So Kyle Sandilands has lost one of his jobs. What next?

This story just won't quit. Last night, Channel 10 announced Kyle Sandilands had been dumped from his role as Australian Idol judge and as the dust settles from last week's disastrous and appalling breakfast radio stunt where a 14 year old was strapped unwillingly to a lie detector, quizzed about her sex life and revealed that she'd been raped at 12. You can read all the details of that here. But there are some more questions…

….that need to be answered. Or at least discussed. Let's kick off with today's editorial in News Ltd newspapers. In a story titled "King Kong Kyle's Uber-Ego", media journalist Marcus Casey writes….

FORMER Brisbane street kid Kyle Sandilands rose from a night time radio
brat hosting the Hot30 Countdown nine years ago to become a Sydney
shock-jock behemoth – and now someone who has disgusted a nation.

And much of the blame lies with 2DayFM and station owner Austereo, who have allowed the star's ego to rage out of control.

Even in 2000, Sandilands' ego could be a problem. Now it's reached
the point where he is unable to foresee potential disasters – of the
sort that might arise by asking a 14-year-old about her sex life.

As a result, Sandilands and co-host Jackie O have revolted a nation
and harmed the public image of Austereo and its national network of
Triple M, 2DayFM and Fox stations.

Austereo management has largely allowed it to happen. After years of
grinding away at executives with his "better" ideas, no-one now appears
capable of saying "no" to Sandilands or co-host Jackie O.

And Austereo's confused and limited response to the latest
Sandilands controversy – two short and vague statements in the past
week – indicates that the company hasn't quite worked out the
complexities of the gorilla-sized problem it's created.

According to Austereo, the show is "in recess" and not "suspended".
Huh? How does that work? Have they or haven't they disciplined
Sandilands and co? Apparently not.

The main problems are that Sandilands and Jackie O are now
surrounded by yes-people, and that the show isn't equipped with a
no-button.

Astonishingly, the show – which probes personal distress,
addictions, predilections, masturbation habits and more through the
prism of "entertainment" goes to air without a delay "dump" button,
used in case of – let's just say – a young girl revealing on-air that
she had been raped at 12.

It's the option which gives announcers seven to 10 seconds to stop such material.

"Every other station and show has a dump button and that one fact
alone is unbelievable and shows the animals are in charge of the zoo,"
one former Austereo executive said yesterday.

"Kyle has always hated them and that's an indication of how out of
control his ego is. He was already an ego-maniac back in 2001 when he
was a no-one doing the Hot30 night shift. He was angling for the
breakfast show and offering his opinion on other performers."

The result, says one of many producers who endured tenures on the
breakfast show Kyle and Jackie O have manned since 2005, is an
environment with a high turnover of staff and one in which everyone
bows to the boss: King Kyle…

It appears Austereo had no crisis plan for what both colleagues and
rivals saw coming 1000 miles away. Nor, it seems, did it know how to
control its biggest loud-mouth asset.

So now it finds itself in the vicious cycle of putting in "recess"
the company's biggest money-making show while its Triple M network
flounders towards irrelevancy. They need him back.

….And the breakfast fill-in is James Page. He scored his first ever headline two weeks ago when Sydney Confidential reported how he goaded MIXFM rival Todd McKenney on FaceBook by saying McKenney had "full blown AIDS".

It was utterly untrue, and greatly hurt McKenney and family. And Austereo fully knows that.

I think this is such an interesting viewpoint and one that I share. I can just imagine Kyle sitting at home, shaking his head in genuine confusion and disbelief. It's a bit like a child who has been able to get away with all sorts of reprehensible behaviour for years without any consequence or remonstration from Mum and Dad until one day, out of the blue, after doing something he's done 100 times before and got away with, he's suddenly kicked out of home.

Forgive the tortured analogy but it's time to stop focusing on Kyle and the events of last week and take a look at the bigger picture. Namely, how has this been allowed to happen? That stunt last week was not new. They've been doing such things – and worse – for years. Just a few weeks ago, there was a masturbation competition as Kyle, Jackie's husband and their newsreader all gave sperm samples to see who was the most virile. Anyone listening to that in the car with their kids?

Upfront I'll say I've met Kyle a number of times – although not for years – and he's not a bad person. I am appalled by many of the things he does and says and I agree that he has a colossal ego and is enormously arrogant. But that is simply because nobody ever says no to him. Not his bosses who allow him – and encourage him – to shine a light on the ugly side of human nature on breakfast radio every morning in the same way as Jerry Springer used to do.

