'Cyberbullies' lined up against me: Jones

8 Oct 2012, 5:12 pm   -   Source: AAP

Radio broadcaster Alan Jones has blasted cyberbullies and called a Mercedes-Benz manager a gutless wonder.

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Shock jock Alan Jones has complained about cyberbullies, while referring to a senior Mercedes-Benz manager who repossessed his car as a "gutless wonder".

Mercedes-Benz is one of the many companies to pull advertising from Sydney radio station 2GB after Mr Jones suggested Prime Minister Julia Gillard's father had "died of shame" over her "lies".

The German carmaker also stripped Jones of his $250,000 sponsored car, prompting Jones to lash out at Mercedes-Benz corporate communications manager David McCarthy.

"This bloke McCarthy has big-noted himself on behalf of Mercedes-Benz and said, `Well you know I want the car back straight away and if we don't, we'll get over there and repossess it'," Jones told his listeners on Monday.

"You big hero Mr McCarthy. How many phone calls did you make to me?

"You absolutely gutless wonder - none, none. Easy to shoot your mouth off and present an image which is completely untrue."

Mr Jones confirmed that all advertisements had been suspended on his show as the backlash over his comments continued.

He launched an eight-minute diatribe about the "21st century cyberbullies" who were making the threats on social media platforms.

His comments sparked fresh criticism, with some suggesting Jones was being hypocritical.

"So let me get this straight - Alan Jones is allowed to bully the PM & several other prominent women but this isn't ok?" tweeted one of his Twitter critics.

Jones slammed the organisation of an online petition, hosted on Change.org, which called for the advertiser boycott of 2GB.

But a Change.org spokesman told AAP that Mr Jones' claims that fake names were being added were "simply wrong".

Meanwhile, the Facebook page Destroy the Joint thanked its followers for responding to the call to write to advertisers and "destroy Alan's joint".

"Our community feels strongly that we will not condone abuse, harassment and sexism. Let's all make sure that when we talk or write about our concerns, we never stoop to that level," it said.

Former prime minister Kevin Rudd reckons if Mr Jones can dish out criticism, he should be able to take it.

"Because I think the idea of the parrot being out there saying, `Oh, woe is me. Those nasty people are being nasty to me' is frankly just a bit much.

"I think if Alan Jones has been dishing it out with a shovel against people he doesn't like for the last several decades, then I am sure Alan Jones, and his radio station, can take it when the shovel is extended in reverse direction."

However, Deputy Opposition Leader Julie Bishop has called the campaign to target advertisers "sinister".

It was one thing for companies to make their own decisions about where to place ads, she said.

"But if it turns into a concerted effort to close down emails or disrupt businesses, then that's a different development, a different agenda altogether," she told ABC TV on Monday.

Meanwhile, an online poll about trust in media commentators says Alan Jones is the least trusted media commentator when compared with Laurie Oakes, George Negus, Tony Jones, Michell Grattan, Neil Mitchell, Andrew Bolt and Jon Faine.

The Essential Research survey of just over 1000 people found that in the year since the question was last asked online, trust in Mr Jones had fallen from 38 per cent to 22 per cent.

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