No Mr Sandilands. Regretting is Not the Same as Saying Sorry.

Here’s another thoughtful piece from our friend and colleague, Tony Jaques, Director of Issue Outcomes Pty Ltd, in Australia…

In the sad pantheon of non-apologies, “I regret” or “it is regrettable” rank alongside the perennial “I’m sorry if you were offended”.

When Sydney radio talk show heavyweight Kyle Sandilands launched a personal on-air attack against his co-host Jackie O, she was left her in tears and took the week off to “gather her thoughts.”

Given that the duo have been together on air for nearly 20 years, and are the country’s highest paid broadcasters, you might think that Sandilands would be really sorry.

But he apparently couldn’t bring himself to use that word on air. Instead, a few days later, this is what he told his newsreader side-kick.

“I obviously upset her and maybe in hindsight I shouldn’t have said it on the air, but we say a lot of things on the air here. It’s never meant to hurt her feelings and obviously it did, and I regret hurting her feelings. No one wants to hurt someone, especially someone you care for.”

Maybe in hindsight? Really? It was a textbook non-apology, blending attempted justification – “we say a lot of things on air here” – and a plea of lack of intent – “It’s never meant to hurt her feelings.” For a person he claims to care for, she deserved a lot better. As Elton John sang: “Sorry seems to be the hardest word.”

For the rest, click here.