Wall St was down 94 overnight, its biggest fall in a month, while the local market is down 66.
There is a God Dept: Sandilands dumped from Idol
|
news.com.au is reporting:
In Crikey’s earlier report: This is the story that keeps on giving. Since Kyle Sandilands and Jackie O’s seedy on air stunt with a 14-year-old girl a week ago, the media has been busily beating up the Austereo network with mock disdain. And today, just as you’d think the yarn had been picked apart, along comes another thread for the media to unravel, with news that the pair are in recess pending some kind of inquiry into the station’s standards. Last night Austereo issued a curious press release announcing that both Sandilands and Jackie O would be replaced today by another presenter. Understandably this was quickly interpreted as a suspension but apparently that is not the case. The first line of the statement, issued by Austereo’s Sydney General Manager, Jenny Parkes, suggests it was Sandilands and not Austereo which initiated what the station is now describing as a “recess”.
Sandilands’ manager, Andrew Hawkins, could not be reached this morning and Austereo’s chairman, Peter Harvie, told Crikey that the statement was the only explanation Austereo would be giving. When asked whether the statement meant that Sandilands had effectively rebuffed the network, he said no comment”. The statement could be read as a mutual declaration of “stuff you”, with Sandilands furious that he’s been dropped in it by a network that thrives on stupid pranks and the network furious that Sandilands has had the gall to refuse to turn up to work. As all of this unfolds, the marketing team at Austereo must be wondering about the truth of the maxim that even negative publicity is good for them. Austereo is undoubtedly hooked on this sort of controversy but it’s now getting out of hand. Nevertheless, it’s hard not to feel used when you call their marketing people in pursuit of the story. A very slick PR team take your number and your email details when you phone and promise to keep you posted on any developments. You feel as if you’ve suddenly been recruited to the network’s marketing effort. Paul Cashmere, writing this morning in Undercover.com.au, put it more succinctly, accusing the network of prostituting itself to a quick headline. “Austereo are sluts to a headline. This is a company that cannot bend over quick enough if it means higher ratings. That is why a puppet show like Kyle Sandilands is so important to them. Kyle Sandilands is their perfect call-girl.” Peter Harvie wouldn’t respond to that criticism either, nor undercover’s assertion that suspending Sandilands is not the answer because the problem is “the immaturity that now controls the Austereo boardroom.” |
|
|
34 Comments
Good riddance to Sandilands, he will be missed as much as the black plague was. What I find interesting in this dirty grubby episode is the attempt by Austereo’s Sydney General Manager, Jenny Parkes,to attempt to take the high ground of moral justification in programming. That is pathetic, there is a saying in management, from the PM down, the buck stops with me.Well Ms Parkes, guess what has stopped at your door? A bucketload of them. It should not just be the two disgraced presenters who get the ‘thanks but no thanks memo’. Parkes should also be booted out on her attempted rightous backside. Will the board have the spine to make an example of such inadequate managerial skills and responsibility? The answer is to be found as in ..Is Elvis Presley doing one night stands at the opera house?
who gives a bugger about the cane toads of the media? Even Fuel Watch is more productive than Toad Watch.
speaking of toads, we suffered Michael Jackson maudlin mania for what seems like months. Who cares if the Donald Friend of popcrap is dead or alive? Aren’t we all sick of the media staring up the bum of media whores?
Whew!
For a minute there, I read that headline and thought this was a really serious matter, imagining that Crikey had sacked *BEN* Sandilands.
A follow up to this situation, is that this excuse for a human being with no integrity or sense of decency has been axed from the new Australian Idol, which is due to start soon. My faith in humanity has been restored. I obviously wasn’t the only person who left my message with the radio station concerned. Well done! Power to the people! The message is getting through, that the majority of Australians believe, that trivialising sexual assault, on radio is repugnant, and the interogation of anyone’s sexual history, particularly a minor on radio is beyond disgusting. Progress is being made. Now, all I need to know is that the young woman’s mother is in therapy, and Rachel is receiving positive and nurturing counselling! Congratulations to those who’ve made these decisions.
