Has the backlash against Alan Jones gone too far?

8 Oct 2012, 7:34 pm   -   Source: Rhiannon Elston
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There is a whiff of great irony over Alan Jones accusing those calling for advertisers to abandon his radio show of cyber-bullying.

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There is a whiff of great irony over Alan Jones accusing those calling for advertisers to abandon his radio show of cyber-bullying.

The man who has often hung his polarising, sometimes vitriolic and at times, factually dubious opinions off the hook of 'free speech' seems incredibly reluctant to allow others to do the same.

But you only have to look at some of the language being used to criticise the veteran broadcaster to wonder if he might have a point.

Speaking on his 2GB radio show this morning, Jones claimed management at the station made a decision to suspend advertising after a “sustained and hateful” campaign against people working for those advertisers.

“The decision [to abandon advertising] has one purpose and one purpose alone: to give innocent, hard-working people employing advertisers a break from cyber-terrorism. A break from bullying, a break from harassment.”

Fellow 2GB host Chris Smith added to those calls by saying Jones himself had been targeted by cyber-bullies, reading one particularly nasty comment to listeners: “Someone should glass the ****.  He has a face like a rapist.”

According to Smith, the station has received some 7,000 similar messages.

Elsewhere, more than 110,000 Australians have signed a petition calling for 2GB and advertisers to cease association with the veteran broadcaster.

Another 20,000 have added their support to Facebook campaigns calling to ‘Sack Alan Jones’  and to ‘Destroy the Joint’, a reference to another now infamous comment made by Alan Jones about Julia Gillard and other female politicians.

But there are concerns that some protesters are detracting from the campaign by resorting to abuse and language like that cited by Jones’ colleague Smith.

Jenna Price, spokesperson for the ‘Destroy the Joint’ campaign, has condemned such attacks, and says it is not what the protest movement wants to achieve.

“It’s revolting. It’s exactly the kind of thing I’m fighting against.”

“[Destroy the Joint] is about ordinary Australians standing up to someone who has been bullying them for years.”

A post on the ‘Sack Alan Jones’ Facebook page also addresses cyber-bullying claims, calling them an “insult”.

The post went on to appeal to followers to address the issue peacefully.

“We may reject Mr Jones' decades-long history of bullying and abusive behaviour on the radio, but we cannot - we must not - we will not show any personal anger towards him.”

Rhiannon Elston SBS , Alan Jones , Cyber Bullying

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Enough is enough

Jack G - from Granville, NSW, 7 months ago

I am sick of it now. I love listening to Alan Jones show. I listen to it everyday. I don't agree to everything he says but that is what makes everyone different. Alan is forceful in what he says and it is a radio station. I like the entertainment side of it. Listening to his show is like drinking Coffee n the morning... keeps me off from dozing off when driving. If everyone was pushed off the cliff for saying something rude we'd have less than 1 billion population.

Time to grow up a.j.

mark - from moonta, 7 months ago

Alan jones for decades has been spewing forth his hatred of anyone who disagrees with him,It is now his turn and he does not like it.If mr jones hade reported facts rather than fiction and not been abusive or political this would not be happening to him.I have zero sympathy for him jones and his ilk are not needed in a modern society they create hatred and intolerence which is culturally un exceptable.

Ms

Mary McConnell - from Frankston, Melbourne, 7 months ago

It's over for you Alan - A measure of your intellectual capacity will be just how long it takes you to realise your show is over!!!!!

"Get on with your life you lot" comment from Keith Simpson

jimd - from Oatley, 8 months ago

Keith. You may wish to agree with Jones. The reality is that the majority of us do wish to get on with life. We just do not want the ill mannered vitriol and anti everything female that is pushed by Jones. If the man wants to snigger in his pre pubescent dorm fantasies that's a problem he has to overcome, we don't want it. It is not needed. Your sweep under the table throw away line is offensive and shows how far out of kilter life has become.

comment on "Time to wory about Australia" by Brian Dunn

JimD - from Mortdale, 8 months ago

Brian, I don't think you realise this is all about "Time to worry about Australia" Get the head out of the sand. See that people like Jones and his mates making and accepting vitriol are the reason to "Time to worry about Australia" Its not just Jones its a lot more than Jones. Just look at the company he keeps, and the company at his "private" functions.

Remember the Fat kid and skinny bully?

Taggery - from lyndhurst, 8 months ago

Remember the Fat kid and skinny bully? Well, the fat kid has had enough and is dishing out some whoop as. The bully is now whining that he is the victim. Phhfftt, suck it in!

Pull the pin

Jane - from Adelaide, 8 months ago

After all of this, the only truly decent thing he could do is to resign. Seriously, what are the chances of that?! Frankly, the man is far too arrogant to consider that option. You're one of the biggest bullies the country has.

poor alan

oncewas - from bribie island, 8 months ago

Peter from Adelaide, thanks for asking/answering the question. Sounds like kevin rudd. I was addressing the alan jones event, not the ABC,SBS Labor figures etc. I have had plenty to say about the labor party and am far from "high-end leftist hypocrisy",[ whatever that is ], and not guilty of selective outrage. I watch the ABC news because the timing fits in with our household needs but I have never been guilty of watching Bananas in Pyjamas on ABC2, in case there is a fiendish leftist plot .

Social media represents the genuine opinions of Australia, for better or for worse

Alex - from Marrickville, 8 months ago

The Alan Joneses of the world try to characterise social media as a faceless monster, when the truth is that it's the genuine opinions of real people, unleavened by advertising concerns or censorship. That means that a lot of it is ugly, because there's a lot of ugly people in the world. It also means that when someone crosses the line of decency, they will be called to account. Not by a faceless beast, or even a coherent organisation, but by ordinary people using tools of democratic debate.

Shirley

Shirley Green - from Trinity Gardens, Adelaide, 8 months ago

The backlash against Alan Jones is deserved. For many years, he has been a bully. He has made outrageous, cruel & discriminatory statements, many of which which have been libellous. However, it is thoroughly objectionable that people voice their opinions in an abusive, depraved and indecent manner. It is unnecessary. Jones is now trying to avert criticism from himself by drawing attention to cyber-bullying & those who express themselves in a derogatory manner are playing into his hands.

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