Listeners tune out as Kyle and Jackie O dip further
ALREADY slipping in the ratings, Kyle and Jackie O have tried to justify their outrageous bid to hijack cricketer Steve Smith’s press conference at the weekend. But listeners are having none of it, if their feedback is any guide.
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ALREADY slipping in the ratings, Kyle and Jackie O have tried to justify their outrageous bid to hijack cricket captain Steven Smith’s press conference at the weekend. But listeners are having none of it, if their feedback is any guide.
Serial pest Peter Deppeler, also known as Intern Pete at the KIIS FM studios, caused outrage with his attempt to steal the limelight during a press conference last week where Smith made tearful apology to the nation for his role in the ball-tampering scandal.
Deppeler, who is infamous for his unprofessional antics at serious news events, attempted to apologise on air this morning after it was revealed the public and media industry deemed he had gone too far.
The situation comes weeks after the show, which had held a top spot in the radio ratings for years, saw a two point drop in survey market numbers.
While the show is in the top spot on the FM charts, Alan Jones’s 2GB segment — which runs at the same time — has a clear lead in audience numbers.
Cricket Australia also made a stand after the situation on Thursday night and pulled its advertising from the show.
While some social media users took the criticism to another level with death threats, many were frankly disappointed in the radio station and its presenter’s lack of respect.
Social media users did not hold back in criticising the actions of Deppeler.
“It has nothing to do with cricket. It has to do with decency and the guy was being a pure opportunist. Shame on him for pulling a tasteless prank and then crying foul when the tables turn on him,” one commenter wrote.
Another was not forgiving: “Intern Pete brought all this on himself. He chose to hijack an emotional speech for self promotion and promotion of a silly radio show and had no consequence of what impact it may have had to the person making the speech. Now he gets negative feedback, as he should have, he now wants to paint the victim.”
A number of high profile journalists also slammed the show and Deppeler over the issue.
“That person, who I will not call a journalist, should be banned from ever going to a press conference again. I think it was from the @kyleandjackieo show — whoever you are, you are an idiot,” Channel 9’s Rebecca Maddern wrote on Twitter.
“To the nob from Kyle & Jackie O who asked that ridiculous question, wait until you are utterly broken as a human being and think back to this moment,” wrote comedian and TV presenter Anthony “Lehmo” Lehmann.
This is not the first time Deppeler has interrupted serious new events with his unprofessional and inappropriate attention seeking.
The KIIS employee caused a scene when Tara Brown returned from Lebanon after being embroiled in the infamous bungled child abduction.
He also pulled attention from Oliver Curtis’s release from prison late last year.
He has also previously attempted to play “The floor is lava” with Prince Harry during a meet and greet in Sydney, and wore a mankini around the south-western Sydney suburb of Liverpool after he called the people who lived there “bogans”.