Media watchdog narrows SCA’s decency condition to Kyle Sandilands shows
Kyle Sandilands
A decency condition imposed on Southern Cross Austereo’s Sydney station 2Day FM has been reduced to shows hosted by controversial shock jock Kyle Sandilands.
The Administrative Appeals Tribunal has said that the ruling will remain in place for five years, and will apply to the Kyle and Jackie O Show, The Hot 30 Countdown and any other program Sandilands appears on, as ordered by the Australian Communications and Media Authority.
The move comes following an appeal from Southern Cross Austereo.
ACMA chairman Chris Chapman said of the decision: “I note the AAT has decided in this case that making compliance with the code a condition of the licence was an “appropriate, measured and proportionate regulatory response”.
Southern Cross Austereo welcomed the overall outcome of the tribunal.
Rhys Holleran, SCA CEO said in a statement: “We note today’s decision from the AAT and are pleased that much of what we put forward has been accepted. We have been on the record many times to say that we did not condone the comments made that led to these events. We still hold the view that the conditions, particularly the five years in length, are onerous for 2DayFM in Sydney, and will further consider our position.”
The decency condition was imposed on the Sydney station in May following comments made by Sandilands in November in reference to a news.com.au journalist’s review of his TV show.
Sandilands called news.com.au journalist Alison Stephenson a “Fat slag” and “a piece of shit” and warned that “I will hunt you down.”
The fall out saw many advertisers pull out of the Kyle and Jackie O Show.
In March ACMA ruled Sandilands was in breach of the radio code of practice. Many of the show’s advertisers had already crept back into the line-up.
Sandilands was recently cleared by the media regulator over his “spider baby” comments made in April.
“We still hold the view that the conditions, particularly the five years in length, are onerous for 2DayFM in Sydney, and will further consider our position”
Go on, appeal to the Federal Court. I will fetch popcorn.
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If comments like the ‘Spider Baby’ ones are considered ‘decent’ then I don’t imagine they really have too much to worry about it. Kyle apparently ‘tells it like it is’ the rest of society just needs to dumb itself down a bit and start mouthing off. No?
Bit pathetic really that such a highly paid radio broadcaster needs 2 monitors keeping him in check to ensure he behaves.
I’m sure it will just be a matter of time before the ACMA are investigating him again.
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Yes things he says are inappropriate and wrong but that’s what makes him so funny which is why they’re still the highest rated breakfast show even after all the crap that’s happened – because they’re entertaining, it’s as simple as that. You can’t deny the fact that they have the most listeners no matter how much journalist and bloggers bitch about him. Until the day they start producing boring content like the other shows, they will remain 1st in the breakfast ratings.
Haters gonna hate.
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