Sky News Online: Radio show suspended by Austereo
The Kyle and Jackie O radio show has been suspended indefinitely after last week’s lie detector stunt, with host Kyle Sandilands declaring he is unable to go on air.
There have been calls for 2Day FM’s Kyle and Jackie O breakfast show to be axed by the station’s owners, Austereo, since Wednesday when a 14-year-old girl was strapped to a lie-detector and asked on air about her sexual history.
[…]In a statement on Sunday evening, Austereo publicity manager Kate whitby said: ‘Kyle Sandilands’ management has advised Austereo that he is unable to perform his duties on-air at this time.
‘Further, following a great deal of consideration and having consulted Jackie O and all stakeholders, Austereo has formed the view that it is in the interest of all parties, for the Kyle and Jackie O Show to go into recess until we have completed an across-the-networks review of the principals (sic) and protocols of our interaction with our audience.
[Read the background here: Kyle and Jackie O re-traumatise a child rape victim on air. (with audio and transcript). ]
It looks like Kyle Sandilands may be dumped from Australian Idol as well. About time.
Categories: ethics & philosophy, gender & feminism, media
This my axiom, by me, which is mine 
Grabbing somebody is Assault, and sexual touch makes it Sexual Assault. Stop minimising this. #rapeculture101 
Friday Hoyden: Gillian Triggs 
The Soft Tyranny of Low Expectations: boys shamed for empathising with female protagonists 
Hoyden About Town 
I hope that the producers and management involved all suffer serious repercussions from this as well. Cos as pleased as I am to see their show off the air, it looks as though (as Beppie noted on the other thread) that Kyle is feeling sorry for himself and making this all about him.
And thanks to the folks who pointed out these stories on the previous thread – I’ve been offline, and slapped this up before catching up with comments.
Their radio show suspended and Kyle possibly getting suspended from Australian Idol. Double yay! And yeah, I hope that the managers, producers etc suffer some serious consequences too.
It’s good that this is getting treated with the gravity it deserves, but I also hope that the station is looking into its practices and how it conducts business. I don’t trust them to do that, but I live in hope. I’m an optimist like that.
Head through the door slowly, Kyle, so it has time to hit you in the ass.
That’s good, although it is just window dressing unless the producers get disciplined too.
The cynical part of me (which is, like a large percentage) thinks there is just too much money sloshing round these two for any long term consequences. Their contract with Austereo is worth millions. They can take their show elsewhere (they aren’t direct employees, Austereo contracts their company to produce the show for them so presumably K&J own all the trademarks etc) — and everyone else would love to have them and their advertising dollars — if Austereo punts them entirely, which they won’t.
Channel Ten is different, I reckon they could drop Kyle without much commercial downside. I for one have been put off rom watching it by his presence for years.
I’ve just heard on ABC2 that the station is calling it a recess, not a suspension.
@ moorspede: There’s a bit of (deliberate?) semantic confusion going on over at Austereo, methinks. The show has in one way been suspended by putting into “recess” for “retooling”, but neither of the show’s stars have been suspended from their employment, which is what most of the outraged and disgusted would like to see.
Over at Undercover they are saying that it’s just another Austereo stunt
http://www.undercover.com.au/News-Story.aspx?id=8905_Kyle_and_Jackie_O_Suspension_Another_Stunt
@Amanda: I think Ten would be very wise to drop Kyle from the Idol show. I never watched it that much before, but I haven’t watched it even once since they signed him.
You’re probably right about them easily getting another radio gig if Austereo let them go. Although I reckon they might have to cop a bit of a pay cut.
I’m really pleased they’re suspending the show, and as others have said, I hope the pressure is enough that the producers face some sanctions.
And totally immaturely (this *could* be b/c I’ve had very little sleep and been exposed to nasty viruses all w/e) but taking Kyle off the air to ‘retool’. Heh heh.
taking Kyle off the air to ‘retool’. Heh heh.
I LOL’d.
Suspended indefinitely, meaning… they’re taking Kyle off air until they decide to put him back on air?
I’m afraid I shouted quite loudly when I saw Sandilands face on the Australian Idol ad. Hope he is sacked.
A little social commentary photographed in Newtown, NSW – just prior to the ‘incident’… Says it all: http://img513.imageshack.us/img513/3757/jwt.jpg
😉
Heh, someone else sent me a daytime photo of the same poster – I posted it here.
New post on Sack Kyle and Jackie O – Don’t be fooled by the cleaned up K&J website
Sandilands has been sacked from Australian Idol – ABC report. Ten’s reasoning is all about Australian Idol being a family show.
Nothing about Sandilands’ behaviour being wrong. It’s all about managing perceptions. Nice.
Yes, they’ve left it all to implication rather than being explicit. Standard, but gutless.
The Media Watch segment is up now at the site – video and transcript are here: “Fun – Kyle and Jackie O Style”
Idol has sacked Sandilands. I know, I understand it’s not *just* Kyle, but the man is a repeat offender, and a GIANT douche. So I’m doing that happy dance of happiness.
http://www.smh.com.au/national/ten-cites-idol-threat-as-sandilands-axed-20090803-e7b6.html
I’d just like to thank tigtog for making it so easy to complain effectively by creating the sackkyleandjackieo page. An invaluable resource for indecisive, inneffectual blusterers such as myself.
FP, doing the happy dance too, but mind you keep your sick bucket handy for the absolute avalanche of whining self-pity / self-justification that’s going to come out of him.
Just read in the Sydney Morning Herald that Vile and Tacky O are back on air on August 17. The article reckons the complaints have almost all come from non-listeners so their ratings shouldn’t be affected by the scandal.
It looks as if no one is actually going to lose their job in radio over this. They’ve just all had a nice holiday with lots of free publicity.
There has to be something we can do.
Did anyone who sent a complaint letter to 2DAY-FM get a reply? I didn’t.
AND they’ve been nominated for an award. :(‘>>:(
That is criminal. Maybe this is when we start to hassle the ACMA, now that the station has officially failed to respond adequately to complaints?
orlando, that’s what I was thinking. Considering the station never even officially “suspended” the show, it was “in recess”, they’ve actually done nothing. I don’t think a bit of lip service about reviewing their principles or whatever counts.
I’m thinking that hassling the AMCA is going to be the way to go. As you say, Austereo has done nothing but give them a paid holiday and tell them to keep quiet.