Now to a man who probably wishes he'd asked Media Watch to send an email. His name is Warren Hebard, and he's Manager of Marketing and Communications for Tom Waterhouse.com.

You know Tom Waterhouse. He's the tennis expert who pops up on Seven's coverage of Wimbledon...

Tom Waterhouse: my grandfather always told me never to lay champions, and Serena Williams she's certainly that. She's won thirteen grand slams, four Wimbledon titles, and she's coming here to make her fifth straight win against Azarenka. — Channel Seven, Wimbledon, 5th July, 2012

He was right. Serena won.

And he's the rugby union expert who predicted on Nine back in August that the Wallabies would beat the All Blacks in Sydney...

Tom Waterhouse: The Wallabies on the other hand, they're average age is 25, they're coming into this game three weeks off, they've got a great winning record here, 6-5 at ANZ stadium. — Channel Nine, Bledisloe Cup, 27th August, 2012

He was wrong, the Wallabies lost.

On Sky News, he's a cricket buff who loved it when Michael Clarke turns out for grade and club sides...

Tom Waterhouse: To get the Australian captain to go and play these things it's not only great for the people of the suburb but it's great for those young guys coming through — Sky News, Sportsline, 11th October, 2012

Sky News values Tom's views on the Rugby League, too...

Cronk, Smith and Slater, how can you go past them? — Sky News, Sportsline, 27th September, 2012

And Ten Late News chats to him about the AFL ...

Tom Waterhouse: Hawthorn, they're a big scoring side but they've been contained to around a hundred points the last few games, I think the Swans can contain them, I think they can definitely win... — Channel Ten, Late News, 27th September, 2012

Doesn't matter what the channel, or what the sport, Tom the bookmaker is up there with his 'expert' commentary. In fact the Saturday before last, Caulfield Cup day, he was on Nine so often you could have lost count...he started that morning on Weekend Today...

Reporter: Now Tom, it really is in the Waterhouse DNA this race isn't it? Tom Waterhouse: Oh yes it is, I'm so excited, it's one of the really great days of racing ... — Channel Nine, Weekend Today, 20th October, 2012

And he was on Nine numerous times that afternoon, spruiking the odds in the lead up to the big race

Cameron Williams: ... Tom, can you tell us about any significant moves in the betting? Tom Waterhouse: Yeah, My Quest for Peace has been very well backed - 17 and $8 and I'm very worried about it because it's hard to line up this overseas form... — Channel Nine, Wide World of Sport, 20th October, 2012

And that evening he was back on Nine for the Bledisloe Cup.

Now of course Tom is a sponsor of the Wallabies - suitably declared in Nine's coverage.

And he's a big advertiser on Nine's Wide World of Sports...

At Tom Waterhouse.com I give you great odds, on all bet types, on all sports, bet with me at Tom Waterhouse.com — Channel Nine, Tom Waterhouse ad,

He's a big advertiser on Ten Late News too...

At Tom Waterhouse.com I give you great odds, on all racing, on the go. — Channel Ten, Tom Waterhouse ad, 18th October, 2012

And his ads are all over Sky News's Sportsline...

If you're betting on Tom Waterhouse.com, you're betting with me. Join me on your mobile at Tom Waterhouse.com — Sky News Sportsline, Tom Waterhouse ad, 11th October, 2012

So we wondered, what's the deal? Are our sports broadcasters so impressed with his sporting knowledge, and do they think their viewers are so obsessed with sports betting, that they go looking for young Tom of their own accord? Or are his frequent appearances just part of his massive advertising spend?

One of our researchers rang Tom Waterhouse.com and spoke to Communications Manager Warren Hebard. She told him she was from Media Watch, and asked him about Tom's regular weekly appearances on Ten's Late News and Sky News's Sportsline. And he told her this:

It's part of an advertising spend. We have an advertising deal in place with these networks - our ads are placed around news programs - we guarantee an ad spend to appear on those programs. He's been on Sportsline for about six months. He's only been doing the Ten Late News for about a month. — Warren Hebard, Marketing and Communications Manager, tomwaterhouse.com, 25th October, 2012

Though later in the conversation Mr Hebard made some remarks which we agreed not to quote, that response was on the record.

