Radio Station Stands by Royal Prank Callers After Tragic Suicide
December 08, 2012
Royal News
Although DJs Mel Greig and Michael Christian have gone off the air after news that nurse who took their prank call at Kate Middleton's hospital had died in a suspected suicide, the radio station is not firing them.
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Earlier this week, the 2DayFM DJs had called the London hospital where Middleton was convalescing from acute morning sickness and posed as the Queen and Prince Charles to obtain information. Saldanha, a 46-year-old mother of two, was the nurse who passed the call through. Her body was found Friday near the King Edward VII Hospital.
Holleran said at a press conference in Melbourne, “I spoke to both presenters early this morning and it's fair to say they are completely shattered. These people aren't machines, they're human beings. What happened is incredibly tragic and we’re deeply saddened and we’re incredibly affected by that.”
He added, “I think prank calls as a craft in radio have been going for decades and decades and are not just part of one radio station or network or country. No-one could have reasonably foreseen what ended up being an incredibly tragic day.”
Holleran also said stunts like these are “done collaboratively.” A source confirmed that 2DayFM’s lawyers had listened to audio of the entire call and had given it clearance to go to air.
The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA), which regulates radio broadcasting, has said it is currently in the process of discussing the matter with the Sydney-based station.
Meanwhile, a letter was released from Lord Glenarthur, Chairman of King Edward VII’s Hospital, asking the radio station to ensure this never happens again. “I am writing to protest in the strongest possible terms about the hoax call made from your radio station, 2DayFM, to this hospital last Tuesday.
King Edward VII’s Hospital cares for sick people, and it was extremely foolish of your presenters even to consider trying to lie their way through to one of our patients, let alone actually make the call. Then to discover that, not only had this happened, but that the call had been pre-recorded and the decision to transmit approved by your station’s management, was truly appalling. The immediate consequence of these premeditated and ill-considered actions was the humiliation of two dedicated and caring nurses who were simply doing their job tending to their patients. The longer term consequence has been reported around the world and is, frankly, tragic beyond words. I appreciate that you cannot undo the damage which has been done but I would urge you to take steps to ensure that such an incident could never be repeated.”
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Another thing I'd like to add to my comment, if, as I'm sure the world has heard these 2 DJ's never expected to get through to Kate's floor, let alone gain information on her, if that were true, then why "when that poor nurse patched these 2 DJ's to Kate's nurse" didn't they 'HANG UP" at that point, these 2 people knew they were believed, had they done that, nothing would have happened, no press, nothing, and that poor, innocent nurse would still be alive, I can only imagine the humiliation this woman felt, the pain, the butt of "who knows how many jokes", at that point when these 2 people were put through to Kate's floor they had a responsibility to HANG UP, JUST SIMPLY HANG UP THEIR PHONE, THEY DIDN'T, THEY ASKED ABOUT KATE'S CONDITION, THEN THE PRANK BECAME A DELIBERATE ACT OF INVASION OF PRIVACY RESULTING IN A WOMAN'S SUICIDE.
I don't believe those 2 DJ aka Royal Prank Callers intentionally meant to do harm to anyone, but this is what can and does happen when some idiot or in this case 2 idiots who are more interested in ratings than they are in the effect their actions will/can have on innocent people. Remember for every action theirs a consequence or reward depending on the nature of the action, this action was clearly meant (whether they want to admit it or not) to gain information and/or speak to someone they have no right obtaining information/speaking too. In directly these 2 DJ's did cause this wonderful nurse to commit suicide, one never knows what's going on in someone's life, the actions of these two individuals clearly drove this poor over the edge.
PLEASE, PLEASE, LET THIS BE A LESSON LEARNED, STOP THIS RIDICULOUS BEHAVIOR, "SWATTING, PRANKS" THEY'RE JUST NOT FUNNY, THEY HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO CAUSE SOMEONE'S DEATH AND ANYONE WHO FINDS THAT REMOTELY FUNNY HAS SOME SERIOUS PSYCHOLOGICAL PROBLEMS.
until I saw the bank draft saying $4410, I be certain that my friend was like actually earning money part-time on their laptop.. there neighbour had bean doing this for only 6 months and by now repayed the mortgage on their apartment and bourt a new Citroën DS. read more at, jump15.com
When this story was first reported by Maria and Mario, Maria's last glib comment was that she would avoid this hospital if she needed care in England (my paraphrase and it wasn't stated politely) - with a snarky tone and maybe even a slight snort. This is before the nurse died. I immediately felt bad for anyone associated with the hospital and wondered about the good hard work that is diminished in the face of this trick. Her comment was unnecessary and further diminishing. Putting down the hospital - really because 2 nurses were naive. Your broadcast is losing credibility - if you are tryng to preserve some - maybe your people don't care.