Paul Moulton speaks out after Manx Radio incident as former MHK brands treatment 'totally unacceptable'

Paul Moulton has spoken publicly for the first time since he was ordered to leave Manx Radio's building, with former MHK Chris Robertshaw branding his treatment an 'appalling example of conduct' and 'totally unacceptable'.

Speaking on their joint podcast, which has been viewed more than 2,300 times on YouTube, the veteran broadcaster said he was 'stunned' after being told to leave the Douglas Head station by director of programming, news and content Alex Brindley, shortly after recording an interview celebrating his 50 years in broadcasting.

Mr Moulton reiterated that he had been invited to the station by broadcaster and former MHK Phil Gawne for the interview before the incident unfolded.

He said: 'I went up there, did the interview and when I came back downstairs... the door to the programme controller's office opened and he said, "What are you doing here?"

'I thought he was joking. He said, "You need to get out of here."

'Myself and Phil sort of laughed... then it clearly was meant. He was furious. He was incandescent with rage.

'He said, "Get out now." He just showed me the door basically. I was stunned because initially I thought it was just a joke.'

During the podcast, former MHK Chris Robertshaw strongly criticised the incident. He said: 'I think it would be fair to say that Manx Radio is becoming a law unto itself.

'It seems to have established a position where it deems itself beyond and above criticism. How dare any mere mortal question them.'

Mr Robertshaw went on to describe the incident as 'an appalling example of conduct'.

He added: 'I think it's very sad that the senior management in Manx Radio is giving such an appalling example of conduct to their young journalists coming in.

'I hope the young journalists who now work for Manx Radio, who observe what's going on here, in no way, shape or form take this as their guiding light as to how they should conduct themselves because it is totally unacceptable.'

The pair also questioned whether the island's communications regulator, Cura, should take further action over concerns previously raised by Mr Moulton regarding Manx Radio's public service broadcasting commitments.

Mr Robertshaw said: 'Cura has now got to show itself to be a regulator in the truest sense of the word.

'The duty they have there to do their job thoroughly, properly and conscientiously is, without question, very important. The level of failure here is just shameful.'

Mr Moulton suggested he believed the confrontation stemmed from his recent criticism of the station's output.

He said: 'Maybe we've hit home. All we've been talking about for weeks now is how Manx Radio has not hit its obligations to do the proper public service remit.'

Earlier this week, Isle of Man Today revealed that Mr Moulton said he had been ordered to leave the station after being invited to take part in an interview marking his half-century in broadcasting.

Isle of Man Today has listened to audio recorded during the incident, in which Mr Moulton can be heard being told to 'get lost' and that he should not be in the building.

Following the incident, Mr Gawne sent Mr Moulton a message apologising for what had happened.

In the email, seen by Isle of Man Today, he wrote: 'Just wanted to thank you for doing that interview and apologise for the abuse you got as you left. I was shocked so I can't imagine how you felt.'

Mr Moulton has been a long-standing critic of Manx Radio's programming, arguing the publicly funded broadcaster has moved away from its traditional speech-based output.

At the time of the original story, Isle of Man Today approached Manx Radio for comment. No response had been received before publication.