Alan Jones has a problem with women, and we don’t care
Yesterday, Alan Jones said that Prime Minister Scott Morrison should shove a sock down NZ PM’s Jacinda Ardern’s throat. It’s the latest proof of Jones’ disdain for women in power, argues Mumbrella’s Brittney Rigby, but he’ll continue to face no consequences.
Alan Jones has a problem with women. Powerful women. Especially powerful women he disagrees with. His preference for responding to those women? Suggesting physical force to shut them up.
Yesterday, disagreeing with New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s thoughts on climate change, Jones said on-air: “I just wonder whether Scott Morrison is going to be fully briefed to shove a sock down her throat.” He’s since released a statement saying that the resulting outrage was “wilful misrepresentation” because he meant to say that Ardern should “put a sock in it”.
“There are many people who would relish the opportunity to misinterpret things that I have said as we have seen online this afternoon. Of course I would not wish any harm to Jacinda Ardern,” he said.
“This wilful misinterpretation distracts from my point that she was wrong about climate change and wrong about Australia’s contribution to carbon dioxide levels.”
The power here is with the advertisers. All the talk about corporate advocacy is bullshit if any company who advocates for gender equality, continues to advertise on the show.
And it’s the customers and employees of these businesses that that should ultimately take a stand. How embarrassing to work for, or invest in a company that stands alongside such a nasty, bitter and very sad person.
One day, someone will object and take a stand, and they’ll (rightly) champion it as part of their brand values. And then others will follow. Imagine if the other AJ of Qantas did this. How amazing would that be? Boom!
It would be nice to see marketers show some conviction and not advertise on Macquarie Radio. Or even better, for Jones’ bosses to show some leadership and fire him.
They won’t of course.
Quite right. For most marketers, reach trumps morality every time.
He is a fair dinkem clown
Didn’t Alan Jones and Macquarie Radio get heavily fined for being critical of a Queensland company’s alleged involvement in a fatal flood
None of the people involved were woman and he had some fairly strong comments about them. Why restrict his history to just comments on females ? He had made some fairly dire comments across the gender spectrum. Is this another attack on freedom of speech using the gender card ?
why not both?
Well, firstly, the fines that you speak about are the result of defamatory statements about that company. We accept that Alan Jones has an audience, albeit not an astute one, and he is not always astute, otherwise he wouldn’t have been sued for defamation by so many people. If we remember an advertisement with Barry Sheen and Dick Johnson for Shell service stations in the 1990s, after Barry Sheen, while fuelling his car, asked Dick Johnson for, a chocolate bar (then a couple), and a paper and something nice and cold to drink, and Dick Johnson asked, “Anything else, Barry? Maybe a sock?” he meant for his mouth, not to shove it down his throat. Alan Jones may disagree with political leaders (heck, I despise Trump!) but he cannot use freedom of speech as a justification for rudeness and tactlessness.
An excellent piece that needs to be addressed. Our society has a problem with powerful women, or perhaps just too-visible women, and the causal use of incitement to violence (casually dismissed as “wilful misrepresentation” whatever tf that means and otherwise met with tacit acceptance) is a clear sign of that problem.
Thank you Brittney for writing this piece
Excellent article Brittany. You can also add Raylene Castle, CEO of Rugby Australia, who Alan berates constantly on-air. His language around women is incredibly dangerous and disgusting.
Honestly, people make too much out of everything these days.
Sorry Blackbird but you’re wrong here. People aren’t taking a back seat anymore. They’re standing up for what is right. The proliferation of digital and media in general means there are more avenues and platforms that spread conversation that we wouldn’t have necessarily heard of before.
Women have been told to suppress their feelings and opinions for years and years. Its comments like yours that prevent anyone from moving forward and being a part of an even playing field.
Well said!
“Women have been told to suppress their feelings and opinions for years and years”
Virtual signal much……. I a (31 year old) millennial, never knew a time when women were treated less fairly then men.
And heaven help someone who gives a political opinion on a politician, I mean this obviously will lead to someone putting a sock down someones throat………..
