What's New
BY Sarah Patterson June 27, 2026
What's New September 11, 2025
The ACMA finds Marty Sheargold Show breached decency rules
The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has found comments broadcast on the Marty Sheargold Show about women’s sport have breached of decency rules.
The investigation found that Triple M Sydney Pty Ltd, Triple M Brisbane Pty Ltd, Gold Coast FM Pty Ltd and Maryborough Broadcasting Company Pty Limited who were all syndicating the Marty Sheargold show contravened the Commercial Radio Code of Practice by allowing derogatory language and sexist themes perpetuating stereotypes of women’s behaviour to be broadcast on the programs.
Authority Member Carolyn Lidgerwood said the demeaning and insulting language used by the host went beyond generally acceptable standards of decency:
“Sexist comments like this don’t belong in Australian broadcasting. Even if the comments were an extremely ill-judged attempt at humour, a reasonable listener would have found them offensive and to have crossed the line.”
The ACMA noted that Southern Cross Austereo (SCA) ‘mutually agreed to part ways’ with Sheargold following the comments.
The ACMA is currently considering enforcement action against the SCA stations and licencees for breaching the code and will publicly announce the outcome once finalised.
Related articles:
Triple M’s Marty Sheargold offers public apology over comments on women’s sport
It’s over: Marty Sheargold parts ways with Triple M
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What's New
BY Sarah Patterson June 26, 2026
Yet that “number 1 show” in Sydney can talk about women vaping out of their “moot” and that’s perfectly acceptable for 8am with kids in the car?
Come on ACMA, your selective judgement is worse than the AFL umpires.
Omg! Seriously?! How about Kyle Sandilands….
@Hkn: I’m pretty sure Kyle & Jackie O/KIIS have been given a few ACMA breaches for failing to meet decency standards in recent years.
How are K&JO still on-air while Marty got the boot? Unfortunately, I suspect it’s because KIIS 1065 receives high Sydney market ratings at brekky whereas Triple M Drive didn’t – the most recent survey saw better ratings for 104.9 than they got in Survey #1 when Sheargold was (mostly) on-air!
Personally though, I’d like to know if ACMA received any complaints about Marty Sheargold’s comments about endometriosis around this time which if anything, were worse (and IMO, women should’ve been considerably more outraged over) than those made about the Matildas.
I think we’d find it was more the comments about Endo that led to SCA sacking Marty as opposed to the Matilda’s comments. Let’s not forget, SCA’s national charity partner is Endometriosis Australia.