Mandatory sensitivity training for Kyle Sandilands
KIIS FM have been led to employ a second censor to monitor the talkshow and will provide sensitivity training to Kyle Sandilands after a breach in decency standards during a segment about the Paralympics.
The ruling was given by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) regarding two episodes of the breakfast talkshow in September 2021.
In one of the segments, the radio giant referred to the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics as “horrific” as well as dubbing it the “Special Olympics”.
“Have you been watching the Special Olympics [sic], it is horrific some of the things,” Sandilands told his co-host Jackie ‘O’ Henderson.
“Some poor bloke ran for the high jump and then veered right ’cause he was blind and landed on his a**e on the ground,” he continued.
Sandilands claimed to respect “the spirit of the contest” on-air but added, “Listen, you can be nice to the handicapped, but you don’t have to compare them to the non-handicapped.”
In its defence, KIIS FM highlighted that its audience was used to Kyle’s “low-level coarse language that is ordinarily reserved for private conversation”.
“Mr Sandilands is well-known for his turn of phrase, colourful vernacular and blunt manner,” stated the defence.
“The audience somewhat ‘self-selects’ so that those that choose to listen are not offended by this manner. Our expectation is that regular Kyle & Jackie listeners would not have been offended by the Paralympics segment.”
ACMA, however, found in its report that the segment would have been offensive to more than just the athletes but the broader community as well.
“Mr Sandilands’ comments were insensitive and hurtful toward the athletes as well as being offensive to the average moderate person in the broader community, including the regular audience of the program, who would have been aware of the potential impact of these comments, not only on the Paralympians that were being described in this manner, but on the wider group of people in Australia with disabilities,” ACMA said.
It also saw another breach when Sandilands threatened a news.com.au journalist over an article that criticised him, which led to him saying on air that said reporter should “expect a visit from me”.
According to ACMA, the remarks “offended against generally accepted standards of decency”.
KIIS FM will now be required to maintain two censors and sensitivity training will be provided to both hosts, producers and other relevant staff.
It has also agreed to review its controls to prevent further breaches.
Image credit: Getty