Collingwood president Eddie McGuire has issued a general apology over his "joke" about drowning The Age's chief football writer Caroline Wilson but has stopped short of saying sorry to the journalist herself.

After Wilson hit back at comments made by McGuire that she believes "crossed the line", McGuire went on air on two Melbourne radio stations to offer an apology.

"I say from the bottom of my heart that I am so sorry that those comments have resonated that way, I am so sorry that anyone could even think that's what anyone was thinking," he told 3AW radio.

Earlier, he told Triple M: "I apologise and retract them in the spirit of what we're trying to achieve, and that is to look after women and children in our community."

McGuire was condemned on social media for saying he would pay $50,000 to see Wilson stay under a pool of iced water and charge an extra $10,000 for "everyone to stand around the outside and bomb her".

McGuire made the comments on radio station Triple M last Monday, during the "Big Freeze at the G", where celebrities slid into ice water to raise money for research into motor neurone disease.

On Monday, McGuire defended his comments, saying they were words spoken "in the spirit of the fun of the day".

He said the conversation had morphed into something else a week after it was broadcast.

He said he also called and texted Wilson on Sunday.

"No one thinks of Caro as being a female journalist," he told 3AW radio. "You just know her as being a journalist."

"No one spoke of Caroline in the context of her being a woman. It was Caroline the media performer ... she's such a big part of our town. There was no malice involved in it."

"Equality is treating everybody the same ... at what stage does Caro become the woman reporter [as] opposed to the reporter?"

The initial remarks came just days before McGuire welcomed a new AFL women's team into the Collingwood fold, and during the AFL's "White Ribbon" round, which is aimed at preventing violence against women.

On Monday morning, Wilson hit back, rejecting McGuire's assertion that his remarks were "playful banter" and saying he had "crossed the line".

The Walkley award-winning journalist believes McGuire's comments about how he would pay money to see her under iced water were in retaliation to an opinion piece she'd written about Collingwood.

Wilson first found out about the on-air conversation from a friend.

"I ran it past a lot of people who assured me it sounded a lot better when you heard the spoken word than read it," she said.

So she did listen to it. And she did not agree with their assessment.

Wilson saw McGuire at the Hall of Fame function and at the launch of the women's league during the week and felt "uncomfortable being around him".

"I didn't go and talk to him," she said.

"Often, we have jousted in the past many times and on this one, I do think he probably crossed the line and I didn't like the language and I think it's such a pity they need to default to that vicious language and I don't accept that it was playful banter."

"It's like casual racism.

"Casual violent language might be meant as a joke but I really thought, 'I wonder how many times do we have to draw this line in the sand between what is a joke and what is completely unacceptable'."

Speaking on Triple M's Hot Breakfast on Monday morning, McGuire had a clear message.

"Anything at all that can be perceived to promulgate or support, even in a lighthearted manner, any form of domestic violence against women is unacceptable," he said.

Throughout the morning, his apology strengthened from being focused on being apologetic to maintaining that the language he used was being misconstrued.

However, he defended his intentions behind the remarks: "It was all done in the spirit of the fun of the day and seeing who would be next going down the slide."

Having said that, he conceded that what he said was "totally unacceptable if it in any way condones violence against women".

What does the AFL think?

AFL chief Gillon McLachlan says he hopes women won't feel let down by a lack of sanctions towards club presidents Eddie McGuire and James Brayshaw.

When asked whether an apology was enough of a response from McGuire, Brayshaw and Frawley, McLachlan answered: "I do."

Other broadcasters involved

North Melbourne president and Triple M caller James Brayshaw was also involved in the live broadcast. He is due to speak about the incident this afternoon.

Former St Kilda captain Danny Frawley also went on the Hot Breakfast program on Monday morning with a clear intention to apologise. He said he had also tried to ring Wilson to apologise.

"I want to sincerely apologise for my comments that happened last Monday.

"They were inappropriate, they were unacceptable, and any comments that translate into or are seen as being violence against women are totally inappropriate."