Yaaaaawn
Stevo the Working Twistie -And you’re bored because? You don’t think this debacle deserved any criticism? Why is that exactly? That there’s no such thing as sexual assault? That those two adults, and the young woman’s mother, had the right to use their collective positions to use power over a young woman with none? If you’re so bored with the whole thing, I’m surprised you found the energy, not to mention the motivation to even comment? Why didn’t you just go back to watching sludge on the TV? Play with your latest toys, or ????
Actually LIZ45, after tonight’s Mediawatch, I don’t think we’ll have to worry about Kyle doing his thing on TV or radio in the near future.
I suspect the sponsors will be running away as fast as they can.
Just a pity they couldn’t drag him and his odious offsider from the airwaves before they committed their latest outrage. As Jonathan Holmes so tellingly explained tonight,
they’ve got plenty of form for serial abuse of the vulnerable.
Stuff em!!
For what it is worth I sent a formal complaint to ACMA and Austereo and said:
As shown verbatim on “Media Watch” ABC TV 3.8.09. Austereo broadcasts which demonstrated sadism, humiliation, flagrant disregard for duty of care to invited guests, wilful and pre-meditated misrepresentation, callous disregard for human misery which they had planned and caused for commercial gain.
And to Austereo:
Subject: Sadism for profit
Text: Hello.
I have just watched 2 gross instances of ignorant sadism which has been broadcast and spun for profit by your company and I will take every opportunity to communicate in detail my horror and disgust at the depths your company has been stuck at from here on unless I ever happen to get the message that your company has become truly transformed. How you could have let this continue is beyond me. It requires no editorial comment from Media Watch to alert us to what you people have been involved with — it is all recorded in your own paid idiots’ words and actions.
Yours bordering on disbelief and with my blood boiling that you have a broadcast licence.
Pete Goding
This message is being sent to Crikey and the ACMA amongst others.
I just can’t help wanting to have a go at getting these people out of influence in our world.
Seems to me there are interesting parallels to be drawn here with an artist’s ruthless exploitation of a minor with the help of a fame-bedazzled mum a little over a year ago…
With its similar dynamics just a little more insidious and cunningly smoke-screened by gobbledygook, it was perhaps a tad harder to grasp intellectually.
Back then few wanted to acknowledge the collective abuses of power and the closing of ranks by perverse and highly-invested parties - and ACMA didn’t give a bugger either.
Seems a year is a long time in the sexual abuse-awareness business - in 2008 anyone seeking to protect that particular minor was subject to untrammelled vitriol.
there’s something interesting going on here i think. it’s easy to play the man, not the ball and that’s what seems to be happening. easy to kick a personality when they are down and keep on kicking. But what is continually mentioned in the article is that Austereo are hooked on controversy and continually encourage this sort of shit to go on. Kyle has not reported in to work, no reasons given, but perhaps this is his own attempt at damage control (a very weak sort of damage control) and trying to put distance between himself and Austereo. The trouble is that the shit is sticking to him, not Austereo and this perception was only increased by his axing from Idol. Sandilands isn’t the issue here. The issue is the warped culture in Austereo encouraging this sort of shit. Sandilands is a scape goat and the more shit he takes publicly, the less to land on Austereo.
Simon, not sure why you are sticking up for that scumbag, but couple of points. He is being paid 2 million dollars a year by Austereo. He negotiates his contract with the board. The content of his involvement in the day to day running of “His” show would be preplanned and discussed intensively by himself, his producer and support staff. He is the star, he is the number one ingredient, the show revolves around him and his co host. He doesnt demand 2 million bucks a year to be told how to run his show. I have no doubt he is the guiding hand behind the shows content. Do you imagine, Laws in his time or Jones would allow anyone to tell them what or not to include in their programmes.
I suggest, if you have not already seen last nights Media Watch, go to their web site and take a look. May change your thinking about Sandilands, a saint he is not. He deserves all he is getting.
Sandilands didn’t fail on his own.
Everyone involved in the production of the particular program failed.
