the massages were being given away, she canned the promotion.

"It happened for about a week but after learning of it I told the guys to pull it down," she said.

The show has been sponsored by the brothel for three months and it has just signed to continue for another three months.

Turnbull said George FM weighed up the sponsorship before taking the brothel on board as a sponsor.

"We had to make sure it fits into advertising standard guidelines. We also had to make sure we were not crossing the line for listeners."

The bar tabs were a different matter, she said. "It gives people who might be curious a reason to go check it out. What they do after that is up to them."

Pelican Club owner Lyn Kingsnorth said the sponsorship deal had pulled in new customers.

"It's been good for the club," she said. "We are getting some very positive feedback."

And, to anyone who had a problem with it being on the radio, she added: "People need to remember it is legal now. There are always some people who complain about these sorts of things."

Turnbull said the station's over-25 years target audience reduced the risk of offending anyone. "If we were aimed at younger people we either wouldn't have done it or put in restrictions on when it could be played. We don't want smut."

But, she added, "George FM has a bit of a reputation for being quirky."

Turnbull said the station had received no complaints since the sponsorship deal.

"We have only had positive feedback. If we had negative feedback we wouldn't have renewed the deal.

"Our listeners are incredibly active in telling us if they don't agree with what we are doing.

"I am completely relaxed about having the Pelican Club sponsoring this."