LUCKY FOR KYLE, IT’S A MAN’S WORLD
You want to know what I hear about Kyle Sandilands?
Austereo programmers are well aware that his antics are dragging 2DAY-FM through the mud, but their private worry is: “Who have we got to replace him?”
Although, after yesterday’s ratings saw his show dip below 10 percent, they may be having an urgent look about.
I’ve always defended Kyle as being technically, a good broadcaster – fearless, feisty and fast on his feet. Despite his failings, in no way do I condone the very personal and hurtful bashing he or Jackie O (pictured above) have had to endure.
As for the things Kyle’s been saying about me on air lately? It’s been appalling, all round.
However, while we’re all agreed that “we need to talk about Kyle”, 2DAY-FM management has been asleep at the wheel.
They know he delivers car crash radio. They actively encourage him to drive faster. But, like all shock jocks, he needs an air bag.
That’s not only a decent delay button (at last) but, more to the point, the guidance of decent men who hold their audience of young women in the highest regard.
(And FM programmers are men. There are only three women in senior programming roles in FM radio across the nation.)
A senior radio insider told me that if the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) – which yesterday imposed a new licence condition on Austereo that prohibits it from broadcasting “indecent content or content that demeans women or girls” – was seriously armed by the government it would have imposed a $500,000 fine on the station.
ACMA has warned 2DAY-FM that a repeat of offences which have been deemed to be “deeply derogatory and offensive” would see the station facing a suspension or cancellation of its broadcasting licence.
They have said there may be more to come if the station does not uphold “decency”.
Southern Cross Austereo released a statement saying that the conditions imposed on it are “unworkable”. The CEO,Rhys Hollaren said he would do everything he can to stop the new checks and balances.
In an article in the SMH by Julian Lee, lawyer at King & Wood Mallesons, Katrina Rathie said: ”It shows a loophole. Kyle dodges a bullet and gets off scot-free and 2DayFM gets a lashing with a feather.
”[The authority's] enforcement powers are virtually zero. It has no power to discipline presenters and I think the court of public opinion would want that.”
Heard of a gummy shark? As it stands, that’s ACMA. Can’t really blame the chairman, Chris Chapman. Seems he’s as frustrated as the rest of us.
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43 Responses to this article
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molly March 28, 2012
Could not agree more
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Amanda Rose March 28, 2012
Agree totally although should we be also looking at the listeners? Obviously they are not as offended as we are or the ratings wouldn’t be so high?
This is very similar to the magazine war. If we place healthy size women on the front cover sales go down. Maybe this is the same? If we replace Kyle with a respectful funny man will their ratings drop?
Food for thought.
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Alice Shaw March 28, 2012
Men like this will continue to put women down because they can. The men who perpetrate violence against women will continue to do so because there are no serious consequences. Recently in Victoria a fireman who kicked his partner in the face was awarded a bravery medal for his part in the Black Saturday fires. My thinking is that no matter how brave you have been, kicking a woman in the face negates that. Certain NRL players who have assaulted their partners have not been stood down, one can only think that this is because being a good footy player is far more important that saying no to violence against women.
When there are no consequences for poor behaviour, the poor behaviour will continue. When a man can publicly threaten to hunt a woman down, simply because she stated an opinon of him that conflicted with his opinion of himself, and he is allowed to continue to broadcast, what does this tell other men who put women down? It tells them that it is okay, men can get away with it, and will continue to do so for ever, and why not?
That is why we need the many, many good men out there to speak up, to respond, to condemn this appalling behaviour. No response = no change.
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julie March 28, 2012
Bullies never think they are doing anything wrong-just asserting their authority. So yes, he needs to be confronted by people he will listen to. But who are they? Clearly not his sidekick who is an enabler. Not women who try to pull him up as he sees them as targets. I accidentally flipped the car radio onto John Laws yesterday- just long enough to hear him berate a federal minister for being a few minutes late. So yes, decent blokes, get out there and tell these rude, arrogant boofheads they are a blight on the human race, and ‘listeners’ – for goodness sake, stop listening!
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linda March 28, 2012
Kyle who?
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linda March 28, 2012
Oh yes I know he’s that person I never listen to on radio.