The controlling authority hasn’t yet failed, but I expect that it will.
The money paid to Sandilands, to the production team, to the management and to the investors has only one source - the stream of revenue from the advertisers. I haven’t listened to 2DAY since late in the 2oth century, but I will insult myself this week by tuning in. Once I know the names of the companies that provide the money I can make sure none of it is mine.
Thank god Sandilands has been taken off the radio, and sacked from Australian idol (good one Channel 10). This talentless halfwit seems to think that abusing people passes for entertainment, how wrong you are Kyle. Now that you’ve been found out for the obnoxious cretin you really are, I think we should also look at Austereo and that vacuous, giggling bimbo Jackie O. They are both as guilty as Sandilands for that disgraceful display of what can only be described as child pornography/abuse. Did they think it would be titillating to question a child, whilst she was strapped to a lie detector, about sexual activity? Surely they must all be guilty of transmitting child pornography? We have laws about that sort of degenerate behaviour in this country; perhaps the NSW police should get off their arse and do the job they are being paid to do, protect those that can’t protect themselves.
Having listened to the show and having reheard the interview several times it has got me stuffed as to why Kyle has been crucified in this manner.
Our hyena pack of an excuse for journalists continuously jump on the most absurd leads and beat up on anyone that has strayed across the line of politically correct dogma.
The Australian media in general serves as an embarrasment to every thinking Australian.
You people baying for Kyle’s blood, what can i say…just stooges to pc conservatism, make me puke…
This is not about pc conservatism! What utter nonsense!
In any other area I can think of it would be flagrant negligence of a duty of care to ignore someone who is suffering when they ask for help. There are 2 cases which demonstrate that he and Jackie AND the radio staion neglected to act when people were being abused ON AIR. I would have thought that in a workplace this would be straight out criminal neglect, even apart from the mis-representation or fraud involved with the case of the “Home or Away” segment.
Kyle and Jackie O should not be allowed to work in the control of people or animals until it is plain that have actually understood the suffering they instigated and perpetuated for commercial gain. The same applies to their broadcaster and the farce we call self-regulation unless it acts for ONCE with real vigour.
Simon
I agree with you to a point but please dont try and sell Mr Sandilands as the tall poppy his kind of entertainment(read bullying) has no place. I agree in the austereo and now channel ten are holier than thou. If ten is so family orientated then why hire him in the first place not for his expertise in the music industry but because he was a smart alec who causes strong feelings in viewers. As for kicking the man when he is down then Mr Sandilands can remember that the way yoiu treat people on the way up is how you will be treated on the way down.
He is just learning what akll bullies learn, eventually you will run into somebody bigger.
The public opinion in this case.
What goes around, comes around - they are getting back just a small dose of what they deserve after years of nastiness.
Part of my concern is the trend to get entertainment from others’ suffering just like the old Colosseum days. I’m concerned that this might be encouraging acts of serious sometimes lethal violence directed at strangers for “entertainment” which is happening from time to time.
Dear PG1
Have you heard aussie comedy lately, schoolyard smart alecs picking on celebrities. Does anybody know a major comic who doesn’t talk down at his/her audience?
Dear Heathdon,
Three that come to mind readily would be Billy Connolly, Adam Hills and Frank Woodley, but there are many who do what you suggest.
However, manipulating their victims into participation, causing them major emotional distress and continuing in spite of protest in front of a broadcast audience has to be in a different realm of nastiness.
PG1
Adam hills definitely and that would be why he is hosting a national show competantly, Billy I think is Scottish and Mr Woodley lost me with his bus ads, nothing to sing or laugh about catching a bus in the suburbs- if you can find one.
I never caught much Lano and Woodley but what I did i concur.
Funny that when ‘The Chaser’ were stood down for their ‘Make A Realistic Wish Foundation’ sketch, ABC removed its head of TV comedy. Yet no one at Austereo seems to have been given the same treatment over that ‘trailer park’ entertainment stunt.
