Speculation is growing that 2GB News Director, Justin Kelly, is considering legal action against morning presenter and Olympic host, Ray Hadley, over his off air attack on the station’s news department.
While Hadley has apologised to any listeners he might have offended, The Sunday Telegraph reports Kelly is refusing to comment on speculation he is planning to sue for defamation.
Kelly has told the paper: “I think it’s best I don’t say anything.”
Hadley ‘went off’ from Athens while talking to the Sydney studio, using the f-word more than 20 times and calling the target of his tirade an ‘idiot’ and ‘spastic’.
He subsequently apologised: “I’m sorry that it’s made the airwaves. It wasn’t intended to. It was a private conversation for private consumption.
“Yes, it’s embarrassing for me and my children if some people think I’m a foul mouthed galoot.”
The incident happened off air but the rant was recorded and made its way out of 2GB and onto the internet. radioinfo has been sent a copy of the expletive littered tape, but we have not put it up on the site.
In the event of an attempted defamation action, Kelly would have to prove the tirade ‘would cause an ordinary person to think less of him’.
Hadley could argue that he is protected by qualified privilege, as he was talking to work colleagues about work issues.
In another development, Hadley visited the NSW Spastic Centre last week, meeting CEO, Rob White, and apologising for the rant.
The organisation has accepted this and also an offer to host and promote charity events and functions for the next five years!
Officials from The Department of Workplace Relations might be interested in the Hadley tape after their big win in the 3BA Reg Mowatt case. In July, an announcer was fined for verbal bullying and the station was also fined for not having systems in place to protect those bullied and deal with the situation.
2GB Program Director, John Brennan, quickly jumped to Hadley’s defence when the story first broke, saying he is ‘a perfectionist’ who does not ‘suffer fools’ gladly.
“The best talk people are the ones who wear their heart on their sleeve. That can make them hard to live with, but that’s what makes them the best. Ray is the best sports’ broadcaster we’ve ever produced in this country.
“He’s a perfectionist and this, coupled with unbelievable deadlines, only getting three hours’ sleep a night and having to learn the most incredible ethnic names, athletes’ form, their times in every heat and every semi-final … no wonder he’s lost his cool.
“His workmates don’t take it as an offence. They know the pressure he is under and if he has opened up at the news people at this particular end, then he’s merely letting off steam.”
Trying to see the funnier side, Hadley says he wants half the royalties from the rap version of the tirade, which Triple J is playing.