This radio host has been a pariah of the airwaves for more than twenty years, and I for one cannot understand how he maintains any sort of intelligent audience. It is an indictment on the brain dead sydney types who keep him in a paycheck. If I remember correctly he proclaimed himself the champion of “struggle street” way back when and they soak up whatever tripe he dishes up. Russell Tate and co. ( Macquarie) also have a case to answer. The old labour slogan “It’s Time” is long overdue for this clown
Well said Brittney! You’ve summed Jones up perfectly!
Well said. Alan Jones actually has a problem with everything – women, immigrants, climate change, facts, reason, common decency, people who disagree with him – and faces no consequences for any of it. He is the epitome of the pursuit of profit over principle. The poison he drips into Australians’ ears every day pollutes our discourse and shames us all.
Thank you for a perfect characterisation of him and our times.
Nathan, you said it! I despair of the influence he wields … he, along with all who pay and support him, degrades all Australians.
Hello Brittney
Stand up and take a bow! A perfect piece to succinctly outline the clear case that this man in fact, does hate women; and those with any position or power the most!
But.. who cares…the networks don’t; their hollow words of inclusion, culture, balance and fairness. Meaningless.
And until those who listen to him all turn off, he will continue his misogynistic ways without consequence. So ladies, stop making so much noise…those who can change this culture certainly aren’t listening.
“ladies, stop making so much noise…” in other words “put a sock in it”. Seriously? FU!!! Women are fed up with being silenced, with being told to be good and shut up!
The majority of Alan Jones listeners are blokes over 64 and let’s face it, Jones is a preacher to a converted audience so no skills required. But he does need to keep these dumbed-down dudes entertained with streaming insults against women so that all these insecure cronies don’t feel threatened by confident, capable and assertive women. There’s nothing worse than a bunch of bombastic pale, stale, fragile males drinking the Kool-Aid. How embarrassing for radio, for media, and for Australia.
Was going to post similar, what are 2GB’s audience demographics?
Sad that such utterances are implicitly accepted by too many.
If you google the topic there is various data available on the station’s breakfast slot demo. Here’s an interesting article that also highlights the fact that Jones’ audience ‘listen longest’ which contributes to high ratings… https://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/tv-and-radio/alan-jones-is-not-as-powerful-as-politicians-think-20181008-p508df.html
Please don’t put all over 64 males in the Jones basket. Some of us have had many years to dislike, abhor and not listen to Jones drivel except for the frequent times he goes so far over the top he revolts a wider audience than his own. To demean over 64 males is to risk descending into the same problems with old blokes that Jones has with women.
Good on you! We need more over 64s like you it seems!
I want to share this on FB but it posts a massive picture of his face!
Good point! Suggest Ed’s edit this to another image as otherwise AJ is getting more exposure
Great piece Brittney. But let’s not forget that he also has a major problem with apologising. His most recent and very costly court defeats attest to this court, as does the earlier case when he spent almost eight years of legal manouvering in an effort to avoid apologising for calling Lebanese men vermin and rapists
Thank you for that reminder. You’re right, he doesn’t really ever apologise.
Alan Jones, in my opinion, is an embarrassment as well as a misogynist.
Imagine if he got upset that I suggested (on my fictitious radio show that pulled a massive 17%+ every morning) that he was a letter-writing bully [Edited under Mumbrella’s comment moderation policy] who panders to cisgender white middle Australia?
Of course, many people who would relish the opportunity to misinterpret what I didn’t say. Especially as I wouldn’t have wished any harm to him at all.
So I’m well-glad I didn’t say it.
Yawn. A predictable article targeting a vocal member of the right for their comments. Funny how those on the left can speak controversially and aggressively yet escape the same blowtorch.
Please provide us with an example of what you are referring to Matt.
Perhaps one that overshadows every shit thing that Alan Jones has publicly broadcasted.
Oh and a lot of us haven’t forgotten about Cronulla.
Go on little boy, speak up!
Bit of hate speech creeping in there Blowtorch. Oh but its a guy so that’s ok.
I am a little boy and I am deeply offended that you would use hate speech in this way to insinuate that it is OK to attack little boys….Oh, and a lot of us haven’t forgotten about the Romans!!!
