Kyle Sandilands gets in deep trouble over offensive “gay” comments
Radioshock jock Kyle Sandilands broke etiquette when he made offensive comments about gay men and the MPOX virus, Australia’s communications regulator has found.
In part of the show Kyle and Jackie O, which aired in August 2022, the controversial Sydney media personality “portrayed gay men as irresponsible when it comes to their sexual health,” according to Australia’s Communications and Media Authority.
It said Sandilands had portrayed her as the main carrier of a virus that posed a danger to the community and therefore deserved neither sympathy nor compassion.
The 2022 outbreak of the virus formerly known as monkeypox, which caused more than 140 confirmed cases, has been declared a Communicable Disease Incident of National Concern by the Chief Medical Officer.
In a statement released Thursday along with the findings of an investigation into the incident, ACMA Chair Nerida O’Loughlin said the comments were derisive and offensive and went against standards of decency expected by the public.
“Although at the time there was a basis for a public discussion about MPOX that addressed gay sexuality, the segment went beyond all acceptable standards in conveying that gay men were irresponsible, posed a risk to the community and didn’t even deserve pity.” when she presented for medical help,” she said.
“Broadcasters have a responsibility to maintain a reasonable level of decency and in this case Mr Sandilands’ comments were overly derogatory and offensive.”
In the post, Sandilands described the virus as “the great gay disease” and told a newscaster that there was no need for her partner to get vaccinated against Mpox as “we don’t let gay people around him”.
In a statement on the investigation, broadcaster KIIS 106.5 argued that the post was intended to raise public awareness of the public health danger of MPox, but acknowledged that it contained “some unfavorable descriptions of those responsible for the virus are vulnerable because they are homosexual men”.
The show predated the results of a separate ACMA investigation into the Tokyo Paralympics show “Kyle & Jackie O” and was also found to have violated the propriety provisions of the Commercial Radio Code of Practice .
Following this investigation, under a legally enforceable obligation accepted by the ACMA, Licensee agreed to conduct awareness training for the program’s presenters, producers, censors and other relevant personnel. The licensee is required to report to the ACMA on its progress every six months for two years, with the next report due on September 17, 2023. Licensee will incorporate the results of this most recent investigation into this training and reporting system.