Conservative broadcaster Alan Jones has announced he will be leaving Sky News Australia, which he has appeared on since 2013.
Jones announced his departure in a statement on his Facebook page on Thursday morning.
In it, he said: “The management at Sky News have indicated to me that they will not renew my contract, which ends on November 30.”
“It is, of course, the prerogative of any employer to make such a decision; but, given this is the case, I feel an obligation to my viewers to make some observations to avoid certain misconstructions.”
Jones then pointed to the ratings of his 8pm program: “It was clear from the outset that my signing at Sky News brought over a new audience to the station.”
He then alleged that, in a meeting last Friday regarding his contract, he was not offered another position at Sky News. Instead, he was offered a weekly slot on Flash, Foxtel’s new streaming service, which he declined.
His last program will be on Thursday evening.
Paul Whittaker, CEO of Sky News, said in a statement that: “Regrettably Alan has decided not to accept a new role that was offered to him for next year. We respect his decision and know he will be missed by many.”
“Alan has contributed greatly to Sky News Australia over the years, advocating without fear or favour on the issues important to many Australians.”
In his own post, Jones said he had “enjoyed his experience thoroughly” and thanked his fellow hosts.
He also said he has had “nothing but support from people in the backroom of Sky News who rarely get a mention; and, apart from my contribution towards raising the viewer numbers, I hope I have also contributed to the morale of the organisation.”
As yet, it is unclear what Jones’ next endeavor will be. Earlier this year, he squashed rumours of a comeback to radio.