[Edited under Mumbrella’s comment moderation policy]
A swing and a miss “Anonymous” – but do keep trying.
Matt I agree with you
If you are from the left you are able to say what you want
Prime example is Brittany
It is sad that the left wing loonies are still reeling from the election loss
Jamo,
* Brittney has been able to say this as she works for a media outlet. It is clearly labelled opinion. She also didn’t use aggressive language.
You too are most welcome to your opinion, whether it be in support of Alan Jones or not, or about another issue.
I publish opinion pieces from people on the right and left.
Feel free to email me your suggestions:
vivienne@mumbrella.com.au
Thanks,
Vivienne – Mumbrella
I vote right wing but still agree that what Alan says about women is often abhorrent. I didn’t realise that it was only left wing people who cared about whether or not people could promote violence against women?!?
Well said Brittney.
Jones regularly insults people, but he seems to save his most belittling and violent language for women in power. It’s not ‘playing the gender card’ to connect the dots between these sort of personal attacks in our mainstream media and the epidemic of violence towards women we see every week in our society.
Our toothless regulators won’t censure Jones, neither will 2GB management while he still makes money.
Media buyers and brands can show their disgust by refusing to advertise with his show. I am sure there are other ways to reach men 65+.
I am always amazed that Alan Jones is standing in a glass house and no one he attacks ever throws stones at him.
Oh please! One sided reporting! If you disagree with women, you’ll pay for it for the rest of your life.
But that’s the whole point – he hasn’t paid for it at all.
Oh John, it must be hard for you watching the world move on, leaving you behind.
So many, mostly men (Jones, Anning, Latham, Trump, Roberts et.al) thrive on attention, ANY attention. They feel invincible. Best ignored completely and given no oxygen, though that won’t happen.
Any planner who thinks Alan Jones is a brand safe environment is not doing their job.
Any marketer who feels Alan Jones provides a suitable brand context has a flawed approach to segmentation & targeting.
There’s just nothing that advertising in that spot can achieve that advertising in other spots cannot.
If we don’t care, then Alan Jones has not a problem with women.
Nine should show some leadership and dump him. He’s a disgrace. Very vindictive. A bully.
That might expalin why [Edited under Mumbrella’s comment moderation policy]. Or maybe not.
Hi Pete,
Perhaps you could have used a different handle to mine but maybe it was intentional. Why would nine sack him ? Because you and a few others are ‘offended’ ? Time to get out of the advertising industry.
No Pete. It’s time for the advertising industry to change.
Put a sock in it??? That would never offend any sane person but the perpetually offended as we know aren’t sane. He’s said things about men that could be judged as far more offensive but as expected no mention of that.
You don’t have a daughter, do you?
(Although quite possible you live in your mum’s basement).
Irrelevant. In a world of equality, an insult to a man must is equal to an insult to women. If you condemn a comment toward a woman but not a similar comment to a man – frankly, you’re a bigot.
I don’t think that is true when you look at the shameful problem Australia has with violence against women.
Before you trot out MeN CaN SufFeR DoMeStIc ViOleNce FrOm WoMeN, remember than on average one woman a week is murdered by her partner or ex-partner https://aic.gov.au/publications/sr/sr002
So when physical threats are made against women they hold much larger gravitas, than when applied to men
Andrew, in total many more men are killed than women in Australia. Domestic murder statistics are kind of irrelevant unless Alan Jones and Jacinda are in a relationship. Then you would have a point.
Perhaps a statistic about women being killed by strangers might be relevant – Euridice and so on? Well, actually many multiples of men are killed by strangers than are women. Look it up.
How about straight up violence of strangers upon men and women? Many more men are injured as well.
Truth is – a threat against a man is much more likely to be followed through on than a threat against a woman.
Make an argument based on statistics relevant to the issue at hand, and I’ll take you seriously. But frankly, you’ve distracted the conversation needlessly – an irrelevancy stacked upon another irrelevancy.
Mike,
While more men are killed than women in Australia may be true, more women in Australia are killed by their current or former male partner.
You’re making an irrelevant point.
