Broadcasters Kyle Sandilands and Jackie “Jackie O” Henderson have been deemed to have violated decency standards set by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA). This ruling follows two segments broadcasted on KISS 1011 in Melbourne and KISS 1065 in Sydney last June, which included “vulgar graphic sexualised descriptions.”
ACMA Chair Nerida O’Loughlin stated that the content would likely be seen as offensive by any reasonable listener and did not meet community standards. She further noted that the segments crossed the threshold of decency expected by the public and appeared to be deliberately provocative.
The investigation was initiated after a complaint from a listener. Additionally, Double T Radio was cited for failing to address the complaint within the required 30-day period, thus breaching the Commercial Radio Code of Practice.
In response, KIIS radio has defended the show, arguing that its content caters to a “broad-minded adult demographic.” Despite having two censors in place—implemented following previous enforcement actions by ACMA—O’Loughlin remarked that the presence of these censors did not prevent unsuitable content from airing.
Currently, no financial penalties have been imposed as ACMA conducts further investigations into the broadcasts and their network. The ruling highlights ongoing concerns regarding adherence to decency standards within the radio industry in Australia.