A few days after the incident, Austereo management who is the manager of three major national media networks – radio broadcasting including Triple M (104.9), 2DayFM (104.1) and fox (101.9) suspended Kyle and Jackie O indefinitely and that the show itself will go into recess. It’s said that they’ll be back on air on Tuesday, the 17th of August, 2009, according to the Sunday Telegraph reference “Kyle furious at gag order”, published on the 9th of August.
Also because of this rape call stunt controversy, Kyle has been dumped from Australian Idol as a judge. Since Australian Idol has intended to become more of a family program, network Ten stated that “Kyle’s reputation for debate was at odds with Idol’s family values.” The stunt that occurred on The Kyle and Jackie O show has highlighted more than ever the conflicting attitude between the two careers that Kyle endeavours, as the Daily Telegraph presents, in the “Kyle Sandilands dumped by Ten over rape call stunt” article, published on the 3rd of August, 2009.
Following a week after the incident the teenager that was interviewed on air came forward and asked the NSW police force to abandon the case, as she didn’t want it to be investigated any further. Since she allegedly said that she was raped at the age of 12 on the Kyle and Jackie O show presents ABC news, “Teen tells police to drop radio rape case”, posted on the 6th of August.
The sacking of Kyle Sandilands has disappointed and surprised his fellow judges. Marcia Hines and Ian Dickson informed that they were “keen on having a say”, with the program entering its seventh season. “I think both of us hoped we would have been consulted but we haven’t”, Dickson says. “We’ve been exchanging furtive texts and messages, asking ‘do you know who it is?’”. Since Dickson and Sandilands are good friends, he was “surprised” by the removal of his “mate”, presents the Sunday Telegraph on the 16th of August, 2009, “Kyle is a big loss”.
Steve Price, a former editor, reported his thoughts about the show and his own experiences that he has had with them. He says when dealing with Sandilands sense of humour, “when you boil it down, is nothing more than sexist bullying”. Steve also says that Kyle and Jackie O think that the rules and codes of ACMA, which is the broadcasting authority (having a 10-second delay) don’t apply to them. In the past, Steve has been on the show, once after his drink driving incident, and also to debate the issue about a competition that was running aimed at school children to nominate the ‘Ugly Betty’ of their class. Steve says that Kyle ‘doesn’t have the same intestinal fortitude when it comes to defending his actions on air’ and people have requested him for an explanation of what occurred last week.
He went on News Limited opinion site The Punch and gave his explanation: “That what should have been dealt with as a private situation ended up as being one of the biggest news stories of the day. Put yourself into a situation where someone says to you during a live radio show that they have been raped” and Steve’s response was ‘No, she was asked by her mother at your radio station”. “She has been publicly humiliated by you, Jackie O and her mother”. He concludes his article by saying “Ratings aren’t everything; sometimes good judgment and a sense of decency is required”. This was presented by the Sunday Telegraph, on the 2nd of August, “Waving goodbye to any decency”, under the opinion section.
Holly Byrnes, another editor, writes up to show what she thinks of Kyle and Jackie O after the incident. She believes they are a “disgraceful duo”. Although she might dislike Kyle because of his rude manner, she also “loathes and detests the actions and complicity in this sad and sorry saga of his sidekick Jackie O, too.” And that she reckons that to be generous “I actually think he deserves credit for being the only member of this breakfast show duo who “manned” up and penned an argument of sorts for The Punch.com.au on Thursday”. Jackie O is every bit “Kyle’s equal in chasing the notoriety” and in the 2DayFM program Craig Bruce proudly revealed “While Kyle makes the headlines, it’s Jackie who drives the planning with ‘Right guys, what do we do to get noticed?’”.
So Holly reckons that if that’s true then it was Jackie O who was the one who gave consent for a segment to the child being hooked up to a lie detector and asking her questions about her alleged drug use and sex life. That in the end it was Jackie who “contained loose-cannon Kyle by cutting short the girl’s agony.” The audio revealed that Jackie O was laughing when introducing the segment and handing it over to the mother, clearly out of depth, in a situation without defence. She concludes her article by asking “As a women, a role model, as a self-respecting human being, Jackie, where was your duty of care?” This was presented by The Daily Telegraph, published on the 1st of August, 2009, under the opinion section.
