Yesterday, The Australian (subscription) published a lengthy “job application” from Alan Jones, who seems keen to return to radio.
“It’s an open field, it’s a fertile field, if someone was interested in discussing something of that kind, I may be interested, I may not be interested” he told Sophie Elsworth. “If someone wants to put a piece of paper in front of me, I’ll be able to give them a ‘yes’ or a ‘no’ in five days.”
If he was hoping for a comeback at 2GB, or anywhere else on the Nine Radio network, Head of Content, Greg Byrnes (left) has ruled it out.
He told radioinfo’s Peter Saxon this morning, while discussing the Survey 4 results. “When Alan retired in the middle of last year, we wished him all the best. Wonderful broadcaster. We’ll leave it there.”
Despite Jones’ incredible track record of 226 straight survey wins and a huge fan base, Byrnes was adamant, “He retired because he was exhausted. It was a pretty tough decision. So, we said, okay, we’ll use that to find a new direction… a new generation of host and listener, and that’s our strategy and that’s what we’re committed to.”
Jones made his case for a comeback by tossing thinly veiled barbs at his former employer while emphasising why radio needed his voice on air.
“There is a growing media trend which seems to willingly, readily, and too frequently accommodate the Left,” he told The Oz, “There’s a whole viewpoint I think that is not being represented by contemporary media.”
Jones also said Australians needed to be given all sides of the story around all issues – specifically citing the pandemic and climate change – to allow them to make up their own minds.
“We are giving everyone all sides of the story,” insists Byrnes. “You think of the voices that are on the network. That’s what they do. And we do that every day and we don’t shy away from opinion. It’s tough, but that’s what we do.”
Would it be a concern if Jones bobbed up at another station, such as 2SM?
“I’ve got no control over that, we just need to focus on what we’re doing,” said Greg Byrnes.
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