Kyle & Jackie O Show’s repeated ‘vulgar’ and ‘deeply offensi...

The Australian Communications and Media Authority (Acma) is considering taking enforcement action against the Kiis network, which broadcasts the Kyle & Jackie O Show, for repeatedly airing vulgar and sexually explicit content despite multiple warnings.

Enforcement actions can include additional licence conditions, court-enforceable undertakings and, in rare cases, suspension or cancellation of a broadcaster’s licence for breaches of the commercial broadcaster codes.

An investigation found a total of seven breaches of decency rules as well as breaches of the complaint handling rules across Sydney’s Kiis 106.5 and Melbourne’s Kiis 101.1, owned by the Australian Radio Network (ARN).

The Acma chair, Nerida O’Loughlin, said: “The Kyle & Jackie O Show has repeatedly and deliberately aired content that is vulgar, sexually explicit and deeply offensive.

“Even after previous breaches and the employment of additional censors required by the Acma, the program continues to broadcast content that is unacceptable to the community.

“ARN, as the licensee of these stations, appears unwilling or unable to rein in these presenters. As a result, the Acma is currently considering enforcement actions so that ARN takes full responsibility for the content broadcast on their stations.”

The regulator said the latest investigations brings to 12 the number of breaches this year alone, indicating systemic issues with the program.

ARN said since the segments which are in breach went to air in 2024 the radio station had taken steps to improve its processes.

“We acknowledge that the Kyle & Jackie O Show may not be to everyone’s taste but, with a loyal following of more than 1.6 million listeners each week, the show has built a strong and enduring connection with its audience for decades,” a spokesperson said.

The decency breaches came during two episodes of a guessing game where audio clips of male and female staff members urinating were aired, with hosts guessing which audio belonged to which staff member.

“Both episodes included comments about the genitals of participants and, in the female staff member episode, graphic comments about menstruation and oral sex,” Acma said.

In another game a contestant provided an offensive description of a sexual position.

Another breach referred to a segment which contained lewd discussions about masturbation and pornography websites.

The licensees repeatedly failed to respond to complaints on 15 occasions during a three month period.

In a Senate estimates hearing in November 2024, the Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young challenged the chair of Australia’s communications and media regulator, Nerida O’Loughlin, to read out a sample of comments made on Kiis FM’s flagship breakfast show in recent weeks. A Guardian Australia investigation documented segments that mocked Asian people and insulted women and mental health patients, as well as vulgar and aggressive sexual language.

In March Acma found Kyle & Jackie breached decency rules by broadcasting explicit sexual content which included “sustained and vulgar graphic sexualised descriptions” which were a breach of broadcasting standards.

In February Acma opened a special investigation into the program’s compliance with the commercial radio code of practice in response to community concerns about Kyle and Jackie O’s content.