And why don't they say no? Because people tune in. The show is #1 in the Sydney breakfast ratings and that means money. Breakfast is the most important shift of the day for a radio station and that's why, as long as his show is rating, Kyle has become a power of 1. Answerable to nobody. Immune to the normal contraints of management controls.

As I noted on Twitter yesterday, I'm certain he hasn't been suspended or reprimanded in any way by Austereo. Instead, I bet they tried to force him to use the 7 second delay button or asked to be made aware of the show's future content and he flat out refused to go on air with any conditions attached.

Which makes this brinkmanship a fascinating thing. Vast sections of public opinion have spoken very loudly about what they feel to be inappropriate radio content. Kyle and Jackie are clearly shocked because (if you take the rape revelation out of the equation), stunts like talking to a 14 year old about sex is nothing new for them. And until now, nobody has thought to challenge them on it.

Will Austereo bow to public opinion and media pressure (instead of bowing to the demands ratings) and sack them? Should they? And who is really accountable here? Kyle, his employers or the listeners who have hungrily lapped up every last sensational stunt for all these years?

EARLIER ON MAMAMIA…

Kyle & Jackie O's worst nightmare

Calvin Klein's threesome.

Cosmo & Cleo: more sex pages, less of them sealed.

Article filed under: Featured, Magazines & Media, celebrity, in the news , & published: Tuesday, August 4th, 2009.

Den says:

August 5, 2009 at 11:01 am

I love the Kyle and Jackie O show. It is fun and it’s is hilarious. I think Kyle is a crack-up, and he honestly makes my mornings. The house is alive when the two of them are on, they have perfect chemistry and are so in sync. So apart from me being a big fan of theirs, I can honestly say, that having heard the show with the 14 year old, it is NOT as bad as everybody makes it out to be. Jackie O aborted it straightaway, and was very sensitive and caring. Why don’t they EVER replay that?!! I am getting to trust the media less and less – honestly, if nobody had heard the show, they would believe, with all this media frenzy that it was Kyle himself who raped the girl. I do not believe that Kyle should be crucified the way he has been. And Jackie should be commended for her tact and sensitivity in the way she handled the whole issue.

GD Star Rating
loading...

Alert Moderator

Jazzhands says:

August 5, 2009 at 10:49 am

A sad fact that a grubby parasite like this “mother” could put her daughter through this ordeal for the sake of some lousy concert tickets. Kyle and Jackie are just doing their jobs. The fact is that people love to suck up this garbage as entertsinment.

Tim Mcintyre says:

August 5, 2009 at 9:57 am

Sack Kyle from all of his jobs and that way, if he wants to keep producing shit, he’ll have to go to the bathroom like everyone else.

Meredith @ thinkthinks says:

August 5, 2009 at 8:47 am

I understand the anger directed at the mother, but trial-by-media (or internet forums) wont help her daughter get the help she needs. If the police and DOCS have been called in, then she is being “dealt with”.

The issue at hand is how does a program like that make it air in the first place – and so the spotlight has turned on Austereo and Kyle & Jackie O and the other instances where their show has overstepped the mark. I feel though, sadly, that this will all blow over, and after a nice holiday somewhere warm, they will come back to their timeslot. Remains to be seen whether they change their ways.

kateinlondon says:

August 5, 2009 at 7:26 am

I don’t care how or why he is off the air – just glad it’s happened. He’s a pig. And Jackie O should be ashamed of herself for allowing it to get this far.

This story made page 3 of the Guardian here in the UK today. Embarassing.

Imogen says:

August 5, 2009 at 1:40 am

Well said about the mother Evermist.
Kyle is a bit of a wanker, especially to women. He called Jackie fat. Does he have a mirror at home? I’m glad he’s gone from the Australian Idol.

Evermist says:

August 4, 2009 at 9:34 pm

Oh I think the poor girl’s mother is the one who is to blame for this. What sort of mother would do that to her daughter. She needs love, support, understanding. I just cannot fathom why the mother would subject her child to this.

Emma says:

I still can’t understand how Kyle cops all the flack and Jackie seems to get none. I understand she’s not on the air either atm, but no-one seems to be talking about her!

