Kyle Sandilands will undergo sensitivity training after the media watchdog found his cooked comments about the Paralympics in breach of broadcasting standards.
The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) decided that two September 2021 episodes of The Kyle and Jackie O Show breached decency standards, during which the shock jock referred to the Tokyo Paralympics as the “special Olympics”.
“Have you been watching the ‘special’ Olympics? It’s horrific, some of the things,” Kyle asked his co-host Jackie O Henderson at the time.
The 51-year-old added that a vision-impaired high jumper “veered right” as he approached the bar before he “landed his arse on the ground”.
And, because Kyle lacks the ability to toe the line, he declared that Metro Station’s hit song Shake It should be the theme song of the 2020 Paralympic Games.
In its report that was released on March 28, the ACMA stated that “the Paralympians in question were being mocked by Mr Sandilands, and that they were mocked for the techniques used to participate and compete in their particular sport”.
“The ACMA considers a regular listener of the program, while tolerant of irreverent presentation styles, would still be able to identify what was generally ‘acceptable’ content, and who was likely considered a ‘fair target’ for humour or mocking in contemporary Australia.”
KIIS FM attempt to defend Kyle Sandilands over ‘blunt manner’ (again)
Yet again, KIIS FM — the station backing The Kyle and Jackie O Show — tried to water down their star’s behaviour.
According to the broadcaster, the father-of-one is “well-known for his turn of phrase, colourful vernacular and blunt manner”.
“The audience somewhat ‘self-selects’ so that those that choose to listen are not offended by this manner,” the broadcaster continued.
“Our expectation is that regular Kyle & Jackie listeners would not have been offended by the Paralympics segment.”
So, in short, if ya don’t like it, change the station. Gross.
Having none of it, the ACMA found “there is nothing… to suggest that the demographic of the audience would have different standards with respect to comments about people with disabilities than a regular cross section of the Australian community”.
The ACMA’s ruling found Sandilands’ “comments were insensitive and hurtful toward the athletes”.
They were also “offensive to the average moderate person in the broader community, including the regular audience of the program, who would have been aware of the potential impact of these comments, not only on the Paralympians that were being described in this manner, but on the wider group of people in Australia with disabilities”.
The Kyle and Jackie O Show breached decency code in ANOTHER segment
The controversial breakfast show was found to have breached the decency code in another segment, in which the Australian Idol judge named and threatened a journalist.
“Well, mate, if I can’t come and see you, I’ll send around one of me […] mates just to remind you of your manners,” he continued.
“No, that’s not a threat, that’s a guarantee.”
KIIS FM also attempted to downplay this incident, claiming that “the audience would have recognised the commentary was deliberately ‘over the top’ unfiltered showmanship, rather than representing any true threatening statement”.
And they are giving waaaaay too much credit to the everyday Aussie, TBH.
The broadcaster added: “If one were truly intending to carry out such a threat, they would not be mentioning it on live radio.”
The ACMA rubbished this defence, stating that the average person “would consider the threatening intimidation of an individual to be an inappropriate use of broadcast media”.
Now, the broadcaster is required to enlist a second censor, who will aid the programme’s main censor monitor what’s being said on-air to ensure it’s not totally f*cked.
Kyle, Jackie O, and the show’s producers, OG censor and other relevant staff must undertake sensitivity training.
And yep, we’re sure this won’t be the last time…
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