Chris Smith (broadcaster) - Misplaced Pages

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Christopher 'Chris' Smith is an Australian talkback radio broadcaster. He presents the 2GB Sydney and MTR 1377 Melbourne afternoon shows. His views are generally right wing and islamophobic.

Personal life

Chris Smith is the father of 2 children from his previous marriage to Ali Smith, and is in a relationship with nutritionist Susie Burrell, who also presents a weekly health and nutrition segment on 2GB's Afternoon Show.

Mental Health and Alcoholism

Chris Smith has publicly addressed his alcoholism and mental health problems on a number of occasions. In an interview with the Daily telegraph, stating ""I can never go back to that point. I've made some significant changes to my life. I think to a certain degree you have to hit ground zero before you do that." Smith has acknowledged that he was an alcoholic and that he also suffered bipolar disorder

He later retracted this on air, stating " suffered just a mild dose of bipolar disorder."

Sexual Misconduct and Dismissal

In 2009, Chris Smith was suspended indefinitely from his role at the Macquarie Radio Network, following an incident at a 2GB party where he exposed himself to several women at the party, attempted to kiss a female colleague and sexually assaulted Network 10 journalist and meteorologist Magdalena Roze, after drinking for "an extended period of time". Smith admitted to misusing anti depressant medication, drinking heavily and claimed to have no recollection of the events.

In December 2009 Smith was reinstated and his contract extended, despite a number of female staff voicing concerns surrounding his on going conduct.

Smith later denied the assaults on air when questioned by a listener, asking him "where did you make these facts from?", threatening the listener to be "very careful what you read about private social events".

ACMA Censorship

In February 2011, Chris Smith ran a competition on his afternoon show called "Smithy's Mystery" which offered listeners movie tickets, books and DVDs if they could correctly guess how many Asylum seekers who died at sea would be buried in Sydney.

Sponsors reacted angrily, with both BBC Worldwide and publisher Pan Macmillan, which provided the prizes, expressing their shock at the quiz, saying they would never have allowed their brands to be part of it had they been aware.

The Australian Communications and Media Authority found the licensee of 2GB (Macquarie Radio Network) breached the Commercial Radio Code of Practice and Guidelines 2010 requirement that material broadcast must not offend generally accepted standards of decency, stating “offensive, in very bad taste, and that it should not have been broadcast”.

References

External links

1. 2GB Biography

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