Humiliating a 14-year old girl about her sex life is no reason to be fired, according to Austereo.
After an internal review of programming policy, the Kyle and Jackie O Show will return to 2DAYFM next week.Sandilands and O’Neil have been off the air after public outrage after they humiliated a schoolgirl during on an-air stunt that saw the girl hooked up to a lie detector and asked questions about her sex life from her own mother.
The girl announced that she had been raped when she was 12, live to air.
In a statement issued today, Austereo is sticking by the pair of schlock jokes.
"Through an internal review, 2DAYFM has identified certain procedures that allowed this segment to go to air," the statement read.
"Following this review, 2DAYFM stands behind Kyle and Jackie O. The station has implemented new structures and systems in relation to the use of time delay, pre-recording and procedures dealing with interviews, to avoid a repetition of the occurrence on 29 July 2009."
"2DAY FM and Kyle and Jackie O understand the gravity of this matter, sincerely regret the segment and apologise to the participants and audiences who were offended."
Regardless of the Austereo decision to support the pair, the Australian Communications and Media Authority will proceed with its own investigation into commercial radio following the incident.