How does people in a domestic relationship have ANYTHING to do with the issue of Alan Jones and Jacinda – unless the two of them are in a relationship? Read my comment again… Domestic violence statistics is the most irrelevant statistic for this conversation. If you don’t grasp that, then, well… good luck to you in your bubble.
While I do believe Alan Jones’ comments are terrible and should be ostracized, I’ve gotta agree with your statistics and logic.
I came here purely to see the obligatory “domestic violence isn’t a problem because for total murder more men die than women” and Mike has delivered.
Never seems to occur to these people that male violence is the common denominator in all murder statistics.
Men kill men, men kill women. Either way, let’s not focus on ‘changing the victim’ but maybe supporting men to control the issues leading to these statistics. One problem is DV against women, one solution is stopping radio Djs from using violent terms such as ‘shove a sock down her throat’. It should go unsaid but unfortunately, in the case of Alan, it needs to be said.
Agree, advertisers need to stop
But that wasn’t what he said – he said shove a sock down her throat. Completely different language and tone..
If you don’t think that language he used is a problem, then the article proves its point.
I never said the language wasn’t a problem. I said that equality is about an insult / threat to a man being equal to an insult / threat to a woman. You are so desperate to ‘take down’ an opponent that you’re misrepresenting my words.
Not excusing Jones, but aren’t politicians considered “fair game” in media / advertising / caricatures etc?
Alan Jones is one pimple on a wound that needs to heal in the state of commercial media in Australia. And not only radio, let’s include television and newspapers. The ‘collective mind’ of the population majority in this country is changing – rapidly – but the tools used to assess audience measurement and therefore audience share are outdated, over-rated and inaccurate. This of course is by design as it’s more about maintaining status quo and telling the stale people running the show what they want to hear. Let’s have the courage to turn the page and move from quantitative research to a new insight tool that is more reflective of market behaviour and needs. I don’t work in research but I have conducted extensive research into market research methodologies used in Australia and a lot of it is BS. Ask them for the raw data files and you will be shocked. It’s time to get real and give the majority audience in Australia information and entertainment that actually turns them on.
Maybe the same methods used to gauge the last general election !!
The problem is that people make presumptions on the basis of the noisy minority and then the silent majority votes the reality. If you’re assessment is accurate why does Jones command a much great following that his competitors ?
Blatantly attacking [Edited under Mumbrella’s comment moderation policy] in 2019 – not very woke, is it. Alan Jones doesn’t like women, it’s a well known fact.
Alan Jones helped get the Queensland Premier elected when she stood against Campbell Newman. Among the women I’ve seen and heard him praise on his Sky TV Show are: Peta Credlin, Prue MacSween, Quentin Bryce, Chloe Shorten, Pauline Hansen, Clover Moore, Daisy Cousens, Bronwyn Bishop, Olivia Newton-John, Cate Blanchette, Michaela Cash, Jacki Weaver, Rita Panahi, Jacqui Lambie, several troubled farmer’s wives and daughters, and quite a few more. So I guess that only makes him a part-time misogynist.
Great article. Now we need a list of the sponsors for alan’s show.
Fed up with this loud mouth ignoramus getting chance after chance. He should have been sacked when he said Gillards father died of shame. He’s a revolting lump of humanity who [Edited under Mumbrella’s comment moderation policy]
You can’t say that about a woman pollie. Protected species, you know.
Alan Jones’ misogynistic comments disgust me. He’s had enough warnings already. It’s about time he should be held accountable. If 2GB doesn’t sack him then the community should black-ban the sponsors of his program!
Great to see that over the past few days major advertisers have spoken by pulling their advertising $’s from 2GB. This is the only way to show their disagreement with his comments. Unfortunately its taken them this long to show their hand. Re his dislike for powerful women, how about he remembers he had a mother!!!!
1) Alan Jones language was unacceptable.
He is deserving of the criticism and commercial consequences that it has generated.
2) NZ PM Ardern naive and self-serving commentary about Australia climate change credentials need to be called-out; a fact not lost on her deputy Winston Peters.
He was quick to publicly defend Australia’s position after Ardern’s most recent comments.
3) NZ carbon emissions per head far exceed Australia’s.