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bianca dye March 28, 2012
things need to change – & they will… we are all watching closely…. gee – they are not sure who they will replace Kyle with??? id love to do the show with Jackie?! but oh no WE COULDNT HAVE 2 GIRSL TOGETHER?! men dont wanna hear THAT on the radio?!?! LOL
ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! -
linda March 28, 2012
I’m not offended because I don’t listen or pay any attention to badly behaved men be they footballers or radio “hosts” Anything that looks like its heading south in any form entertainment or informative I flick the switch. Simple.
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Liz March 28, 2012
It’s all very well saying we can ‘flick the switch’ but what about all the young boofheads who think he’s great then think they can treat women the same way? Something needs to be done about these people. I have a daughter who accepts behaviour from boys of her generation that would never have been tolerated by my generation. Are we going backwards with women’s basic human rights, to be treated equally and respectfully by everyone?
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Bexsta March 28, 2012
Amen
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linda March 28, 2012
Perhaps more affective approach would be to let the advertisers know that they are wasting $ on this particular “show” and that their money would be better spent elsewhere!
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Lisa N March 29, 2012
Linda, there is a facebook group which has been doing just that since November – we have been approaching sponsors in a polite but determined fashion to let them know that we as customers and consumers feel that by advertising on the Kyle & Jackie O programme, they are supporting Kyle’s misogyny and derogatory behaviour towards women, and consequently, we will not patronise their businesses unless they change their minds and withdraw their advertising. To date – 147 sponsors have withdrawn their ads from the programme.
@gogirl – it is not about “destroying” someone – it is about ensuring that easily influenced young people are not exposed to someone who bullies and uses degrading language towards women and makes it sound “cool”.
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Frankly feisty March 28, 2012
I never listen to commercial radio. Banal, repetitive, boring, bossy, consumer brain washing, that it is.
Don’t you love how women have taken over the interwebesphere and made it their own, for connecting, for promoting, for business, for friendships, for support, for information, for education. We just made somewhere new for us all, after years and years of Mansland not listening and not sharing the ball, we got up and left ‘em to it. Mainstream radio can keep its dinasours & boys clubs. We have moved on and found our own place.
And we listen and discuss and debate and try our best to be fair and reasonable and kind and friendly and inclusive.
Even for Vile Kyle and his ilk, if ey can get their heads around the concept of sharing.-
Panda April 11, 2012
Right on Feisty
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Panda April 11, 2012
This is why I love The Hoopla!
And I love that there are some blokes on here as well, but it’ still presents what I perceive to be a more balanced ‘feminine’ view of the world
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Jenny March 28, 2012
The one saving grace is that this show IS dying.
No advertisers would want to be connected with this train wreck
All this has been self-inflicted.
The funny thing is they thought they could get away it. -
Kerri Breeden March 28, 2012
oh Frankly Feisty – you rock!!!!! could never have explained it that well!
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Lady Jewels Diva March 28, 2012
What is it going to take for the radio stations to stop having such wankers on air?
Being sued by the women they demean? Probably not.
The only way would be the death of radio and tanking ratings and even then they probably wouldn’t do anything because they are males, they have no freakin idea of what the majority of the population, ie; women, want!
And it ain’t wankers on air!
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Kaz March 28, 2012
Good point, I’d love to hear from the Alison Stephenson – specifically whether she considered legal action against Kyle? I mean I don’t know whether there would be an basis for the action, but perhaps that is the whack he & Austereo need to make the supposedly radical decision to sack him?
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Dianne March 28, 2012
Isn’t it nice to know 91 percent do no listen to this crap?
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Siham Owen March 28, 2012
I agree to disagree, Kyle does go over the top but he too has to endure insults. Why do we forget all the good things Kyle does why do we brush all the good he does under the carpet? He who hasn’t sinned or slagged of another person be it male or female should throw the first stone!
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Alice Shaw March 28, 2012
I can tell you hand on heart that I have never once told someone to watch their mouth or I will hunt them down.
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Frankly feisty March 28, 2012
I am genuinely interested in hearing/finding out about all the “good things” Kyle does. Please could you fill us all in on what we have missed?
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Kelly March 28, 2012
I heard him discussing the size of his penis while driving the kids to school .
