“Farcical construction of false claims,” Adam Lang slams Tele article

Last Thursday, following the very public departure of Chris Smith from 2GB’s Afternoon shift, The Daily Telegraph published a scathing article about MacRadio CEO Adam Lang. Headed, ‘Smiling assassin’ next in 2GB’s spotlight,‘ (subscription required). 

The article began:

EXCLUSIVE: The radio boss responsible for talkback host Chris Smith’s departure is known inside 2GB as the smiling assassin and has not had a working relationship with the station’s top star for more than six months.

Now insiders are saying chief executive Adam Lang’s career could be the next in the spotlight after a series of management bungles that have cost Macquarie Media millions.

The next day, Mr Lang briefed lawyers and sent a letter to all staff in which he describes the Daily Telegraph article as, “a farcical construction of false claims, inaccuracies and unverified assertions that slander me and this company.”
 

 

This is an open letter which will be received by all staff.

Today, I am going to take the rare step of going beyond “No comment.” and I hope that you will understand why.

Yesterday, the Daily Telegraph published an article about me with the headline “‘Smiling assassin’ next in 2GB’s spotlight”. The article is a farcical construction of false claims, inaccuracies and unverified assertions that slander me and this company in such a way that I cannot let it pass without comment.  Legal action is also under way. 

The actions of the “2GB insiders” mentioned in the Daily Telegraph yesterday and in recent months, if indeed such insiders exist at all, were cowardly, using the cover of anonymity to damage our business and our brand. 

Anonymously spreading such falsehoods does more than show a lack of character and courage: such comments cause distress and damage amongst our staff, our audience and our clients.  The deliberate act of undermining our business and colleagues in this way is the polar opposite of our values of being accountable, unified and inspiring. My hope is that every one of you reading this letter had nothing to do with this defamatory article.

Leaking information – be it confidential, premature or false –  affects not only the wellbeing of the individuals named, but also impacts their colleagues, families, children and friends. 

These actions also have the potential to unsettle our clients.  These clients, often small businesses, have chosen to invest their hard-earned dollars and trust with our radio network. That extends to their staff, their customers and their families. And of course, anything that adversely affects our relationship with our clients also has a direct impact on our colleagues in the Sales team.

Leaks also affect our audience – many of whom treat our radio station as a member of their family. When our listeners read alarming information in the papers, it can hit them on a very deep and personal level. 

Everyone at our company has a responsibility to ensure that we have a safe, productive and, hopefully, happy workplace. Part of that responsibility includes treating confidential information with care and acting in the best interests of the company.  Leaking information clearly falls short of those requirements. 

To be consistent with our values of being accountable and unified, and to provide a forum where we can support each other as well as the business in which we work, I invite you to raise any concerns you may have, so they can be addressed in person, with real facts – not fiction, assumptions or gossip. If you have a question about anything at work, please know that you can ask your manager, or me, and we will tell you what we can. Honestly and personally. 

Smiling often. Assassin never. I will keep smiling and genuinely hope you can too. If you wish to have a discussion, please call, write or come and say hello.

In the meantime, let’s continue to do what we do best and get back to work!

Best regards,

Adam Lang
Chief Executive Officer

Macquarie Media Limited

 
 

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