No ads in Alan Jones show: UPDATED, AUDIO

The Alan Jones Breakfast Show will run commercial free. Jones criticises cyber-bullying.

In an unprecedented move, 2GB has cancelled the schedules of the advertisers still left supporting Jones.This morning Jones criticised the campaign against 2GB advertisers as cyber-bullying, saying:

“They don’t have the right to decide for Australian companies which media outlets they will or won’t use to advertise their products and services. They do not have the right to interfere with that freedom or choice, or they should not.

“They don’t have the right or should not to attempt cyber bullying of people who listen to this program or advertise on it… This is a modern form of corporate sabotage.” Hear Jones ad-free 7am editorial below.

2GB has been under siege since a boycott movement targeting Jones’ advertisers sprung up last week following the breakfast presenter’s comments at a Young Liberals’ dinner about the Prime Minister’s father dying of shame.

In the statement, Macquarie Radio Network executive chairman Russell Tate said, “the nature, tone and volume of the reaction to Jones’ remarks, and in particular the threats being made through social media to companies advertising in Jones’ program and the disruption being caused to their businesses, have made it necessary for MRN to call some ‘time out’.”

He went on to say, “Some simple facts need to be acknowledged.

“There is almost universal agreement that Jones’ remarks were unacceptable, wrong and inexcusable. Alan himself acknowledged that from the moment he first advised me of them. He immediately arranged a media conference to state that publicly and apologise to the Prime Minister,” he said.

“Although the remarks were not made on 2GB, our position from the outset has been that a personal, unconditional apology was a necessary and appropriate response. I encouraged Alan to repeat the apology on 2GB when he first returned to air last Tuesday morning following his media conference. His apology was unambiguous and unconditional.”

“What we are seeing here is 21st century censorship, via cyber-bullying, almost entirely from people who do not listen to Alan Jones or 2GB at all – probably never have done and never will.”

“We have taken this unprecedented decision to suspend advertising in the Alan Jones Breakfast Show until further notice so that all of our advertisers are on an equal footing, can regroup and discuss with us the way forward and how we together deal with these attempts to damage great Australian businesses.”

“The decision obviously comes at a very significant short-term cost to MRN. It is an insignificant price to pay for our audience to be able to listen to what they choose to listen to, and for Australian companies to advertise where they choose to advertise.”