The deeper issue raised by sick radio stunt

TC says:

09:15am | 01/08/09

You are right about the multiple, systematic, victimization of this child.
How have we come to this point as a culture, where human rights abuses are perpetrated on radio and child abuse is regarded as a legitimate way to boost ratings? It puts a whole new spin on ‘the mainstreaming of porn’.

Julie Coker-Godson says:

02:21pm | 01/08/09

A timely article at this point in the debate over this horrific incident.  I hope the police can find and do charge all persons involved.

RT says:

08:26pm | 01/08/09

I would like to add my voice to the chorus of outrage. I don’t have anything special to say, I just like to jump on a chorus of outrage bandwagon. Excuse the mixed metaphor. Mathew Johns, The Chaser, Kyle & Jackie, Sam Newman: 2009 is certainly the year for a good chorus of outrage to shame some media personality or another. It’s a good chorus of outrage if it’s led by the opinion columnists with the PM sticking his oar in. C’mon, we all love to take the high moral ground especially over someone we are not directly connected with.

George Goring says:

01:38am | 02/08/09

Full marks to Caroline Taylor for describing Kyle Sandilands and Jackie O’s behaviour for what it really is/was: a sick radio stunt. And that’s not to use the jargonistic, ‘sick’, ‘wicked’, ‘cool’ interpretation of the word sick. Sick is too kind a description, it should be called evil.

Kyle Sandilands, Jackie O and their ilk want to take a good look in the mirror while they put some of their programmes on replay, and decide where they really sit on the moral compass.

They should ask themselves, “How would I feel if this was being done to me? Or one of my family members?” Though I doubt whether they’d have the moral or intellectual capacity to even consider it.

While they might be busy trying to defend their progam, their managment and their own personal behaviour they might want to detail some of their better points, their finer behaviour. If they have any.

Taya says:

05:35pm | 02/08/09

Well written article, with everything well said.

Insofar as the moral compas of the radio station - all I can say is that if they all know not to turn up at work and ask about each others’ sex lives as it is a form of sexual harassment - then they should know that they shouldn’t be asking guests of the show about thier sex lives, especially not minors who are not able to personally authorise that they consent to give out that information.

cat says:

06:11pm | 02/08/09

It says a lot about today’s degenerative society, that the only reason there was an issue with said program was the girl’s revelation of rape. I’ve only ever listened to the Kyle and Jackie O program whilst in shopping centres becuase I’ve no choice (unless I shop elsewhere) and have oft thought it was for the less educated. We can all wonder that a mother would expose her child to such a trauma deliberately… often hear about how can a ‘loving’ mother do this- obviously not ‘loving’! In a way it’s probably been a good thing for society to hear it- national confirmation of child abuse! Rather than bagging the station (though it deserves it) maybe we should be turning our attention to the very serious plight of many children. It’s a wake up call.

Michelle says:

07:05pm | 02/08/09

The mother is as much to blame as Kylie and Jackie O and deserves a right royal bollocking! If ever there was a case for a child to ‘divorce’ his or her parents - this is it!

Aleg says:

10:53pm | 02/08/09

To cat,

“degenerative society”?

Our society provides large amoutns of resources devoted to the counselling and support of rape victims. The massive amount of public outrage at this stunt should prove to you that we really do care (if the media tells us we should).

Go take a trip to Sierra Leone will you, where child soldiers are brainwashed to kill. Where rape victims have no outlet of any kind and can seek no help. Wake up.

“Won’t somebody please think of the children!”

Paul says:

01:42am | 03/08/09

I like to be entertained by radio jocks, and that includes Kyle and Jackie O. But that said, it staggers me that a media organisation would be so completely stupid at every level that they couldn’t see ahead of time that this stunt was simply wrong. If it does not turn out the radio station and others involved are held accountable for this disgrace then I will be very cross with our politicians for letting ACMA limp along as the incompetent lot they have again shown themselves to be.

And Aleg, perhaps I have misunderstood your point because I can’t find either of your two quotations in the article.  In this case I think we agree that Australia does care about the issue of rape and it’s true that there are places in this world where things are far worse than Australia. But you seem to be belittling Caroline’s quite excellent article with undeserved sarcasm. Hopefully the misunderstanding is mine.

Aleg says:

06:14am | 03/08/09

Maybe I should’ve written “@cat” ?
I was quoting cat when I said “degenerative society”.
“Won’t somebody please think of the children” is obviously not in the article. I never said it was. It’s from the Simpsons, a show I’m sure you think is immature and peurile. Regardless, The point was to highlight the kneejerk reactions being displayed by a lot of the commentors. There are far greater problems in this country right now.

Wendy Kennedy says:

01:37pm | 03/08/09

We continue top trivialise rape, women and court actions against this repugnant invasion of personal space.  The reason?  We are desensitised to violence, blood, bad language both on television and in real life.  Hence a society that appears to be titillated by anything of a sexual nature.  Well, for this young girl, the abuse continues.  The fact that Kyle Sandiland is involved does not surprise me.  He is obnoxious and ignorant on Australian Idol;  he opens his mouth too soon with ill informed rubbish and his pearler of a comment to media in response to what had happened was “these things happen in today’s society”. The station, the announcers and the programme manager knew first hand the girl was underage (still) at 14.  The shock disclosure of the rape serves the mother right and the station right.  The young girl needs to be counselled and removed from her mother’s care.  I remain disgusted at the whole thing.

lea says:

04:34pm | 04/08/09

Aleg: ‘greater problems in the country’ than child abuse being ignored? What the hell is wrong with you? I assume you must mean ‘great problems in the world than two radio jocks being pulled off air’, with which I wholeheartedly agree, but that would be to ignore the entire point of Caroline’s article, which is that behind the moral outrage and public outcry is the real and serious issue or child abuse being swept under the carpet. Have you been reading the news at all? Are you not aware that this is going on in our own society? Case in the point the two year old who was recently beaten to death. Children don’t always have the voice or strength or understanding required to speak out about abuse so it’s up to us - the adults - to create a world that responds positively to them and makes a change. Pull your head out of your arse and contribute to society with something other than sarcastic jibes at people who actually care about something worthwhile.

PS - even in the Simpsons you’ll notice that the phrase ‘think of the children’ gets used satirically only in situations where the issue has absolutely nothing to do with children. Not the case here.

Aleg says:

07:11pm | 04/08/09

Ask yourself honestly what you have done to help prevent child abuse.

No need to reply, just answer to yourself. Hypocrite.

Cat says:

10:05pm | 06/08/09

@Aleg
‘Ask yourself honestly what you have done to help prevent child abuse.’ How about NOT participating in a program that promotes it! (only for the voyeuristic pleasure of it’s listeners though!) Very Big Brother on radio instead of tv. (oh weren’t they part of that idiocy as well?)
Aleg do you think there would have been this hue & outcry if the child (I repeat CHILD) did not reveal her rape? That was my earlier point. AND so what if society provides large amounts of resources for counselling for rape victims? The point is that society should be looking for ways to REDUCE the number of rape victims. The ambulance at the bottom of the cliff mentality will never help. Don’t perpetuate it.