A NSW Supreme Court jury has found that Kyle Sandilands’ reputation was damaged by a “vicious attack” on him in a channel 7 tv report.

Sandilands sued channel 7 for defamation resulting from a Today Tonight investigation into what it said were “rorts and wheeling and dealing” in Australia’s music industry.

As reported on radioinfo at the time, the action covers advertisements aired in July last year and the subsequent report aired at the beginning of August.

Sandilands’ counsel told the court the segment was “dressed up to be a special investigation” into the industry, but was really a “quite vicious attack” on his reputation. He said the material defamed Sandilands by conveying, among other imputations, that the radio star had “engaged in rorts in the Australian music industry.”

Counsel said the material suggested Sandilands had deliberately plugged his girlfriend, singer Tamara Jaber, who had just released a single, and accused him of payola.

The jury also found Sandilands had been defamed by the imputation that he was a “liar” because he had falsely denied that he had input into 2Day FM’s play list.

Sandilands warned Seven he would take legal action if the story went to air, and is now claiming damages, interest and costs over the Today Tonight story.

Seven’s lawyers told the court Sandilands’ lawyer was taking the jury on a “journey into fantasy land,” and that the “ordinary reasonable viewer does not rush to judgment.”

The court did not accept Seven’s arguments in the case and has found there was defamation. Channel 7 will now have a chance to argue its defences in the case.