Sydney Opera House (Credit: Wikipedia/Bernard Gagnon)

Australian radio host Alan Jones apologized after an interview in which he admitted that some listeners felt he was acting as a “bully or a misogynist.”

During the interview in question, Jones, a host of Radio 2GB, told Sydney Opera House CEO Louise Herron she should be fired for deciding against allowing a horse race promoter to project an advertisement on the opera house.  The Everest horse race wanted to displace promotions on the building, which is a UNESCO site; Herron responded to Jones that the building wasn’t supposed to be a “billboard.”  (After Jones’ segment, the decision was reversed by NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian.)

The Guardian characterized the interview as “extraordinarily aggressive.”

Radio 2GB’s parent company Macquarie Media’s CEO Adam Lang declined to comment beyond Jones’ on-air apology. The Sydney Opera House’s spokesperson Angelique Dingle declined to comment to iMediaEthics but pointed us to the Premier of New South Wales.

Jones apologized Oct. 9, saying according to the Guardian that:

“I used some words in these programs about the Everest, and the Opera House, and Louise, which in hindsight I now most regret.”

“I don’t believe my words or actions qualify as those of a bully or a misogynist but there are clearly many people who do.

“My intention was to deal with the issue about which I feel very passionately and not to bully or demean Louise Herron.

“So to Louise and those people who’ve been offended, I apologise.”

Last month, Jones, 2GB and 4BC radio were ordered to pay nearly $4 million Australian to an Australian family that he suggested was responsible for the 12 flood-related deaths, as iMediaEthics reported.

"You should lose your job!"

The CEOs of @racing_nsw and the Opera House went toe to toe with @AlanJones in an EXPLOSIVE interview https://t.co/Y38w4jp4HC pic.twitter.com/AsSN4s1ekx

— 2GB 873 (@2GB873) October 4, 2018