National youth broadcaster triple j is one of the most influential music outlets in Australia, and as a result cops more than it’s fair share of flak about programming choices.
But while the team behind triple j are used to criticism when it comes to the support of Australian music, being accused of playing songs that encourage rape are entirely other matter.
The accusation came at music industry conference BIGSOUND in Brisbane during the panel “Everything you wanted to know about triple j but were too afraid to ask” featuring station manager Chris Scaddan, music director Richard Kingsmill, assistant music director Nick Findlay, Meagan Loader from Double J and triple j unearthed, and Dave Ruby Howe also from triple j unearthed.
The accusation was caught on film by theMusic, where during the audience Q&A a member of the audience made the accusation.
“There was one song one day that was just smut,” said the audience member. “Who gives you the level on what to put on? If you want to know if it was smut or not, the lines were ‘I’d like to fuck you like an animal’.”
“The Nine Inch Nails track?”, Scaddan replies.
“They were the words in the song. I’ve got school kids on the bus and that’s just over the line”.
“It’s a fair question. We still get complaints coming through all the time about language. That barrier hasn;t been won for triple j, and we persevere because we are for an adult audience. 18 – 24 year olds are our target demographic, and we stand by our ability to play music with a bit of coarse language in it.”
“The song you are referring to is about 20 years old,” Scaddan continued.
“It was three years ago” the audience member fired back.
“It’s a very old song, it’s a classic,” added Scaddan. “Everyone’s become quite desensitised to the way it is.”
The audience member hit back saying it’s got nothing to do with that. “I’ve got daughters and I wouldn’t like four young boys around 19 or 20 driving around town singing ‘I want to fuck you like an animal’, pick someone off the street and rape them.”
“I don’t think that’s really fair,” a visibly shocked Scaddan replied, before Kingsmill steps in to steer the Q&A back on track.
You can watch the very awkward exchange below.
