Bullying or entertainment? Kyle Sandilands argues that fights with Jackie O were ratings gold for Kiis FM

Shock jock claims his bosses had monetised the conduct he was sacked for. Plus: Michael Gawenda v Jeff Sparrow

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When all your conversations on and off air are recorded it’s impossible to deny what was said. But in The Kyle and Jackie O Show’s multimillion-dollar legal dispute the warring parties are arguing about when those heated exchanges before a hot mic were bullying and when they were content. Content for which the radio station paid its stars a hefty $20m a year.

In fresh documents filed in the federal court it’s revealed that when Kyle Sandilands walked out after a fight with Jackie “O” Henderson in 2023 she said “people would tune in for” a podcast on the fight and it would “probably get our highest ratings”. A podcast was produced and given the catchy title “Kyle & Jackie’s unheard EXPLOSIVE off air fight”.

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