Sponsors continue to abandon the Alan Jones morning 2GB radio show and his apologies have fallen on deaf ears. There is a growing petition currently circulating with over 101,000 signatures, calling on management to sack him, which seems unlikely, as he is a major shareholder in the company.
If we look behind the arrogant facade and huge ego, he is a passionate supporter of Australian farmers and has thrown his support behind them as they are overwhelmed by the manic search for coal seam gas. And when lobby group Lock the Gate Alliance cancelled an invitation for him to speak at one of their rallies later this month, it must have hurt.
Jones says he didn't know his comments were being recorded as if it somehow matters. It doesn't. "This was a throwaway thing at a private function" he said "A bit of a smart Alec remark and if I've got to be belted up over it, well so be it."
A 30 second ad on the Alan Jones show costs between $700-$750 and a "live read" by him is around $1,000. Under commercial radio rules, a station can broadcast up to 18 minutes in one hour which works out at around $80,000 per day.
Attorney-General Nicola Roxon said Jones has gone too far and his employer should be looking at his pattern of behaviour. However, she did not rule out whether she will accept invitations to appear on his show in the future. "I will consider those requests when they come in" she said.
So will the advertisers come back? Probably. They will go with the station who has the biggest audience and the Alan Jones show rates its head off. Most sponsors have a 12 month contract and it's likely they will fulfill them when we, the fickle public, forget and move on.
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