Alan Jones considering legal action over SMH accusations of encouraging ‘racism and sexual violence’

Alan Jones is understood to be considering legal action against Nine stablemate The Sydney Morning Herald.

Australian broadcaster Alan Jones announces his retirement from radio at his home in Sydney, Sunday, May 10, 2020. Picture: AAP

Alan Jones is understood to be considering legal action against Nine stablemate The Sydney Morning Herald who ran a blistering editorial against the departing broadcaster, including accusing him of encouraging “racism and sexual violence”.

The SMH devoted its Friday editorial to the long-serving broadcaster for 2GB, now owned by Nine Radio, following a finding by the broadcasting watchdog ACMA that Jones breached decency standards in comments made about New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern in August last year.

On Thursday, Jones was forced to issue an on-air correction following the finding after he suggested Scott Morrison should “shove a sock” down the throat of the New Zealand Prime Minister and be “tough with a few backhanders”.

The Australian Communications and Media Authority found Jones had used “violent metaphors” to encourage “aggressive silencing” of the New Zealand Prime Minister.

However the SMH went one step further in its farewell to Jones, claiming “his encouragement of racism and sexual violence should be unacceptable to all sides of politics”.

The SMH online later removed the reference to “sexual violence” and published a correction.

“A previous version of this story referred to encouragement of sexual violence. This was intended to refer to ‘violence against women’, examples of which were stated in the story. There is no suggestion that Alan Jones encouraged violence in a sexual context,” the correction read.

The SMH editorial also accused Jones of “bullying” and “a hysterical, polarising “shock jock” style designed to humiliate”.

“This undermined the sense of civility that is crucial for reasonable debate and put Jones above our elected representatives.

“Now that he has left his radio pulpit, a show that has had a record 226 consecutive ratings wins, Australian politicians should reflect on how – and why – they tolerated Jones for so long.”

Jones is understood to be furious at the comments and threatened legal action against the Sydney Morning Herald, after the offending line was published in all print editions.

There are some at Nine Radio also angry at the comments, that are felt to “undermine” the work of boss Tom Malone, who diplomatically negotiated the departure of Jones and paid out the remaining year on the broadcaster’s $4m-a-year contract.

A spokesman for Nine declined to comment on the editorial.

Jones will also remain on the Nine-owned 2GB until the end of the month.

The top-rating broadcaster announced his retirement from radio on air last week radio blaming ill-health, but will continue broadcasting on Sky News.

Jones also has a rugby union column in The Australian.

The Australian understands Nine Radio had been informed in mid-March of the final breach findings, just six weeks before Jones’s decision to retire.

Nine has declined to comment, but sources close to Jones were adamant it did not contribute to his departure.

As The Australian revealed last week, Jones met with Nine Radio boss Tom Malone on May 1 at Jones’s Southern Highlands property, at which it was decided Jones would step down.

Both Nine and Jones have maintained that the 79-year-old decided to leave due to ill-health.