Alan Jones “is considering becoming a commentator for [Channel] 7 Seven, appearing across Sunrise, news and any other show” reported Amanda Meade in The Australian’s media column, THE DIARY, on 26 July, 2007.
As we mentioned in this column on 6 June 2007, and again on 21 June 2007, during the 1999 republic referendum, Alan Jones was one of the few media commentators who recommended a No vote. He sometimes told callers: “If you don’t know, vote No.” The recent decision of the new owners of Channel 9 to drop the high rating broadcaster’s daily editorial was a serious error.
That highly regarded scribe, Errol Simper wrote in The Australian that Nine’s breakfast programme was thus shorn of “its main intellectual component.” No doubt sensing this categorisation of Alan Jones editorial as “intellectual’ would give rise to an outbreak of apoplexy in the salons of the inner city elites, Mr. Simper wrote” Well, you may not always agree with Jones, but even his most ferocious critics would have to concede he has a formidable brain in his forehead.”
But worse for the owners, ratings are likely to be affected, especially if he appears on another channel.A very large number of viewers from all over the country used to tune in just to hear him.In our earlier columns we said the decision might please the elites. But talk about shooting yourself in the foot – Alan Jones was the reason so many stayed with or switched over to Channel 9.We suggested that another network will see an opportunity there and the new owners of Channel 9 will then wonder what is going on. It seems this may well happen.