Kyle and Jackie O Hit With Breach of Radio Standards Amid Ongoing Controversy

Controversial radio duo Kyle Sandilands and Jackie “O” Henderson (Kyle and Jackie O) have once again found themselves at the centre of public scrutiny after being found in breach of Australian radio decency standards.

The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) ruled against the pair following an investigation into explicit and vulgar content aired on their KIIS FM breakfast show.

A listener complaint lodged on June 7, 2024, triggered the investigation into KIIS FM’s Melbourne and Sydney stations.

The ACMA found that two segments included “explicit sexual content” and “sustained and vulgar graphic sexualised descriptions,” violating the commercial radio code of practice.

“This content went beyond the bounds of decency expected by the community and was done so deliberately and provocatively,” said ACMA Chair Nerida O’Loughlin.

The investigation also found that Double T Radio, the Melbourne licensee, failed to respond to listener complaints within the required 30-day period, further breaching industry standards.

O’Loughlin emphasised the importance of listener complaints in upholding broadcasting standards, stating, “Failing to respond to complaints in the required time frame undermines the effectiveness of the co-regulatory system.”

While the explicit content cited in this ruling was sexual in nature, it highlights the ongoing concern over Kyle and Jackie O’s continued history of offensive material, particularly towards the LGBTQIA+ community.

Although the ACMA has not explicitly stated that this breach is related to their anti-LGBTQIA+ content, their track record of problematic remarks remains a significant issue.

Kyle and Jackie O have a long history of airing controversial and offensive statements, often at the expense of marginalised communities.

Their recent Melbourne launch only served to reinforce their reputation for crude and harmful content, with several remarks directly targeting LGBTQIA+ individuals.

During the introduction of their new show in May 2024, Kyle Sandilands launched into a tirade of derogatory remarks aimed at his own gay newsreader, Brooklyn Ross.

He introduced Ross to Melbourne audiences by describing him as a “massive homo” who “used to be a real gay whore” and a “woke piece of shit.”

Such remarks are not new for Sandilands, who has consistently used his platform to mock, demean, and ridicule LGBTQIA+ individuals.

Over the years, the duo has engaged in broadcasting content that normalises homophobic slurs and perpetuates harmful stereotypes.

The pair’s problematic content extends beyond their comments about LGBTQIA+ individuals.

During the same Melbourne broadcast, Sandilands and his team also made inflammatory remarks about race, gender, and sexuality, leaving no marginalised group untouched.

When discussing their executive producer Pedro, Sandilands said they hired him because he was “the best person for the job, not just a black lesbian.”

Elsewhere in the program, their show manager Bruno Bouchet was introduced with the crude detail that he had a “freakishly long French foreskin” and “secretly loves pegging.”

Meanwhile, openly gay team member Intern Pete was subjected to yet another round of public humiliation, with Sandilands reminding him that he had previously “rooted [his] female cousin.”

The program also included discussions on female genitalia, explicit sexual acts, and a statement from Jackie O about her personal hygiene, which prompted Sandilands to respond with the disturbing remark: “You’re like a Greek chick that keeps the vagina fresh for the husband but 40 guys have gone through the arse.”

The inflammatory nature of their content has prompted backlash not just from the LGBTQIA+ community, but from wider Australian audiences.

Kyle and Jackie O’s pattern of offensive broadcasting has led to increasing frustration among listeners and industry figures alike.

Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young previously challenged ACMA on why it had taken so long to investigate the show, citing complaints that included “jokes about people being gay,” “jokes about people not being white,” and “violent language about women and sex.”

Despite the regulatory slap on the wrist, the show’s ability to continue airing such content raises concerns about the effectiveness of enforcement measures.

The backlash has extended beyond the political sphere, with television and radio host Steve Price condemning the pair’s antics.

“Kyle, last time I mentioned you on this program I called you a grubby buffoon. That was a compliment in hindsight,” Price said on The Project.

“That garbage you put to air this morning, sexualised rubbish, toxic, nobody should listen to it and you will be a massive failure in Melbourne.”

Listeners have also voiced their disgust, particularly regarding Sandilands’ views on women.

His remark that “chicks should wear a sticker to tell people they’re on their period” sparked widespread outrage, with one social media user stating: “And this my friends, is why we have so many women being killed. Disrespect for women is a key driver of violence against women. When men in power demean women it normalises this behaviour.”

Sandilands and Henderson have yet to make a public comment in response to the ACMA ruling, it is expected they will address the issue on air this week.