Alan Jones and fellow 2GB host referred to SMH and reporter as ‘pigs in the media’, court hears

Former radio broadcaster Alan Jones leaves the Downing Centre local court in Sydney on Tuesday. Photograph: Dan Himbrechts/AAP View image in fullscreen Former radio broadcaster Alan Jones leaves the Downing Centre local court in Sydney on Tuesday. Photograph: Dan Himbrechts/AAP Alan Jones and fellow 2GB host referred to SMH and reporter as ‘pigs in the media’, court hears Jason Morrison, a former presenter at the Sydney radio station, denies ‘tailoring his evidence’ during trial of veteran shock jock Jones Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast Alan Jones and fellow 2GB shock jock Jason Morrison often referred to the Sydney-morning-herald" class="entity-link entity-organization" data-entity-id="16317" data-entity-type="organization">Sydney Morning Herald and its chief investigative reporter Kate McClymont as “pigs in the media”, a Sydney court has heard. The text messages were uncovered as Morrison faced accusations from the prosecution on Tuesday of “tailoring his evidence” about an alleged assault at a lower north shore restaurant to suit his friend Jones. Judge Glenn Walsh, who earlier ruled in favour of a prosecution application to cross-examine Morrison, said the crown had tendered evidence that Morrison sent “text messages where clearly he does refer to [the SMH and McClymont] as pigs”. Police said they formed Strike Force Bonnefin, leading to Jones’s trial, after reporting in the Sydney-morning-herald" class="entity-link entity-organization" data-entity-id="16317" data-entity-type="organization">Sydney Morning Herald and The Age in 2023 resulted in alleged victims coming forward. Jones was arrested in November 2024. He has pleaded not guilty to 20 charges of indecent assault and two counts of sexual touching against six complainants. On Tuesday, prosecutor Georgina Wright read out a text message that Morrison, a former host at 2GB, sent to Jones in 2020 when he announced his retirement from the Sydney radio station, then owned by the Herald publisher Nine Entertainment (formerly Fairfax). “Thank Christ you’re getting out [of Nine Entertainment]. Let them fall into a bag of shit,” Morrison said to Jones. Wright asked: “You’ve expressed that disdain for both Ms McClymont and the Herald to the defendant. You agree with that?” Morrison said he and Jones “spoke extensively about a lot of things on text” and agreed he had been critical of both the Herald and McClymont. “Well, you’ve referred to Ms McClymont, and at that time Fairfax, as pigs in the media. You agree with that?” asked Wright. Morrison replied: “That’s a phrase Alan used to use a lot.” Morrison said he wasn’t a fan of McClymont’s reporting on the NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption and was “disappointed” that despite speaking on the record at length with her about Jones, she had not included any of his remarks in the article. Morrison agreed he had a “longstanding pejorative view of the Sydney-morning-herald" class="entity-link entity-organization" data-entity-id="16317" data-entity-type="organization">Sydney Morning Herald”. Morrison was accused by the prosecution on Tuesday of “tailoring” his evidence about an alleged assault at a lower north shore restaurant to suit his friend Jones. The alleged victim of the assault, known as complainant C, earlier told the court that his much older boss, Jones, had instructed him to sit next to him and then spent the entire lunch with his left hand under the table and either on his leg or on his penis over his pants. Morrison is the third witness to be called to give evidence about the lunch so far, in addition to the complainant, who was a young man in his 20s when he worked for Jones. 25:38 Alan Jones on Trial: alleged victim tells court he was 'groomed for 10 years' | Week 3 Morrison told the court on Monday that he had joked with other diners that Jones and C looked “like a great couple” but denied he heard anything about Jones touching C inappropriately. On Tuesday, he denied seeing Jones’s hand under the table. “I mean, if I was aware of that and given … my forthright manner, I would have raised it,” Morrison said. “I didn’t because I didn’t see it.” Wright asked: “Did you hear anyone say to [C] ‘you copped a feel under the table, didn’t you’?” C has told the court that Morrison was party to a conversation after the lunch when it was said C had “copped a feel” under the table. Morrison said there was “lighthearted banter” about Jones and C because Jones had his arm around C’s shoulder but denied seeing anything “romantic” or “sexual” between the two men. Wright asked: “And you’ve tailored your evidence about there being lighthearted banter to assist the defendant, haven’t you?” Morrison replied: “Well that’s offensive. I’m here under oath, and I find that offensive.” Wright suggested Morrison was being “deliberately evasive, in answering those questions about any jokes in [C’s] presence in relation to Alan” and that “merely being stuck with Jones at the table” was not a reason to joke about them being a couple. Morrison denied being evasive and said it “was lighthearted banter that was never met with any intention or malice”. Explore more on these topics Alan Jones trial Alan Jones Sydney New South Wales Australian media news Share Reuse this content