"Shock-Jock" Alan Jones Retires

[icyfroth]

Alan Jones, Australia's most influential radio broadcaster, will retire at the end of this month, saying doctors had told him his workload was "detrimental" to his health.

The 79-year-old 2GB breakfast host has towered over Sydney's media, and Australian politics, for decades.

His breakfast program has topped the Harbour City's radio ratings since he began in the timeslot in 2001.

During his broadcast this morning Jones told listeners: "We are living in the world of coronavirus. The most repeated statement we hear is 'we must listen to the experts'."

"Well, the experts are telling me in no uncertain terms, and not for the first time I might add, 'continuing with the present workload is seriously detrimental to your health'.

"I have listened to the experts and I am taking this opportunity to indicate to my radio family that I will be retiring from radio at the end of this month.

Despite calling quits on his radio career, Jones will continue to broadcast on Sky News and write for The Daily Telegraph and The Australian.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-05-12/alan-jones-retires-from-radio/12237330

I'll miss listening to the old bugger in the mornings!

I don't mind Ben Fordham, but I think Ray Hadley would have been a better choice,

[davewil1964]

Funny about that.

it doesn't matter if it was a listener's letter or not - Jones broadcast it, thus showing his true colours. If he didn't agree with the sentiment he wouldn't have broadcast it.

[icyfroth]

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@4channel wrote:

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@icyfroth wrote:

With all due respect, reading out a message from a listener doesn't make Alan Jones a racist, or a bigot.

As I recall, the Cronulla riots came about the bashing to near death of a surf lifesaver by members of a muslim brotherhood.

Said lifesaver was active in trying to stop the muslim occupation of part of the beach and young muslim men trying to ban anyone from entering a certain area they wished to reserve for women only in traditional mulslim garb.

Reports came in from other Cronulla residents who complained of young muslim men trying to prevent bathers or even non-muslims from entering an area, they felt should be reserved for "muslims only".

Sneering and jeering, hurling insults at young women on the beach wearing bikinis.

It was a huge backlash, and rightly so, IMO, and good on Alan Jones for sticking up for Aussies.

Racism and bigotry isn't all one-sided.

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Of course reading a (supposed) post from a listener doesn't make Jones a racist or bigot. However his behaviour on other unrerlated occasions leads me to believe that he is.

The Muslim Brotherhood is an Egyptian organization

https://www.britannica.com/topic/Muslim-Brotherhood

The lifesaver was beaten up by some thugs that happened to be of Lebanese background and possibly Muslim famiilies. The 2 guys that were chashed and nearly done in had nothing to do with any of those incidents. Neither did the dark skinned Spanish girl who was assaulted. Guess what would have happened to any Italians that would have ventured in there. I guarantee with that blood hungy mob, the crucifix that some Italian males like to adorn themselves wth would have no protection for them. After all it was "Wog bashing day"

Jones isn't sticking up for Aussies

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Yeah that's the general media presentation of it. The truth is the lifesaver was bashed up by young muslim men trying to reserve part of the beach for muslim wormen bathing.

When the young lifesaver intervened, he was bashed to within an inch of his life.

That's what set the riots off.  Alan Jones was  merely a commentator, albeit with sympathies toward Aussie mores.

He was not the instigator.

[icyfroth]

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@4channel wrote:

James Brown and Kevin White vs Alan Jones

It's all about responsibiity when a known potential for a volatile situation lurks.

Some time back I saw something on TV about James Brown and what he and Mayor Kevin White did to calm things down after the murder of Dr. Martin Luther KIng. It may have been omn SBS or NITV.  Anyway, the US was a powder keg but what they did there went down hin history as one of the most righteous and sensible things that could ever have been done.

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Mayor Kevin White with James Brown At The Boston Garden 04/05/1968

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lfEpQb_H1Pk

49 Years Ago Today, James Brown Saved Boston

His city ravaged by violence following Dr. King's assassination, Mayor Kevin White begged the Garden for peace. The Godfather of Soul delivered.

By Kyle Scott Clauss· 4/5/2017, 9:51 a.m

https://www.bostonmagazine.com/news/2017/04/05/james-brown-saved-boston-king/

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Look at what they did and then look at the behaviour of Jones.

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irrelevant.

[4channel]

I don't think that it's irrelevant.  Here we have 2 situations that had the potential for violence. One was handled responsibly and the other oen wasn't. There were 2 different outcomes.

[icyfroth]

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@4channel wrote:

I don't think that it's irrelevant.  Here we have 2 situations that had the potential for violence. One was handled responsibly and the other oen wasn't. There were 2 different outcomes.

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ok, maybe not irrelevant, but not comparable, IMO.

[lionrose.7]

So icy fake news 🙂

[4channel]

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@icyfroth wrote:

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@4channel wrote:

I don't think that it's irrelevant.  Here we have 2 situations that had the potential for violence. One was handled responsibly and the other oen wasn't. There were 2 different outcomes.

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ok, maybe not irrelevant, but not comparable, IMO.

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Any radio annoucer worth his salt wouldn't incorrrectly generalise or blanket blame. And if he heard something that wasn't quite right, he'd try to correct it rather than have another party going on with a grossly incorrect and paranoid rant.

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QUOTE: ABC Below is a segment of a discssion between Jones and a listener called Yvoonne.

Front page - Jones and Cronulla

Y: Get them out to work Alan. I've got 2 blooming jobs, what sort of a mug am I? I'm going out to pay the dole for these people who want to blow me up!

AJ: That's correct, Excellent point. many people feel that way Yvonne, thankyou for ringing. Plenty of calls, we're here to 10 o'clock. We'll get to them.

https://www.abc.net.au/mediawatch/episodes/front-page---jones-and-cronulla/9976172

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Blow her up? and he says " Excellent point"

Sorry, but I disagree with you there. The two scenarios are very comparible. Mayor Kevin White and singer James Brown did something to diffuse what could have errupted into a very nasty situation. And this radio shock jock saeems to display gross disregard for responsibility. How would you assess the situation if there were deaths. There could very well have been deaths.

[icyfroth]

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@lionrose.7 wrote:

So icy fake news 🙂

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You might like to think so, but no..

Real news that was first reported then redacted from subsequent reports. The reason given was to not incite further conflict.

Alan Jones was certainly an agitator in the conflagration, but he was not the instigator.

[tezza2844]

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@twyngwyn wrote:
He has friends in high places

"Two plain-clothes officers had been watching the underground public toilet at Broadwick Street from the roof and a nearby corner. They had seen a man in an aqua-coloured Lacoste sweater enter the toilet and became suspicious when he stayed inside for a longer than usual period.

Jones was arrested and taken to the Mayfair station, where he was charged with "outraging public decency" and "committing an indecent act". It is only fair to point out that prosecuting authorities were ultimately unprepared to present any evidence to support the charges."

[4channel]

I see that his favourite lady is devastated that he is leaving..