Kyle Sandilands’ Virgin Mary comments: ACMA finds breach
Media watchdog ACMA has handed down its findings after 180 complaints were made in the wake of Kyle Sandilands comments about the Virgin Mary last year leading to protests outside KIIS FM. SEE THE DECISION
Confidential
Don't miss out on the headlines from Confidential. Followed categories will be added to My News.
- Sandilands apologises over Virgin Mary video
- Kyle off air as angry protesters call for his sacking
- Why Kyle Sandilands won’t come back to Australia
An investigation into KIIS’s top-rating Sydney FM breakfast radio show found Kyle Sandilands breached “standards of decency” during last year’s on-air comments about the Virgin Mary.
In handing down their findings nearly a year after Sandilands made the remarks, the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) said the shock jock “overstepped the mark” when he made the controversial comments on air.
His remarks questioned whether the Virgin Mary was indeed a virgin and suggested people who believe in the Bible’s story of Immaculate Conception were “dumb as dog s---”.
ACMA examined 180 complaints as part of its investigation. In comparison, just over 125 complaints were scrutinised in regards to Alan Jones‘ comments in August last year about New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern.
The investigation, which was made under the Commercial Radio Code of Practice, found the broadcast was offensive to listeners of faith and the wider community but was not in breach of rules relating to inciting hatred and severe ridicule because of religion.
Georgie Mark, who led last year’s protest outside KIIS FM’s Ryde headquarters, said he was “overwhelmed” that this was the first time in a decade someone had been found to of breached a code of conduct in the decency clause.
“Sadly people don’t look at the severity and damage they cause when people of faith are attacked for simply standing up or speaking out against persecution,” he said.
“But what hurts the most is when people mock and laugh at people who practice their faith. Especially in public and nothing is done about it. That’s what angers me the most.
“Sometimes Kyle forgets that everyone bleeds the same. But in this instance a bandaid didn’t stop the bleeding.”
ACMA Chair Nerida O’Loughlin said: “Australians are generally tolerant of irreverent humour and critical discussion about religion. “But they would not expect a host of a broadcast program to derisively criticise people’s intelligence because of their religious beliefs.”
Australian Islamic identity Steve Dabliz praised the findings and said it supported why their was an “uproar” which was “well and truly vindicated”.
“There may have been 180 formal complaints about what Kyle said at the time, but I can tell you that the entire Muslim community was outraged by his vile remarks and our view was shared by other major religions,” he said.
“The Blessed Virgin Mary is such an iconic figure - the greatest woman who ever lived - and to see her spoken about on air in this manner by such a widely listened to figure as Kyle Sandilands was very difficult to accept.”
The Daily Telegraph revealed previously that at least one advertiser pulled its ads from the Kyle and Jackie O show last year due to the comments.
ACMA said KIIS has counselled Sandilands and made assurances the incident will be referred to in future staff training sessions.
Download our app and stay up to date anywhere, anytime
The watchdog said further regulatory action is not warranted given the extensive actions taken by the company soon after the broadcast, including Sandilands‘ eight minute apology last year.During his apology, Sandilands said he regretted his comments.
“Am I going to quit? No. Am I going to get fired? No. Am I sorry? Absolutely I’m sorry,” he said.
A spokeswoman for ARN, the owner of radio stations KIIS, WSFM and Gold, said the broadcaster accepted the findings.
“ARN accepts the ACMA’s final decision and findings regarding the breach of the Commercial Radio Code in relation to decency standards and no breach of the code in relation to inciting severe ridicule on the basis of religion,” she said.
“At the time of the broadcast, ARN recognised the sensitivity of the content and acknowledge that its broadcast caused a level of concern in some sections of the community.
“Australia’s Christian and Muslim faith leaders accepted Kyle’s apology, which was also published in a public joint statement.”
What you get as a subscriber to The Daily Telegraph
It‘s not the first time ACMA has taken issue with the breakfast presenter’s comments.
They imposed special conditions on the shock jock’s former radio station, 2DayFM, just over a decade ago following a notorious segment involving a 14-year-old girl and a lie detector. The girl was quizzed about her sex life and revealed on air that she had been raped.