Now, the Commercial Television Industry Code of Practice , which applies to the free-to-air networks, says that if a commercial agreement affects the content of a factual program...

...the licensee must disclose the existence of that commercial arrangement. — Commercial TV Industry Code of Practice

And they are required to disclose it

...in a way that is readily understandable to a reasonable person — Commercial TV Industry Code of Practice

When we asked Ten Late News about its arrangement with Waterhouse, it responded cheerily ...

...the Tom Waterhouse spot is part of a commercial arrangement, their logo features prominently during this segment. No attempt has been made to hide the nature of the relationship. — Elise O'Neil, Corporate Communications Manager, Network Ten, 26th October, 2012

This is how Tom is introduced by Ten News on a Thursday night:

And talking of the Caulfield Cup it's time to chat to one of Australia's leading bookmakers, Tom Waterhouse, Tom... — Channel Ten, Late News, 18th October, 2012

And there's the Waterhouse logo. That's the signal that this is a paid spot.

Readily understandable by a reasonable person? Maybe. Appropriate in a News broadcast? I don't think so.

Nine too plasters prominent logos, over many - but not all - of Waterhouse's appearances in its shows

Tom Waterhouse: the All Blacks have been backed off the map, they're into a dollar thirty four, but I'm taking them on. There's a few reasons why. Firstly they've got three key players out, — Channel Nine, Bledisloe Cup, 27th August, 2012

The logos and graphics are in Waterhouse.com's style and colours, not Nine's...

But when Tom popped up on Weekend Today, no such logos appeared. And when we asked Nine about its arrangement with Waterhouse, it went cagey on us ...

We won't discuss the arrangements with any of our commercial partners. — Steve Crawley, Network Head of Sport, Nine Network, 26th October, 2012

Supposed to disclose them, but won't discuss them. As for Sky News, it flat out denied what we'd been told by Waterhouse's own management - that his appearances were part of his advertising spend.

There is no commercial arrangement regarding Mr Waterhouse's appearances. The SKY NEWS Sports Editor made an approach and secured the services of Mr Waterhouse as a commentator independent of any advertising activity. — Ian Ferguson, Director of News and Programs, Australian News Channel Pty Ltd, 26th October, 2012

Well, it's true there's no disclosure of a commercial arrangement on Sky - no Waterhouse logos for example. But then Pay TV channels don't have to disclose commercial agreements, even if they exist. In any case, Tom's always happy to use the opportunity to spruik his business ...

Tom Waterhouse: Well that's right, I'm so excited by this Pierro I'm actually giving anyone who bets with me $200 on it and if it doesn't win you get your money back... — Sky News, Sportsline, 11th October, 2012

Tom did his dough. Pierro came third. *** correction: Pierro came second in the Caulfield Guineas and third in the Cox Plate

And here is Sky News's sports page online. You can hardly see the Sky for the Waterhouses.

It's all rather confusing.

Especially when Warren Hebard sent us this email , backtracking on what he'd said on the phone...

You either misconstrued or misunderstood my comments, all of which were off the record in any event. — Warren Hebard, Marketing and Communications Manager, tomwaterhouse.com, 26th October, 2012

We disagree about that, Mr Hebard...

For the record, certain channels and stations invite Tom to give interviews ... as they feel it adds to the program's interest for viewers/listeners. In some situations, we choose to also advertise on or even sponsor those programs as we consider they are viewed by our prime audiences. — Warren Hebard, Marketing and Communications Manager, tomwaterhouse.com, 26th October, 2012

So there you go. I hope, as a reasonable person, that you now readily understand when Tom's paying to appear on the telly, and when he's not.

Know what? I bet you don't...

Until next week, goodnight.