The Kyle and Jackie O Show repeatedly and deliberately aired vulgar, sexually explicit and deeply offensive content that is unacceptable to the community, and its owners ARN are unable or unwilling to rein in the radio duo, says the media watchdog following a months-long investigation.

The stinging assessment comes after the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) found seven new breaches of broadcasting decency codes after a review of the content that went to air on the show between August and December last year, finding systemic issues with the show and the content it airs on its licences in Melbourne and Sydney.

There were three breaches for decency in Melbourne and four in Sydney, as well as additional breaches of the complaint handling rules in both markets, taking the tally of total breaches for this year to 12, ACMA said.

The findings clearly point to systemic issues with the program, ACMA chair Nerida O’Loughlin said.

“The Kyle & Jackie O Show has repeatedly and deliberately aired content that is vulgar, sexually explicit and deeply offensive,” O’Loughlin said in a statement on Wednesday morning.

“Even after previous breaches and the employment of additional censors required by the ACMA, the program continues to broadcast content that is unacceptable to the community.”

ARN, which owns the KIIS Network on which the show airs, appears “unwilling or unable to rein in” the presenters, Kyle Sandilands and Jackie ‘O’ Henderson, O’Loughlin said. “As a result, the ACMA is currently considering enforcement actions so that ARN takes full responsibility for the content broadcast on their stations.”

Examples of the breaches included two episodes featuring a guessing game where both male and female staff members urinating were aired, with the hosts having to guess whose audio clip belonged to whom, and other episodes containing lewd discussions of masturbation and pornography. The show airs between 6am and 10am on weekdays.

The show launched in Melbourne in April last year and has failed to replicate the market-topping ratings it has enjoyed in Sydney for the past two decades. It is expected to launch in Brisbane in 2026.

In June, this masthead reported that advertisers have abandoned ARN amid the ongoing ratings slump in Melbourne, which has coincided with sweeping cuts across the company, with fewer shows and staff across different divisions. The radio duo did deliver a slight ratings jump in the most recent survey in September, however.

While ACMA has delivered a scathing report card, the watchdog has been routinely criticised for its “all bark, no bite” approach, and for not having the powers to appropriately penalise bad actors.

ACMA can issue fines, impose limitations or in some cases suspend or cancel broadcasting licences, depending on the severity of the conduct. In its current form, the ACMA must first issue a direction to comply before taking enforcement action against breaches of broadcasting and industry codes.

Earlier this year, the Albanese government proposed new reforms to the ACMA which would enhance its enforcement powers as well as increasing penalties for breaches and non-compliance. Under the proposal, the ACMA would have the ability to take steps to enforcement without the direction to comply, giving it the ability to act more swiftly and decisively.