John Perlman's on-air confrontation of SABC black-listing practices was not a "spur of the moment" one.
Speaking for the first time about his controversial resignation from SAfm, Perlman on Tuesday said his decision to challenge SABC spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago was made after discussions among concerned SABC staff members.
"It flowed out of a process of engagement internally that had been going on for three months and it was grounded in intensive discussions with colleagues about what was the right thing to do.
"It wasn't a sudden 'let's have a bit of excitement here' thing. It was very carefully considered," he told The Star on Tuesday.
He said there were "other very, very brave people, with a lot to lose, who also took a stand.
"One of the problems I've had is that this whole thing has become very personalised. I've been one of the people personalised in it and, while I appreciate the support and the warm wishes, I do think the challenges faced by the SABC go beyond the personalities who have been highlighted in the debate and I think that people need to start asking deeper questions about what's happening to the SABC, I really do."
Perlman said he had no regrets about revealing that the blacklisting practices - denied by Kganyago - were in fact taking place.
"It was scary," he said. "There were times when I woke up in the middle of the night with my eyes as big as gingerbread biscuits.
"Did I take on the people I work for? Yes, I suppose in some sense I did. But they are not the only people I work for
"I measured what I did against the editorial charter of the SABC.
"It's absolutely clear, to me, on what my responsibilities were to all of our stakeholders and that includes the public so your bosses in an institution like that are major stakeholders but they're not the only ones. That's why it's called the public broadcaster.
"You as a citizen have a right to be concerned about public broadcasting," he said.
"I think the SABC's critics should be asking questions about the role of the board in setting parameters for editorial decision-making.
"They should be asking questions about the SABC's involvement in the training and skilling of journalists and think they should be asking questions about the role of news on the one hand and the role of debate on the other."
Perlman said the SABC's December decision to give him a verbal warning about his challenge to Kganyago - despite an independent commission's finding his behaviour could not be faulted - was not a major factor in his resignation.
"I'm not bitter or angry. I'm leaving with an incredible sense of much how much sheer pleasure I've got out of being in conversation with people all over the country.
"People have linked my departure to some broader issues about what the public broadcaster should be doing to build and deepen our democracy, and that is a positive thing if people are going to debate what kind of public broadcaster they really want.
"Radio is the most important media institution in the country - and I say that with no disrespect to newspapers about the role they play - but it reaches more people than anybody else, especially SABC radio.
"So I think there are incredibly important issues facing the public broadcaster around what is presented, who has access to it and, most particularly, how debate is regarded so if the publicity around my departure contributes to that larger debate, I'm very glad about that," he said.
Denying speculation that he had been approached by television channels e.tv and CNBC, Perlman said his ideal job would involve an hour-long debate show - similar to the After8 Debate slot that won him fans all over the country.
"I'm a bit addicted to live radio, I must admit," he said, adding: "I'm considering lots of possibilities."
But he hints that his future colleagues may have a lot to deal with.
"I think I'm quite difficult to work with, I'm quite volatile and I've got a bit of a short fuse."