Don’t get me wrong – I can’t stand Kyle!

dramaqueen says:

August 4, 2009 at 9:20 pm

Exploitation all ’round – the producers, the hosts, the mother and the people who listen in on this kind of “entertainment”.

Appalling – the very worst of the lowest common denominator.

I don’t listen to these kinds of programs and I stopped Aust Idol in our house last year because i was unhappy with the mean, nasty comments of Kyle to some of the kids on the show (I also can’t bear the adds about male erectile disfunction! So my kids listen to my ipod in the car or the ABC even though they want their music). I didn’t want my young children thinking that it was OK to put people down like that and try to get away with it because you have a “smart mouth”.

I think that’s why Master Chef went so well this year – everyone is tired of negative shows that exploit people, belittle them and treat the contestants / 14 year old kids as commodities to get ratings.

I am glad Kyle has been sacked – it’s long overdue

Son says:

August 4, 2009 at 9:01 pm

About 6 weeks ago while listening to 2Day as I was driving into work i commented to hubby that the show was seriously heading into smut-ville territory. This had to happen. Only sorry it was at the expense of a 14 year old.

erin says:

August 4, 2009 at 8:43 pm

what kyle and jackie o, the producers, the mother and austereo did was wrong. plain and simple. the 14 y o should NOT have been there in the first place! they are all equally to blame.

i find it more so disgusting that the mother “smiled” at her daughter when she asked her if she had had sex. she asked her mother to stop smiling cause she knows the answer! WTF? what kind of mother does that?

and lastly- the media is smashing all parties involved, but it is they who are talking about the sex life of a 14 yo girl almost a week after it was broadcast. how do u think she feels when she tunrs on a tv or radio? completely hypocritical of media to judge when they have been reporting on it daily.

k says:

August 4, 2009 at 8:03 pm

I agree with what you are saying Mia.

I have never listened to the radio show but have seen him on tv on idol and I was not particularly a fan. He was an asshole to get ratings for the show and even though people hate him hes there because he gets ratings.

Fans love to hate him hes been kept on for ratings and its his continuous viewers and listeners that have kept him alight. Now he has said something that people dont like and he is the scum of the earth. Go figure.

Candi says:

August 4, 2009 at 6:47 pm

Does anyone else think we’re actually giving Kyle, Jackie O, and the Austereo network a bunch of free publicity?? Though most of the opinions towards them and the issue at hand are negative, I can’t help but wonder how many people are going to be tuning in to see what they do next… It’s like that Corey Worthington kid- everyone said what an idiot he was and all this negative stuff- then they put him on TV an gave him lots of money…

On the issue at hand- I’m another one who thinks that Kyle’s being blamed for something that is the fault of many.

mare says:

August 4, 2009 at 6:22 pm

Totally off topic but – Knight Rider, I just saw your comment and I hope you are ok. xx

Redhossy says:

August 4, 2009 at 6:19 pm

Putting my very low opinion of Kyle Sandilands aside for a moment, I find Austereo’s delay in taking action to discipline him to be the most telling and sad part of the whole sorry affair.
Austereo obviously sat back and waited to see how the public would react before deciding on a course of action. There was no moral compass (corporate or otherwise) applied here, and absolutely no corporate responsibility taken. The Austereo message is abundantly clear: Kyle and Jackie’s behaviour is only inappropriate if people say it is, so why not keep pushing it until the public pushes back?
Any action the company takes from here will be a pissweak response to public pressure.
Marcus Casey nailed it. While Kyle and Jackie O are raking in the advertiser dollars, getting their stupid stunts reported as ‘news’ and winning in the ratings, they can pretty much do whatever they please.
Love him or hate him, the buck shouldn’t stop with Kyle.

Amy Sheaves says:

August 4, 2009 at 6:11 pm

Had there been no rape revelation we wouldn’t even be having this conversation and life at 2DayFM would be business as usual.

The fact that the Kyle & Jacquie O show is the number 1 breakfast spot tells us there is an audience for this type of ‘entertainment’ and any listener who is now throwing their arms up in disbelief over last week’s segment is a hypocrite.