Boring! We’ve had out fun and been as sanctimonious as can be. But it’s history. Get over it. Christ! We are in deep sh-t if we can’t find someone else to be pious about. Hell, Malcolm Turnbull’s antics leave this Kyle creature to oblivion, not to mention the screech-owl, Jackie O.
Dear Venise
Why do stories need to end just because some are bored? I believe that this story has events to occur.
Are channel ten trying to wait and see with Kyle by showing his soft and cuddly judging on idol. Are they waiting for the fuss to blow over as people get bored? I guess we will know in two weeks?
Dear Heathdon
Surely I can have an off-day; don’t you: Ever?
*Are channel ten trying to wait and see with Kyle, etc…..* Perhaps I’ve misunderstood something, I thought he had been shown the door for Oz Idol. As in had the chop.
You may know in two weeks. I wont. There aren’t many things I’d miss more than a public execution, but Oz Idol happens to be one of them.
Dear Venise
I have bad days all the time. Thats why I posed it as a question. I just disagreed. Context is hard to show in emails. No offence intended. Ten have announced his removal but have not announced a replacement in order to as the pr people say it “move on” i have a thought they may think that the furore will quiet down and they can just keep him on.
I will know in two weeks because I like singing even vocoder no personality singing.
Dear Heathdon
No offense taken and no I hadn’t realized channel ten hadn’t replaced him. That being the case you are right to be suspicious. I never cease to be amazed at some of the so-called talent infesting the commercial stations. There’s one on channel seven who does something about a dance show. He’s about the size of a gum-nut with more teeth than a shark.
Having coffee this morning I read a snippet of the HS, I think they were canning Kyle for last night’s program. Which is about all I know.
Cheers, V.
from the ABC:
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/08/11/2652908.htm
“The lobby group that represents Austereo and its fellow players, Commercial Radio Australia, is angry that the authority (ACMA) has circumvented the complaints process.
The group’s chief executive, Joan Warner, says the inquiry is unfair.
“We’re talking about one unfortunate segment on one station in one market here, which to our surprise has led to a broad investigation into all 251 commercial radio stations,” she said.”
What utter rubbish!
I wrote to her: Dear Joan,
If this quote is correct I can only wonder why you would say this in the light of the recent “Media Watch” episode which showed in gruesome clarity how this was NOT an isolated episode. They showed 2 completely separate incidents of gross and negligent sadism, which were obviously the work of more than just Kyle Sandilands and Jackie O. Maybe there have been more. You do your industry no favours with such a misleading and untrue statement, and it fuels the argument that self regulation is a farce.
Pete Goding
Do these lobyists think we are idiots?
Whoops — “lobbyists” — see I can even spell, sometimes.
Well PG they are back on air next week and your one eyed view of these entertainers does not seem shared with their employers, who by the way apologised for their lack of due process.
Sadly that mother and daughter represents the current crop of socially dysfunctional females this country has reared. You and others, the worst I’ve seen was that tool on Media Watch, have totally misrepresentedwhat happened in that short snippet on air that day, pathetic misandrist flakes.
Mick with my one eye I see the employers as part of the problem so although I acknowledge their apology I find it hard to believe that incidents such as the 2 portrayed on Media Watch were the creation of Kyle & Jackie alone.
Regardless, their sadistic activities, especially in regard to the 2 Cambodian refugees are not what I would expect of a professional broadcaster on a reported $2 million per year to be involved in.
Perhaps you could describe in detail the misrepresentation you say Jonathan Holmes is guilty of?
Unless you are prepared to put a counter argument that is specific, to the point and without resorting to name-calling I will leave you to it without further replies.
PG I watched the Media Watch programme and far from misrepresenting what happened, it not only examined in detail the lie detector episode but to its credit brought to viewers attention other disgraceful activities, which purported to be entertainment. As there is no way Mick can justify his absurd contention regarding misrepresentation and his attack on Jonathan Holmes, he wouldn’t have the balls to try. Of course there is one born every minute, he appears to fit the bill with ease, so there may yet be a response in justification. It may take a while though.
So that makes a minimum of 2 of us awaiting substance Mick.