Australia’s media regulator has found multiple breaches of decency and complaint‑handling rules by KIIS stations in Sydney and Melbourne over segments aired on The Kyle and Jackie O Show between August and December 2024, and is weighing enforcement action against the network.
Following separate investigations, the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) issued breach findings against the broadcast licensees for KIIS 106.5 Sydney (Commonwealth Broadcasting Corporation Pty Ltd) and KIIS 101.1 Melbourne (Double T Radio Pty Ltd), both owned by the Australian Radio Network (ARN).
ACMA said KIIS 101.1 committed three breaches of the Commercial Radio Code’s decency provisions and a breach of complaint‑handling requirements. KIIS 106.5 was found to have breached decency rules on four occasions and also to have breached complaint‑handling rules.
The regulator examined a series of segments, including two “guessing game” episodes in which audio of staff urinating was played and the hosts attempted to identify who was on each recording. ACMA said both episodes featured remarks about participants’ genitals, with one also containing graphic comments about menstruation and oral sex. Other broadcasts under review included a contest involving an offensive description of a sexual position, and a segment featuring lewd discussion of masturbation and pornography websites.
The latest determinations add to earlier findings this year, with ACMA saying it has now recorded 12 breaches involving the programme in 2025.
ACMA chair Nerida O’Loughlin said the new findings pointed to broader problems with the show. “The Kyle & Jackie O Show has repeatedly and deliberately aired content that is vulgar, sexually explicit and deeply offensive,” Ms O’Loughlin said.
“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,” Ms O’Loughlin said.
Under its powers, ACMA can impose additional licence conditions, accept enforceable undertakings, issue remedial directions or, in serious cases, take court action if licence conditions are breached.
ARN and representatives of The Kyle and Jackie O Show have been contacted for comment.