Never listened since -
shelley March 28, 2012
So only being reprimanded 4 times in his radio career is something to be proud of? Where does accountability come into play in this country. In my job if I was rude like Kyle is I would lose my job. Personally, to Wendy and Siham and anyone who wants to defend Kyle because he gets his share of abuse and is a nice guy, anything positive about the man is totally negated by this incessant public slagging that constitutes for a radio show. I am afraid I have no margins for error in this regard. Parts of the media have disappeared up their own behinds and it is time to call a halt. Listen to Public Radio – the show is about the music instead of the DJ.
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Jodes March 28, 2012
Advertisers, if you choose to support this show, I won’t buy your product. Celebs, if you choose to go on this show, I won’t see your movie/buy your songs/support your cause. By going on it, you are supporting what he and Jackie O do in the name of ‘entertainment’. Its not good enough, and Austereo should wise up and drop the show.
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Amelia March 28, 2012
So they are free to demean men gays etc, but not women.
Could someone explain the decision?
Please just get them off the air. -
julie March 28, 2012
Interesting to hear that the same thing is happening to Rush Limbaugh in America. He’s also being destered by advertisers. Maybe there is a god who will save us from the bully-boy shockjocks.
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KBH March 28, 2012
2dayFM banned… sinking ship anyways.
I second everything that has been said by your intelligent readers and as far as Jackie O goes, she must b hard up for a quid to put up with working with Vile Kyle… whod want to tarnish their good name sitting along side him??? Rude Sod! -
Jenny M March 28, 2012
Thank you Wendy, I appreciate your honesty.
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Mary March 28, 2012
I am a fan of the show and no is is not always kid friendly, but neither are some of the topics on talkback. Yes Kyle can be quite defensive when he is being criticized, as can most of us, and like him, when we feel that it is unfair we overreact. Why can anyone say what they like about him and think that it is ok and not expect him to react. Unfortunately he hasn’t learned not to do it on air.(that is probably why he is an easy target) I certainly don’t agree with everything Kyle or Jackie do or say, but that is ok, I don’t have to. Do you agree with everything talk back hosts say? Do you turn it off when you don’t? They have also said controversal things and have only had their hands slapped too. How many of us have said things out of anger that we had no real intention of followong through?
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Belinda March 28, 2012
@Mary the difference is that Kyle does all this in a public forumn and that as Kyle and Jackie are supposedly ‘cool’ young people listen to them and think their behaviours are funny or worse still appropriate.
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Mary March 28, 2012
Yes I agree Belinda, hence the term Shock Jock.
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Cherin Johns March 28, 2012
What a crock! A bit of jealousy here? Tall poppy syndrome. Get over it world. I am and hey, I am a woman. A woman that believes in freedom of speech and does not believe in censorship. If you do not like Kyle Sandilands then hey, you can always change the channel.
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Holly March 28, 2012
Money.
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Veronica March 29, 2012
“Has anyone looked at Triple J”? I am way out of the J’s demographic and I am still waiting to grow out of it. A plus is that its not commercial no one yells at you! there are no adds that blare at you at a higher volume just good music and they make you laugh! How could anyone compare Kyle Slanderlands to good radio and entertainment. At work I am force fed commercial raido thankfully it is not Kyle’s station and I am grateful for that. V.
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Carol March 30, 2012
To Cherin Johns,
A crock of shit.
Threatening to hunt down a young woman, strapping a lie detector to a teenager.
I hope you don’t have kids.
His style is disgusting and 2 DAYFM management need to act now. -
Colin April 4, 2012
As a man – no, as a human being – I have always been appalled by Kyle Sandilands. He has been elevated to demi-god status by some (mostly by himself, but he clearly has followers and supporters). To me, he’s a disgrace. I’d love to earn as much money as he does – but I doubt I’d need to be such a crass and demeaning so-and-so… Or is that considered part of his charm, and for some, actually justifies his pay-packet and his unfortunate lofty status?
For the record, essentially, I think Jackie O aids and abets Sandilands. She’s not an innocent by-stander, she’s his partner-in-crime, and she gets paid a truckload of cash for it, too. Money talks – I just wish these kind of radio people would lose their voices.
By the way, can anyone tell me who in the past has presented in the same time slot as these clowns? (I’m endeavouring to understand what went wrong.)
