Nine’s radio takeover won’t shut Jones down

NINE Entertainment says it won’t try to rein in Alan Jones and his fellow talk radio shock jocks when it takes full ownership of Macquarie Radio.

Nine looks set to take sole ownership of Macquarie Media, with an offer unveiled yesterday that values the 2GB and 3AW talk radio owner at $275.4 million.

Nine chief executive Hugh Marks told employees in an email that staff across the business would be able to collaborate despite differences between Macquarie Media’s conservative radio stars and Nine’s liberal-leaning papers.

He said there would be no on-air change at Macquarie Media, which also owns 4BC, 6PR and Macquarie Sports Radio. “The dedicated and talented people who bring the airwaves to life each day will continue today as they did last week, but with the certainty and support of the broader Nine business to enable them to be bold and speak to and for their audience each and every day,” Mr Marks told staff.

2GB host Ray Hadley reassured his morning listeners that he had never experienced interference from any employer, naming the Lamb family and Southern Cross at 2UE, and John Singleton and Fairfax Media at 2GB.

“In all the time I’ve been doing that, no one from any of those organisations has come to me to say, ‘ Don’t say this, don’t say that’,” Mr Hadley said.

Nine already owns 54.5 per cent of Macquarie Media following its merger with Sydney Morning Herald and The Age publisher Fairfax Media last year. It needs shareholders with holdings worth 90 per cent to accept its $1.46 per share allcash offer for the deal for the remaining 45.5 per cent to proceed. That could come from racing and media entrepreneur Mr Singleton’s 32.4 per cent stake and investment banker Mark Carnegie’s 3.6 per cent.