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<\/p>\nShock jock Kyle Sandilands was likely sacked because of pressure from the media regulator and his huge $100 million contract, former ABC Media Watch host Paul Barry says.<\/p>\n
Sandilands was on Wednesday sacked by ARN Media less than two years into his $100 million, 10-year contract.<\/p>\n
It followed a tense on-air exchange with Jackie “O” Henderson, during which Sandilands accused his co-host of being “off with the fairies” and “almost unworkable” due to her fixation with horoscopes.<\/p>\n
Sandilands was taken off-air and given 14 days to remedy what ARN Media claimed was misconduct and a breach of his contract.<\/p>\n
The former Kyle and Jackie O Show host has rejected the termination notice, flagging a potential legal challenge.<\/p>\n
“I don’t accept it,” he said in a statement.<\/p>\n
“My lawyers told them last week this would be invalid. And guess what? It is.”<\/p>\n
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Sandilands says his lawyers are now involved in the contract dispute. (ABC News)<\/p>\n
Mr Barry said on Wednesday the outcome was not a surprising one.<\/p>\n
\u00a0“[ARN] were very keen to get rid of him, basically, because it’s costing them a massive amount of money,” he said.<\/p>\n
“Two hundred million dollars over 10 years and [Sandilands and Henderson] are not bringing in that sort of revenue.”<\/p>\n
‘An absolute disaster’<\/p>\n
At one point, the pair’s show attracted an audience of 797,000 people in Sydney each weekday morning and held a 16.3 per cent market share \u2014 the largest of any Sydney radio station.<\/p>\n
The pair ended last year with a 12.7 per cent share in Sydney, slipping to second position on the network ratings list. In Melbourne, it flopped to 5 per cent.<\/p>\n
Australian journalist and media commentator Janine Perrett told ABC Radio Sydney the dire results in Melbourne likely played a part in ARN Media’s decision.<\/p>\n
“That’s been an absolute disaster \u2026 it’s pretty clear ARN were looking for any excuse to try and get out of it, but it’s a big call,” she said.<\/p>\n
“Kyle has got a lawyer, and he’s got the same lawyer who represented Antoinette Lattouf against the ABC successfully.”<\/p>\n
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The Kyle and Jackie O Show failed to generate traction in Melbourne. (Facebook: The Kyle and Jackie O Show)<\/p>\n
The Kyle and Jackie O Show was embroiled in a number of controversies over its 25 years on air.<\/p>\n
The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) this week imposed additional licence conditions on ARN Media over several breaches of decency standards in 2025.<\/p>\n
The conditions would apply to any program featuring Sandilands or Henderson, with Mr Barry saying ARN Media risked losing its licence if further breaches were found.<\/p>\n
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Paul Barry says ARN Media likely acted after pressure from the media regulator. (News Online Brisbane)<\/p>\n
“I think the radio station finally thought, well, we can’t control him and if he does it again, we are going to really be in trouble, so let’s try and find a way out,” he said.<\/p>\n
“The regulator has finally decided that it is going to get tough.”<\/p>\n