ALL advertising on the Alan Jones Breakfast Show has been suspended, following the fallout from Mr Jones's allegation that the Prime Minister's father "died of shame".

The founder of a Facebook page which campaigned for companies to pull advertising from Alan Jones' show says she believes businesses will stay away.



Jenna Price, who set up the Facebook page Destroy the Joint welcomed the announcement by Macquarie Radio Network on that it was temporarily suspending all advertising on Alan Jones' 2GB breakfast show.

"We are thrilled with the reaction, but you can't think that this is going to fix the problem," she told AAP on Sunday.



"I'm not a person who wants to sack Alan Jones. I want to re-educate Alan Jones."



Macquarie Radio Network confirmed that ads have been pulled because of "unprecedented focus" on Mr Jones and the speech he gave at a NSW Young Liberal’s dinner.

Macquarie executive chairman Russell Tate said the decision was also made because of threats made by users of social media against companies that continued to advertise on the show.

Read Macquarie Radio Network's full announcement here

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"There is almost universal agreement that Jones's remarks were unacceptable, wrong and inexcusable. Alan himself acknowledged that from the moment he first advised me of them. He immediately arranged a media conference to state that publicly and apologise to the Prime Minister,’’ Mr Tate said.

"Alan Jones's audience, those who listen regularly to his program, also agree that his remarks were unacceptable. From research we have conducted over this weekend with them, it is also clear though the great majority acknowledge his apology and have not significantly changed their attitude towards the Alan Jones Breakfast Show.

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"Importantly, nor is there any indication from regular listeners that their attitudes towards companies advertising in the program has changed adversely.

"Since we now know these things to be fact, we have to conclude that the avalanche of telephone, email and Facebook demands to our advertisers to "boycott" the Alan Jones Breakfast Show, and the threats to destroy their businesses if they don’t comply, are coming almost entirely from people who do not listen to Alan Jones or 2GB at all – probably never have done and never will."

Mr Tate has called the reaction on social media to Mr Jones’ comments "censorship, via cyber-bullying".

"We have taken this unprecedented decision to suspend advertising in the Alan Jones Breakfast Show until further notice so that all of our advertisers are on an equal footing, can regroup and discuss with us the way forward and how we together deal with these attempts to damage great Australian businesses. We’ll be doing that over the next week or so and I would personally also welcome discussion with representatives of the organisations behind the totally unwarranted pressure being put on our advertisers. But any discussion will need to be face to face, not hiding behind a keyboard.

"The decision obviously comes at a very significant short term cost to MRN. It is an insignificant price to pay for our audience to be able to listen to what they choose to listen to, and for Australian companies to advertise where they choose to advertise."

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Alan Jones loses his sponsored Benz

Former supporter Mercedes-Benz will confiscate Alan Jones's $250,000 sponsored car, and has vowed to never again support the controversial broadcaster or his radio station 2GB.

The carmaker expressed its strong distaste at Jones's comment, revealed last week by The Sunday Telegraph, that Prime Minister Julia Gillard's father, John Gillard, "died of shame" because of "lies" told by his daughter.



"We want the car back, the deal is cancelled, it is over," Mercedes-Benz's corporate communications manager, David McCarthy, said.

If the car is not returned, Mercedes will send someone to repossess it.

Mercedes-Benz Australia-Pacific, owned by the Daimler Group, distanced itself from Jones and has cancelled all radio advertising .

The Sunday Telegraph revealed last weekend Jones told a Sydney University Liberal Club dinner on September 22 that the prime minister's 83-year-old father, John, "died of shame".

"We were appalled and shocked at the lack of respect (the comments) expressed," Mr McCarthy said.

Now the company has informed Jones it wants him to return the black 2012 S-Class Mercedes the broadcaster has been driving free.

Should the vehicle not be returned by October 31, a Mercedes-Benz representative would collect it, he said.

The Sunday Telegraph understands Jones had been able to use the expensive vehicle as part of a sponsorship agreement with 2GB's owner, Macquarie Radio. Mercedes-Benz bosses have ditched advertising on Jones's show and across the station.

"We have terminated ALL (sic) commercial arrangements with 2GB," the company said in a statement. "We cannot see a circumstance that will see us returning to advertising (on Jones's) show."

Mr McCarthy refused to reveal how much the deal with 2GB was worth, other than to say: "It's now worth a lot less than it was a week ago."

Macquarie is offering discount rates for new advertisers, and has emailed subscribers asking if they have changed their opinion of 2GB and its sponsors, many of whom have dumped the station and Jones.

"During the last week, has your attitude towards companies that advertise on the Alan Jones Breakfast Show changed?" the survey asked.

Earlier, Macquarie told at least one agency it would discount standard rates by at least 15 per cent. Advertisements on his show usually sell for $1170 and live reads for $3300.

More than 70 companies have backed away and shares in Macquarie Radio crashed this week amid estimates that the boycott could cost millions.

A spokesman for Macquarie Radio refused to comment.

Jones is still in demand as a speaker, with a spokeswoman for Saxton Speakers saying no bookings were cancelled. Jones charges about $12,000 per speaking engagement.

A Facebook blitz on sponsors has more than 11,000 "likes", with users bombarding advertisers with emails.

Jenna Price from the Destroy the Joint movement named after Jones's claim women such as Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore were "destroying the joint" - said one sponsor got 4000 emails.

Staff at 2GB told activists the boycott would hurt young employees, not Jones.

Shares in 2GB fell six per cent last week.