During this crisis, not one word had come out of the family, until now. On the 13th of August, the family decided to come forth with a desire for an opportunity to tell their story, and went on A Current Affair that night. The family says that they “Just want people to know the truth.” And Donna, not her real name, but the aunty of the girl says that “She was not raped, she had sex.” Her other aunty, Ronda stated that “When she was 13 she had sex with a boy, and she had very much regret for it because she was so young” and she believes that the girl is telling the truth because “I have a very close relationship with her, she looks at me as a friend, not an aunt”. Donna says that “she has caused so much trouble for Kyle, Jackie O, the family and everything.” Ronda says that “What she said on the radio is not true”. Donna reveals that “This isn’t your average 14 year old girl either”. “She runs away, she graffiti’s, she gets up to everything and what my sister, I believe intended to do, was to go down to the radio station, do the 5 questions to find out, what she’s been up to”.
Donna also exposes that “They were in a room; they were supposed to be drunk, there was another girl on a top bunk” and “she told her mother that she was at a friend’s house that night.” Amy, her cousin has talked to her about what happened and it is believed the boy involved was 14 at the time. “Why is she dropping the charges on this boy, because it didn’t happen, that’s why” and she has “no sympathy” for her cousin, but for Kyle Sandilands. ACA have offered professional counselling for the family seeing as this family doesn’t communicate very well and this saga has been very hard on everyone.
A few days ago, newsreader Geoff Field has apologised for the recent on air rape shock. He says that “It’s been difficult for all of us and I think we’re very sorry about what happened”. And that it’s been an “extremely emotional” time since the July 29 radio stunt. Geoff made the apology during the show’s No Junk Male Segment. Kyle and Jackie O’s employer Austereo yesterday gave them the go-ahead to return back on Tuesday. However, stricter procedures will be in place, including a seven second delay button, presented by The Australian newspaper, on the 14th of August, 2009, “Kyle and Jackie newsreader says sorry”.
Yet again Kyle Sandilands was on the front page this morning and is supposedly in big trouble. He’s been accused of failing to hand over thousands of dollars which was promised to a handicapped Sydney Child. 2DayFM is expected to be left in shame after another stunt going wrong on the Kyle and Jackie O show. The family of toddler, Joshua Koman, who has brain damage, told the Daily Telegraph they are “devastated all over again” after the radio station decided not to go through with the fundraiser and to collect cash. Joshua’s mother Wendy Climpson is already under pressure for her quadriplegic son. The family is already embarrassed by chasing donors and even worse, ringing donors to claim direct donations made her feel “like a debt collector”. The family also has been faced with disappointment when only $50, 204 in pledges was honoured. Kyle Sandilands has given the family $20 000 out of the $35 000 he had promised. The “shock jock” and his sidekick Jackie O returned to work and refused to comment on the saga that occurred last month. The pair only stated that they were “very happy to be back on air and that’s it”. Also the 2DayFM management stated on the matter that “while the show is extraordinarily disappointed the pledges haven’t been fulfilled, we have done everything we can to encourage people to meet the pledges.
The article finishes of by Ms Climpson hoping to hear about honouring the rest of the money, by Kyle Sandilands and Austereo. This was published on the 18th of August, “Kyle and Jackie O used our tragedy then cut us adrift”, in the Daily Telegraph.
In conclusion, the incident of the 14 year old girl being interviewed on the radio has led to many things, with the police investigating the sexual assault, Austereo temporarily suspending Kyle and Jackie O from radio, Kyle being sacked from being a judge on Australian Idol and leaving the general public in disgust. There are a multitude of different opinions, those supporting and not supporting the outcomes of Kyle’s actions. Not only that, there is a great deal of stress and tension for all parties, as everyone wishes this to come to a quick and fair resolution.
