Australia’s Kyle and Jackie O Show dispute is now world news, so we are summarising it here for our international readers. More information is available in our Australian trade publication radioinfo.com.au.
The story so far:
- Just over a year ago, Kyle and Jackie signed ten year contracts for $10 million each per year. A total over ten years of AUD$200 million
- The show is a big earner for the Australian Rado Network (ARN), so does bring in large amounts of revenue that was said to justify the contract at the time.
- Also ARN did not want to lose the pair, knowing that the last time they changed networks they brought all their audience with them and their previous station (2Day FM) has never recovered from the audience exodus.
- Three weeks ago, Jackie walked out after an on air argument that began with Kyle saying she was not paying attention and ended with Kyle saying everyone in the production team was talking about her being ‘off with the pixies.’ Such arguments and reactions are common on the show and have been part of the success of the on air pair.
- Despite the success of the show in Sydney it did not work well in Melbourn e after being networked to both cities. A lobby group against Kyle’s sexist comments and sexually explicit discussions successfully pressured some advertisers to pull their advertising from the show.
- Network owner ARN held an HR meeting with Jackie and subsequently issued a statement saying Jackie said she could no longer work with Kyle. ARN terminated Jackie’s contract and issued a “remedy” order to Kyle, otherwise the network would terminate his contract too.
- Kyle released a statement, saying that he regrets his on-air falling out with Jackie. The details are below.
What happens next is anyone’s guess!
Kyle’s statement in full reads:
ARN told me that I am not allowed to contact Jackie. They have told me that I am not allowed to speak to
my colleagues. I did what was asked even though it made it impossible for me to do the one thing anyone
in my position would want to do — pick up the phone and talk to the person I have been talking with
continually for my entire career.
The truth is that ARN terminated Jackie’s contract on the same day it accused me of a breach. It suspended
me from work. All of this happened while I was being told to sit quietly and say nothing. That is not a genuine
process.
I am not going to pretend that everything about this situation is simple. Jackie told me she was hurt, and I
accept that. But we have had disagreements before and we have always worked through them. That is what
partners do. We never needed lawyers or ASX announcements to sort things out. I believe we could have
sorted this out too, if ARN had given us the chance.
I have a contract with ARN that runs until 2034.
I am committed to that contract.
Despite what ARN says, I am not in breach of that contract.
I want to be on air. I want to be with my audience. I want to do the job I have done my entire adult life.
I am asking ARN to do the right thing: honour our agreement and let me get back to doing what I do best —
entertaining the people who have supported this show for more than two decades.
To my listeners: Thank you. I miss you. I’ll be back.
Related reports:
I didn’t quit: Jackie O contradicts ARN’s stock exchange statement
“Cannot continue to work with Mr Kyle Sandilands” – The end of the Kyle and Jackie O era