ACMA finds Kyle and Jackie ‘O’ lesbian encounter segment breached decency standards

An ACMA report into complaints made about the breakfast radio show hosted by Kyle Sandilands and Jackie ‘O’ Henderson has found the program breached decency standards.

Kyle Sandilands and Jackie O have forged a formidable — but controversial — radio partnership. Source: Instagram: @jackieo_official

An ACMA report into complaints made about the breakfast radio show hosted by Kyle Sandilands and Jackie ‘O’ Henderson has found the program breached decency standards.

The listener complained about a segment that featured a rumour regarding Henderson having a lesbian encounter.

The complaint came from a listener to the duo’s KIIS FM Melbourne broadcast on June 7, 2024, and was investigated by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA). The weekday breakfast program is broadcast into Sydney and Melbourne by ARN.

The release of the findings into the complaint comes just a day after ratings confirmed the number one FM Sydney show continues to face challenges breaking into the Melbourne market.

The ACMA report found two segments from June last year referred to in the complaint included “explicit sexual content and content that included sustained and vulgar graphic sexualised descriptions”.

“This content went beyond the bounds of decency expected by the community and was done so deliberately and provocatively,” said the chair of the ACMA, Nerida O’Loughlin.

“Even having two program censors employed by the broadcaster in place following previous ACMA enforcement action, this has not stopped occurrences of unsuitable content going to air.”

One segment attracting the wrath of a listener concerned a discussion between the hosts and producer Pedro Cuccovillo Vitola, about a rumour that Jackie O had a sexual encounter with a woman. Vitola is no longer with the program.

ARN told the ACMA investigation that the content was what the audience expected from the hosts. Part of the ARN submission said: “The content in question was aligned with the expectations and preferences of the audience of the Kyle & Jackie O show. The programming was directed to the demographics of the show’s listeners and was characteristic of their diverse views, particularly younger Australians, who engage with content that is bold, provocative, and reflective of their values. The content was not inconsistent with the standards of decency of that audience.”

ARN added: “When regular listeners tune in … they do so with the knowledge that they will be exposed to content that will seek to entertain, and reflect their values, including their contemporary attitudes to sex.”

This investigation is the first of three underway at ACMA. The organisation will deliver any penalties for breaches found in the 7 June broadcast once all three investigations are finalised.