Sean Plunket is unhappy about New Zealand radio stations' decision to stop playing Michael Jackson's music, calling it a capitulation to social justice activists.
"Good afternoon to you, on this Michael Jackson-free radio network," he announced on Tuesday.
"I'll be honest. I don't know that MediaWorks and other radio stations around the country are being woke, but unfortunately they're responding to the wokes."
- MediaWorks radio stations drop Michael Jackson's music
- Michael Jackson squirms, laughs through interrogation about pedophilia
- Michael Jackson's former maid makes bombshell child abuse claims
Earlier in the day, MediaWorks' group content director Leon Wratt confirmed the King of Pop would be dropped following the US release of the documentary Leaving Neverland, which focuses on molestation accusations against Jackson.
"We [MediaWorks] aren't deciding whether Michael Jackson is guilty of paedophilia, we're just making sure our radio stations are going to play the music people want to hear," he said.
According to Stuff, a representative for NZME confirmed their radio brands had also dropped Jackson's music.
"NZME station playlists change from week to week, and right now Michael Jackson does not feature on them."
But it's a decision Plunket doesn't appreciate, and he wasn't shy in telling his listeners what he thought.
"I think he's probably done some very bad things in his time on this planet, and he's paying for them - or his estate is paying for them - in one way or another," he says.
"But God, I hate restricting people's freedom to listen to something because of someone else's outrage."
In January, The Edge radio station announced it would stop playing Chris Brown's music, after the hip-hop artist faced rape allegations. The pop music station said questions from listeners about why it continued to play his music prompted the move.
Its television counterpart The Edge TV also stopped playing Brown's music videos.
Music streaming service Spotify has also recently removed controversial rappers R Kelly and XXXTentacion from its playlists. Their music can still be searched, but is no longer actively promoted.
Newshub.