4) PM Ardern demanded Australia curtail the use and export of coal, our biggest export earner, yet she demanded that all emissions from livestock, NZ’s biggest export earner and its greatest source of emissions, not be included in NZ’s emissions figures.
5) PM Ardern criticized Australia’s attitude towards accepting refugees, yet Australia takes many times more per population than NZ.
6) Australia’s record on climate change and refugees mightn’t be perfect, but PM Ardern makes a habit of forgetting NZ’s is no better.
None of which justifies Jones appalling behaviour.
We agree on that.
Australia is ranked #2 in the word for highest CO2 emissions per capita…
the single country that pollutes more than us isn’t New Zealand
Well said.
Unfortunately the brou-haha about his language has overshadowed the fact that he had a very good point about the NZ Prime Minister and her ham-fisted diplomacy.
It goes down well with the tribalists and the cheer squads who believe she can do no wrong, but her decision to make those statements was naive, transparently disingenious and does no good for the bilateral relationship – and therefore New Zealand as a nation.
It’s poor leadership. Alan was right to call it out. And the unfortunate truth is, if he said the exact words about John Key there wouldn’t be a whisper of a scandal at all about it.
Alan is astute. He is erudite. He is well connected and informed. But he is a creature of another era, and that will be his downfall.
Many of you might dislike him and have a variety of names and labels you want to hurl at him in the hope that they’ll stick. But he’s a voice for a part of the country that you don’t know, understand or empathise with.
You will celebrate his inevitable downfall as a ‘win’ for your side, but our country needs prominent voices on both sides of the aisle. Our public discourse will be the lesser without him.
We need the provocateurs. We need the contrarians. We need the nigglers. If not Alan Jones, then who?
I would rather a guy who doesn’t drop the N-bomb or incite race riots…
I felt like saying similar when I heard the sanctimonious scolding from the NZ prime Minister. Jones was right., and within his rights, to call her out. So he was overly verbal but it was definitely not a violent reality wish! He was talking about her in the framework of her a-gender role of Prime Minister. To twist it up as an “attack on women” is having a whinge.
He’s intelligent and outspoken – just what is needed to cut through the hideous political rubbish surrounding him.
He should [Edited under Mumbrella’s comment moderation policy]
Imagine letting a shock jock live in your head rent free for inflammatory comments he made to his own audience base.
So sad. Move on with your lives and don’t listen if it’s that offensive to you. Or start your own radio show
Alan Jones has typical small man’s syndrome. He should be taken off air to save the rest of us the embarrassment of being compared with the this wimpy little man.
Exactly. Alan is not a great ambassador for men in Australia. And he is not a great ambassador for 2GB. This begs the question why the station persists with promoting Alan and peddling his narrative. The management is clearly not in step with what is and is not acceptable to audiences. They need to step out of their ivory tower and take a good long drink at the well of reality!
You may be on to something here… his acolyte Steve Price is similarly small, angry and conservative!
so it’s ok to demean little people but just not women?
you hypocrites just want to pick your prejudice…say something about women or minorities and you’re all up in arms but it’s open season on little people, or old men or white people or whatever else you see as fair game this week
As a small man, I always feel a little judged when I see this comment used 🙂
Most people that hate Alan Jones don’t listen to Alan Jones, watch Alan Jones, follow Alan Jones or have ever met the man. He has utter disdain and zero tolerance for anyone that he feels is incompetent or uninformed, male or female.
He’s made equally disparaging remarks about many men, which obviously rarely get reported. And he does a hell of a lot for women he respects and admires behind the scenes that nobody would ever know about.
He does more reading and research on more subjects than anyone on the left by far. People like Peter Fitzsimons who regularly critiques Jones in his columns with similar hate speech wouldn’t hold a candle to him when it comes to philanthropy and knowledge.
The terms ‘Alan Jones’ and ‘philanthropy’ dont belong in the same paragraph… or even on the same page!
I’ll bite though…. what has Alan Jones done that could be considered philanthropic? Chased all the Lebanese out of Cronulla?
I can assure you there are plenty of Lebanese people happily living and enjoying cronulla.