Me says:

August 4, 2009 at 5:56 pm

I, in no way, condone the events that transpired on Kyle and Jackie O’s morning radio show. However, I am very confused as to why no body has commented on the shameful actions of the mother of this young girl.
Yesterday, in Melbourne’s Herald Sun newspaper, Sally Morrell questioned why Jackie O had not received any of the scrutiny that has been thus far directed at Kyle.
She says that
“Sandilands’ giggling co-host was just as guilty as he was…”. She goes on to claim that “If anything, she betrayed the girl even more despicably and yet is almost excused, while Sandilands gets the rap”. I would say that, if anything, the mother of this young girl committed the biggest betrayal of them all, appearing on the show, knowing that her daughter had been raped two years prior, and that the nature of the impending questioning had the potential to reveal such matters. How has she managed to escape any ‘rap’? I am disgusted at this mother for allowing her daughter to get involved in such a predicament.
I repeat that in no way do I condone the events that transpired during the radio segment in question and of course take issue with Kyle, Jackie O and the Austereo network’s practices. There will always be controversial and questionable marketing gimmicks presented on the radio. As listeners, consumers, potential participants, we should ALSO know better than to allow such things to continue.

Lucy says:

August 4, 2009 at 5:37 pm

WATCH MEDIA WATCH – 3/8/09 EPISODE IF YOU CAN ABC – it demonstrates the appaling and chavaunistic behaviour of Kyle Sandilands and the 2Day FM station and its exploitation of people.

Meg says:

August 4, 2009 at 5:05 pm

No big miss if Kyle is off the air, that man has huge problems and is revolting.

There are are a few people here that should also be held accountable so i hope he is not the only one who takes the blame.

NJ says:

August 4, 2009 at 5:00 pm

Ok, so Kyle is off the air. Just a few thoughts at this point:

- The content of the program needs a serious look at. The nature of content is highly innapropriate considering radio is such an easy to access medium (for kids, for e.g.)

- What about Jackie O? It’s HER show too and she was in on this ‘stunt’. As a woman, you kind of expect more from her. However she seems to be not taking any of the blame.

- What about THE MOTHER!? What a moronic woman. That poor kid. That poor, poor kid.

I’m making a formal complaint to ACMA and Austereo because I think the stunt was appaling and really, they need to take complaints very seriously.

Anyone want to join me?

I’ll post up the links when I’m back in the land of the living…

Jo says:

August 4, 2009 at 4:59 pm

I also am no Kyle fan and can’t stand to hear his voice but am wondering why all the backlash is focused on him when I feel the mother should have never let (or forced?) her (underage) daughter on the show in the first place if she already knew the answers to her own questions. Where is the duty of care there?

Missamoo says:

August 4, 2009 at 4:51 pm

Good..

anonforme says:

August 4, 2009 at 4:24 pm

Well I work in commercial radio and I used to work at Austereo.

Kyle’s ego is way out of control and he is probably quite bemused right now wondering why this particular segment has got him in such deep crap, seeing he’s been able to get away with so much in the past.

Put aside the morals, or lack thereof, of the mother and the distress you feel for the girl for a moment.

Kyle and Jacki O and their employer have a lot to answer for. K and JO have complete control over their show. Kyle wanted the dump button removed because he thinks it makes things edgier, more spontanious. The seven second delay used to be mandatory for radio stations who take live talkback. It was once illegal to put calls to air without it. It’s necessary in case someone calls in and says something defamatory. It’s also necessary if a caller starts using four letter words.

Yes, Kyle and Jacki O surround themselves with yes men, they have final say on what goes to air and what doesn’t, but Austereo has to take responsibility for allowing this to escalate to it’s curent level. They have created the monster, it’s up to them to bring it to heel and do more than just put the show in recess or whatever they’re calling it these days.

Cheryl says:

August 4, 2009 at 4:17 pm

Austereo deserve to lose ratings over this. They have a history of focussing way too much money and attention on perceived “stars” while sacking those who don’t fit their nice little mould, despite being ratings winners. I am of course talking about the sadly no longer Get This team from MMM in 2006/2007. They won their time slot pretty much from the start, they had loyal listeners following them around the schedule, they even had listeners obsessed enough to hold rallies all over the world but because their humour wasn’t commercial enough they were given the boot.

