It is good to see that the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has the balls to take action and launch an investigation following the Kyle and Jackie O radio stunt.
ACMA today announced it would launch an investigation with the view to reviewing the practices that lead to the public humiliation of a 14-year rape on the Kyle and Jackie O Show on 2DAYFM.The responsibility for the stunt, which took place two weeks ago, is still yet to be determined by 2DAYFM owner Austereo.
Public outrage has followed the stunt in which a 14-year girl was strapped to a lie detector and asked questions about her sex life. Two weeks later, Austereo is yet to release its findings or terminate the broadcasters who let the girl go live to air without delay while knowing she was 14-years old.
The girl’s mother was behind the stunt and is equally to blame. She did it to win two tickets to a Pink concert.
However, ACMA has lost patience with progress and will now launch an investigation into safeguards for participants of live-hosted programs on commercial radio.
Self-regulation of radio clearly doesn’t work. If it did, then we should also have self-regulation of road rules. There would be no further need for speed cameras. If you go over the speed limit, we would just fine ourselves and send in a cheque.
The Kyle and Jackie O show existed because of the self-regulation loophole. Imagine if you turned on your kitchen tap and raw sewerage came out. The Kyle and Jackie O show lowered itself to the leverage of a raw sewerage broadcast when it humiliated the girl and Australia is angry.
Good on ACMA for going ahead with the investigation. Shame on Joan Warner of Commercial Radio Australia for saying in B&T today that CRA was “disappointed that ACMA feels an enquiry into the whole industry is warranted based in the unfortunate radio segment in question that was broadcast on one station in one market”.
Shame, Joan shame. It is not about that one broadcast. It is about commercial radio having a platform and a precedent to do it again.
ACMA expects to release its findings in December. That should keep the Vyle and Tackie O Show off the air for the rest of the year.