The ‘riots’ were in 2005, grow up.
Ok, that must be the philanthropy “Seriously” spoke of above – happy families, of middle eastern origin, enjoying their beachside paradise.
Lets all have a culturally unified beer at Northies!
Beats an inner city soy latte which i suspect might be your preference!
Solid Alan Jones style comeback!
Funny that as I read this article there is a takeover on the page by another hate-filled broadcaster – Sky News…
Seriously Mumbrella, lift your weight
Hi HM,
A valid point of view, but I’m not sure I agree.
I think it’s great that despite the commercial relationship between Sky News (which also employs Alan Jones) and Mumbrella – as clearly displayed by the page takeover you mentioned – my journalist Brittney is still empowered and able to write this scathing piece about Alan as an informed industry observer and commentator.
Surely it would be worse if Brittney had this opinion, but was not allowed to share it due to commercial realities which are out of her control?
I think it shows our editorial independence, and Brittney’s strong convictions, that this piece is appearing alongside the Sky News ad.
I understand you, and others, won’t agree though.
Thanks for the comment,
Vivienne – Mumbrella
Appreciate the response, but honestly, have a good hard look in the mirror and realise by allowing their advertising money you are contributing to the hate they preach and part of the problem
Time to step up and take a stand Mumbrella
Hi HM,
Jumping in as I straddle both editorial and commercial roles within the Mumbrella team.
For what it’s worth, I’ve never been a fan of the use of economic power to no-platform opposing views. As I’ve written in the past, while I’m sympathetic towards the views of campaign groups like Sleeping Giants, I’m uncomfortable with the method of using advertising (or its withdrawal) as a weapon to prevent viewpoints being expressed, whether from right or left. It feels anti-free press to me.
As you’d know, Sky News is owned by News Corp, one of Australia’s largest media companies. There have been plenty of times when we have (and do) criticise them editorially, and we’ll continue to do so when appropriate.
But we would not deny them a commercial platform to speak to our audience.
And like many journalists, I subscribe to Foxtel in order to get Sky News amongst other things. The daytime output in particular offers an excellent news service. While I (strongly) disagree with many of the viewpoints expressed by the Sky News after dark commentators, I recognise that most of them are good broadcasters who are entitled to share those views with which I happen to disagree.
And I don’t want to only hear from media commentators I agree with. That’s why I sometimes even listen to Alan Jones on my morning commute.
Regardless, I don’t think I accept your characterisation though that Sky News routinely preaches hate.
However, I can think of at least a couple of occasions where they crossed a line which we wrote about, vigorously, at the time. I’d argue that the broadcast regulator ACMA needs more teeth for such occasions.
But I don’t think that activists from either end of the spectrum should be allowed to decide which voices should be heard or which advertisers should be permitted.
All the best,
Tim – Mumbrella
Thanks for your reply Tim
Unfortunately this has nothing to do with views or politics, it is purely regarding Sky’s continual promotion of spreading hate, whether it is towards Africans, Muslims or in this case Women. The fact they have some presenters or shows that may not preach this is far from the point…
Stop supporting them this promotion of hate has to end
In lieu of of men like Epstein, it’s time to stop powerful men abusing their positions of power.
I’ve just watched the new Adam Goodes film, and the media have become nasty bullies that contribute to a mob mentality that instigates hate in our society, he’s part of the problem.
Enough is enough, Alan should retire.
He’s becoming the embarrassing old Uncle you avoid at weddings!!
He’s a [Edited under Mumbrella’s comment moderation policy] he hates women
Its not that he necessarily has a problem with women (although he definitely does) its the fact that when he disagrees with you he attacks you personally. If a person has a rational point of view and he disagrees with it he can’t put the case forward for his idea or doesn’t want to as he gets more mileage out of personal attacks; very Trumpian as well.
What is with it with these conservative people; put your alternative view forward in a coherent manner; don’t play the man (or woman in this case). there in lies the problem; they have no coherent argument for the right wing stance on most social issues. When will his audience wake up to him??
Clearly this shows all males, as identified at birth, needs to be neutralized immediately. The problem thus goes away.