Australia’s broadcasting watchdog has found that four Southern Cross Austereo (SCA) radio stations breached decency rules when they aired sexist and demeaning comments about the Matildas by presenter Marty Sheargold. The Australian Communications and Media Authority (Acma) ruled that the remarks, broadcast in February, demonstrated a “level of contempt and disdain for women’s sport, and more generally of women”.
Sheargold lost his job after saying on his Drive program that he “would rather hammer a nail through the head of [his] penis” than watch the Australian women’s national football team in next year’s Asian Cup, and asked: “Got any men’s sport?” The stations received thousands of complaints after the comments circulated on social media.
Acma member Carolyn Lidgerwood said the insulting language went beyond generally acceptable standards of decency. “Sexist comments like this don’t belong in Australian broadcasting,” she said. “Even if the comments were an extremely ill-judged attempt at humour, a reasonable listener would have found them offensive.”
The four licensees—Triple M Sydney, Triple M Brisbane, Gold Coast FM and Maryborough Broadcasting Company—contravened the Commercial Radio Code of Practice. SCA argued the comments were not offensive to a Triple M listener, but Acma disagreed. The authority is considering enforcement action, which could include staff training, a formal warning or additional licence conditions.
Sheargold apologised in February, saying he fully understood the gravity of his comments. Football Australia expressed deep disappointment, stating the remarks “diminish the extraordinary achievements and contributions of our women’s national football team”.
