Australia’s media watchdog has found itself in the hot seat for turning a blind eye to the dumpster fire that is the Kyle & Jackie O Show — hosted by shock jocks Kyle Sandilands and Jackie O Henderson.. With accusations of “sexist, racist, and misogynistic” material swirling around, it was only a matter of time before someone called out the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) for not taking action.
During a Senate estimates hearing, Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young decided to spice things up. She challenged the chair of the ACMA, Nerida O’Loughlin, to read aloud some of the show’s recent highlights. Let’s just say O’Loughlin was not keen.
The transcript in question included such family-friendly content as “jokes about people being gay, jokes about one of the producer’s Asian housemates, jokes about people not being white,” and “violent language about women and sex”.
Oh and let’s not forget the charming competition where female staff recorded their urination for the “boys … to figure out whose flaps made that wee”. No seriously, how was this a thing on morning radio??
When asked to read the “revolting” material, O’Loughlin said she “would not think they were appropriate for parliamentary language”.
Hanson-Young responded: “I understand why you don’t want to read these comments out, because they are vulgar, aren’t they?
“Do you think they would be appropriate for broadcast radio between the hours of 6am and 10am?”
According to O’Loughlin, the regulator has received 59 complaints about the show since July. However, under the co-regulatory system, complaints were dealt with by the licence holder in the first instance.
Hanson-Young unsatisfied with this, questioned why ACMA hasn’t used its powers to investigate the show themselves and confirm its alleged breach of decency standards.
“Why haven’t you? This is revolting, sexist, racist, misogynistic, divisive stuff on free-to-air radio from 6am in the morning … to 10am in the morning and you have not investigated it,” she said.
The internet is also flabbergasted at the outrageous content that Kyle and Jackie O choose to serve up to people every morning and are concerned with ACMA’s slow action.
“When you think key audience is teens and young men. Morally bereft influence. How does that meet licence conditions?” said one X user.
“The types of obscenities mouthed on air by Sandilands & his cohort would not be permissible in any other country. They are revolting. The ACMA media regulator has shown disdain for the public by giving #VileKyle free rein to air profanities dangerous to women & young people,” pointed out another.
O’ Loughlin stated that it would be “unreasonable” to give an opinion at the senate estimates hearing and said she would take the matter “offline and assess it”.
Neither Kyle Sandilands, Jackie O or KIIS.FM have responded to what went down at the senate estimate hearing.
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