Jones’ best mate steps in as 2GB tensions mount

As the cold war between Sydney talk radio’s biggest star and his bosses at 2GB enters its eighth month, Alan Jones has finally received an offer of a new two-year radio contract — but it’s a massive downgrade.

• Mystery as former beauty queen found dead
• MAFS couple Jules and Cameron looking forward to ‘real’ marriage

As the cold war between Sydney talk radio’s biggest star and his bosses at 2GB enters its eighth month, Alan Jones has finally received an offer of a new two-year radio contract - one a proposing an almost 50 per cent pay cut for AM radio’s highest paid star.

The new contract would see the broadcaster’s salary plummet from $4 million a year to $2 million and is just the latest insult in a long line 2GB bosses have been dispensing to the veteran talkshow star since the Wagner defamation case went against him last year costing the company close to $8 million.

Arrowfeild Stud owner John Messara and Alan Jones. Picture Glenn Hampson

Sources close to Jones believe the relationship between the veteran radio star and 2GB management is now irreparable and was further aggravated last week when CEO Adam Lang asked 2GB mornings host Ray Hadley to address staff, despite him being the subject of bullying claims by staff members who were in the audience.

Sources say Lang did not approach Jones to speak, thought his ratings, like Hadley’s, lifted in the survey period.. Lang offered a short and sweet "no comment" when this was put to him yesterday.

Relations between Jones and Lang, and Jones and the executive chairman of 2GB’s parent company Macquarie Media, Russell Tate, are now non-existent.

In strife too is Jones’s once solid relationship with Macquarie’s former major shareholder John Singleton who in the past month has been trying to woo Jones back to the negotiation table.

With the three executives and directors and Jones at odds over his value - and the CEO of 2GB’s new majority shareholder Nine Hugh Marks last week distancing himself from the stalled talks saying Macquarie and Jones needed to “take their time” with negotiations - a third party has recently stepped in to attempt to restart negotiations.

John Singleton. Picture: Glenn Hampson

Arrowfield Stud owner John Messara, a former Racing Australia and Racing NSW Chairman, knows more about horse trading than most and as Jones’s best friend and Singleton’s racing partner, it is Messara who is now acting as intermediary between Jones and Singleton.

Can the man considered a visionary horse breeder repair the bromance between these two wily and headstrong old stallions, both now in their late seventies, after so much water has passed under the bridge?

For Jones, money is not the only sticking point.

In a meeting with Marks at the beginning of the year, Jones is said to have refused to re-sign unless 2GB CEO Lang, who has been instrumental in a grand plan to replace Jones at breakfast with Hadley from July 1, was moved on.

Once again Lang refused to comment when asked if the plan to replace Jones with Hadley at breakfast was of his design.

Jones also is said to have demanded greater autonomy for his production team of eight - a request also not agreed to thus far.

2GB CEO Adam Lang. Picture: Jono Searle.

“Alan has lost respect for a management team who he feels knows little about radio,” said one, pointing out it was Lang, during an earlier career as general manager of Austereo, who was charged with the task of keeping Kyle Sandilands and Jackie “O” happy and on air 2DayFM prior to their dramatic walk-out and move to KIISFM in 2013.

With the war now raging internally at 2GB, it was probably inevitable it would spill onto the airwaves at 2GB which it did last week after Jones failed to dump a call from regular listener “Stephanie” when she expressed concern on Monday about newspaper reports relating to Jones’s “unsigned contract”. She then proceeded to list the many reasons she enjoyed his show - making the pointed comment Jones’s show was not “three-and-a-half hours of back-slapping emails.”

The call is said to have “infuriated” management.

Within days Hadley struck back on his radio show saying he would “guarantee” he was going to turn up every day when his new contract starts after June 30.

Ray Hadley. Picture: Ian Currie

By week’s end, as Jones headed off to hospital for a routine procedure, his supporters were predicting his departure was now a certainty.

“The 2Gb bosses - and Nine - just want a massive cost saving. Alan has always been high cost because quality broadcasting is high cost. It’s risky, you need more producers to guard against the risk, and they need to be paid,” said one 2GB insider who confirmed staff from across the board had in recent weeks voiced their concerns to management about the prospect of Jones walking.

“Alan has always run his own show and now he’s being pushed and shoved, and frankly they’ve underestimated the fight in Alan Jones,” the insider added.

Leaving just one question — has management accurately estimated the ego and oratory passion of Alan Jones?

Originally published as Jones’ best mate steps in as 2GB tensions mount