I’m glad to see all those “commercially viable” radio teams are now causing Austereo grief.

wollywally says:

August 4, 2009 at 4:14 pm

I can only see positive in this situation, the fact that Sandilas has been sack from Australian Idol, and that Australians are not puttin up anymore with this kind of rubbish, is a clear message, both to the radio station and everybody involve, and radios and television stations in Australia , I can see only good come up of this, and of course Sandilas and Jackie will plenty of the time to ponder, what happen and learn from their mistakes, love to all ooxx

Bon says:

August 4, 2009 at 4:04 pm

I don’t think it is fair to assume that just because the mother has not been in the headlines as much as Kyle and Jackie O, and she hasn’t got a high profile job to get fired from, that she has got off scot free in all this. She now has the police and DOCS to answer to, and just because there is no public name or face to point the finger at, does not mean she hasn’t been well and truly made aware of the general public opinion of her role in all this, and her capability as a mother. She will no doubt be feeling the repercussions of this for a long time to come, which is more than can be said for the radio presenters – who will more than likely be back on the air before too long.

claystep says:

August 4, 2009 at 4:02 pm

I think everyone is a bit to blame, the radio station, Kyle, Jackie O, the mum, the listeners. I feel really sad for the young girl, her Mum seems not to have had the skill and resources to look after her properly. Maybe some good will come out of the situation and the young girl will gain access to some counselling and help.

I am a bit confused about the dump button, I don’t think it would have helped. The situation would have still occurred only we would be unaware of it and Kyle and Jackie O would still be on air awaiting their next victim.

MissManly says:

August 4, 2009 at 3:47 pm

Oh please. Poor Kyle…he was so unaware, because all those evil people around him never ever let him know what a naughty boy he has been.

He is an adult. He should be held accountable to the same standard as the rest of us, whether we’ve had people stand up to our antics or not. He should have applied acceptable moral standards – that’s just general knowledge, what’s wrong and what’s right – to his work. I am glad he is off the Idol. I could not stand to watch him.

In the end, it is not like he has been charged with a crime. He is simply off air. Like some people mentioned, it is all supply and demand. If people wanted him – he would be on air and on Idol. If people are appaled by him and don’t want to hear any more from him – he will be gone. I imagine entertainment business is a harsh world where you are only as good as your ratings.

Knight Rider says:

August 4, 2009 at 3:43 pm

I loathe commercial radio, it makes me want to self harm. This is just another reason why I never ever, ever listen to it.
How Jackie O has escaped persecution in this situation is beyond me!!

Betty Boo's Mummy says:

August 4, 2009 at 3:34 pm

Well said Jaz – very true.

Concerned says:

August 4, 2009 at 3:31 pm

I agree Mia and also watched Mediawatch. Kyle is out of control, he shouldn’t have gotten away with it for as long as this. Luckily I live in Melbourne so don’t have to listen to his rubbish in the mornings but am appalled often if I flick on the radio in the evenings by their content. But I also agree with Margee and others that lots of the responsibility rests with the Network, Content Makers and Managers. Will be interesting to see if Austereo will grow a spine about this one. Surely Hamish and Andy would do a way better job and much more breakfast appropriate show?

fender4eva says:

August 4, 2009 at 3:18 pm

Perhaps if we took up a collection, we could buy Kyle a brain…………….

Jenny says:

August 4, 2009 at 3:15 pm

Stop blaming the mother for this sick scenario. Kyle & Jackie O’s show have a history of doing these types of stunts. Kyle & Jackie O’s radio station gave the platform to the mother to do this. They had the power to say no to her. They run the station not her. The mother needs help with her parenting skills and not condemnation. The mother is not paid millions a year to determine what goes on a radio station. If that woman had approached me (as a radio producer) ready to strap her young daughter to a lie detector machine I would have given her the phone number for a good family counsellor. But then again I don’t torture two young woman who are about to be reunited live to air (see Media Watch).

Subscribe to our daily updates

Recent Comments

So Kyle Sandilands has lost one of his jobs. What next?

83 Responses to “So Kyle Sandilands has lost one of his jobs. What next?”

Topics

Top 10 Subjects

Stay Connected

Subscribe to our daily updates

Recent Comments

So Kyle Sandilands has lost one of his jobs. What next?

You might also like:

You might also like:

You might also like:

You might also like:

You might also like:

You might also like:

You might also like:

You might also like:

You might also like:

You might also like:

You might also like:

You might also like:

You might also like:

You might also like:

You might also like:

You might also like:

You might also like:

You might also like:

You might also like:

You might also like:

You might also like:

You might also like:

You might also like:

You might also like:

You might also like:

You might also like: