Cat Trucks withdraws support of Outback Truckers TV show

NC2 Global Australia Pty Ltd, the distributor for Cat branded on-highway trucks in Australia, has formally withdrawn its support of the new reality television series Outback Truckers.

The company released a statement saying ‘This program does not meet the intent we believed it would and is not consistent with the core values of NC2 Cat Trucks or the positive image of the Australian truck industry that we and our Australian truck customers work so hard to portray.’

In the view of DieselNews editor Paul Matthei, this seems to be yet another example of a so-called reality TV show failing to live up to the intent of its original conception and instead being ‘sensationalised’ to feed the negative and often unfounded perceptions the general public has about the trucking industry in order to boost ratings.

“The fact that Cat Trucks has withdrawn its support from the program after previously being one of its biggest promoters suggests the series’ producer didn’t stick to the script that had been originally put forward,” Matthei said. “This is a real shame because there’s so much good going on in the trucking industry and yet still the old stereotypes keep being wheeled out by the mainstream media because that’s what catches the average Joe’s attention.”