The communications watchdog, the ACMA, has ruled that comments made during a broadcast of KIIS’ Kyle & Jackie O program last year breached decency rules.
Today, the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) ruled that the comments made by Sandilands on a segment of the show were offensive to gay men and not in line with the Commercial Radio Code of Practice.
“The ACMA found that the overall sentiment of the segment stereotyped gay men as irresponsible in regard to their sexual health, this made them the prime carriers of a virus that presented a danger to the community and, as a result, they were not deserving of sympathy or compassion,” the authority said.
In a conversation broadcast on the 23 August lat year, Sandilands described the virus as “the big gay disease”, saying “it’s only the gays getting it”.
He also asked a gay listener who called into the show if he was fearful of getting the disease.
It is not the first time Sandilands’ has had a run-in with the ACMA. In March the ACMA released a report stating that KIIS1065 twice breached the commercial radio code’s “decency provision” by airing remarks Sandilands made about the Paralympics.
As reported by The Australian, the first breach occurred on September 1, 2021, when Sandilands said: “Have you been watching the Special Olympics? It’s horrific some of the things. Some poor bloke ran for the high jump and then veered right ‘cause he was blind and landed on his arse on the ground”.
“Then, when they were playing soccer, the blind people, I was, I was thinking are you joking, they’re throwing themselves on the ground like sausages to block the ball.”
“And I think good on you, I love the spirit of the contest … but I feel … Jesus Christ … that’s a big effort.”
In its report, ACMA said: “While Mr Sandilands and Ms Henderson expressed some admiration for the ‘spirit of the contest’, it would have been clear to the audience that the Paralympians in question were being mocked by Mr Sandilands, and that they were mocked for the techniques used to participate and compete in their particular sport.
“The ACMA considers a regular listener of the program, while tolerant of irreverent presentation styles, would still be able to identify what was generally ‘acceptable’ content, and who was likely considered a ‘fair target’ for humour or mocking in contemporary Australia.”