He said he spoke to his three daughters and mother about the remarks on Sunday and that "a lot of people had been affected, no more than Caroline Wilson".

He admitted that when he listened in isolation to the conversation: "It's not great".

"It's not good enough, I take full responsibility," Frawley said.

McGuire said 3AW commentators had made similar gibes.

Magpies premiership captain and former coach Tony Shaw also spoke on Monday about a separate on-air  conversation that Wilson was a part of in which commentators joked that many would like to push Wilson in a pool of ice water and Shaw said tickets would be sold to "hold her under".

Crying, an emotional Shaw said he did not believe he had done anything wrong.

"I'm pretty emotional about this one," he said.

"You build up a reputation and just a little thing like this ... I don't think I did anything wrong."

Wilson hits back

Wilson, who is part of AFL commentary team at 3AW, which is part-owned by Fairfax Media, told the radio station that she believed she was attacked by McGuire because she wrote a recent opinion piece about a succession plan at Collingwood.

"It was after a loss to Carlton, and Eddie said he  considered resigning but his boys talked him out of it, and I said I didn't really believe that he thought about resigning but perhaps it was time, not that he stepped down now, but think about who was going to lead Collingwood next," Wilson said.

"All good organisations have to think about what's coming after them, and at the moment there is no obvious successor."

Clearly, McGuire was unhappy with her column, she said, feeling that she had "burnt him".

"I think it's a real pity because I would hope that any journo, whether they be male or female, can write without fear or favour and not get that sort of stuff in return," she said.

"To be honest I think he gets away with a lot because people are scared of him.

"His board didn't stand up to him over the Adam Goodes business, the AFL didn't stand up to him over equalisation...

"It just keeps happening because he has such power and I think because I occasionally take him to task and challenge him he doesn't like it."

McGuire's comments about Wilson being a black widow, she believes, stem from Wilson seeing McGuire out on social occasions but him believing that she then she can't "stick my neck out and be critical of him".

Fairfax Media chief executive Greg Hywood said McGuire's comments were "infuriating and appalling" and amounted to "old style bullying".

"I had planned not to comment on this matter out of respect for Caroline Wilson. One of the country's top journalists, I know she never likes being the story. But then I read the transcript of the Eddie McGuire interview on 3AW. He just doesn't seem to get it," Mr Hywood said.

"This is repeat behaviour by McGuire. It is old style bullying, intimidation and physical threats and when challenged they are dressed up as a misunderstanding and just a bit of fun.

"It just isn't acceptable. McGuire has undermined the AFL's best efforts to expose the insidious impact of domestic violence in our community. Collingwood needs to act if it is serious about its culture."

TRANSCRIPT

McGuire In fact I reckon we should start the campaign for a one-person slide next year. Caroline Wilson. And I'll put in 10 grand straight away - make it 20. [laughter] And if she stays under, 50. [laughter]

What do you reckon guys? Who else is up there? I know you're in JB?

James Brayshaw No, yep, Straight in.

Danny Frawley I'll be in amongst it Ed.

McGuire Is Duck there?

Wayne Carey: Yes, I'm here mate.

McGuire Duck's in. Danny's in - already spoken up.

Frawley Yeah I'm in Ed.

McGuire I could do an auction here today.

Frawley I'll actually jump in and make sure she doesn't - I'll hold her under, Ed.

McGuire I reckon we could charge $10,000 for everyone to stand around the outside and bomb her.

Damien Barrett I'm on Caro's side now, Ed. I'm on Caro's side these days, Ed.

[indecipherable]

McGuire She'll burn you like everyone else, mate. She's like the black widow. She just sucks you in and gets you and you start talking to her and then bang! She gets you.

Brayshaw If you ran that auction from down there, I reckon you'd start grabbing some bids out of the seats too. There'd be money piling in everywhere.

McGuire It will be magnificent. I think we should do that next year. It's all good for footy.

Brayshaw Bloody oath.