A prank call initiated DJs Michael Christian and Mel Greig has been linked to the death of the British nurse Jacintha Saldanha. Greig and Christian posed as the Queen and Prince Charles when they prank-called the hospital for details about Catherine, who was being treated for severe pregnancy-related nausea.
The nurse Mrs saldanah transferred the phone call to another nurse who divulged details about the duchess
Mrs Saldanha, a nurse at the Duchess of Cambridge’s hospital where the royals were taking treatment, killed herself after falling victim to the hoax or prank call by 2 day fm radio jockeys, and she has written a apparent suicide note to her family.
Statements made by DJs Michael Christian and Mel Greig that they were unaware of the approval process for prank calls. Rhys Holleran, the chief executive of Southern Cross Austereo, which owns 2Day FM, told 3AW’s Neil Mitchell the station tried ”at least five times” to contact the hospital
He has not explained why his employees then broadcast the call despite failing to obtain consent.
King Edward VII’s Hospital has denied being contacted by 2Day FM and the radio station has not released any phone records to prove that the calls were made.
Training sessions were introduced for radio personnel after the Kyle sandilands scandal in which a 14-year-old girl revealed on air that she had been raped and insensitive comments were passed by the radio jockey Sandilands. Facebook hate pages have also sprung up on him on Facebook. He has been re-instated to do radio programs since then
This is not the first time that radio personnel broadcasting over air has run into trouble , but this time with serious consequences. It is not know at this time if any criminal charges will be laid.
THE broadcast regulator will investigate the role of 2Day FM management and its Sydney DJs Mel Greig and Michael Christian in this prank call that has resulted in a death.
Section 6.1 of the code of practice states: “A licensee must not broadcast the words of an identifiable person unless: a) that person has been informed in advance or a reasonable person would be aware that the words may be broadcast; or b) in the case of words which have been recorded without the knowledge of the person, that person has subsequently, but prior to the broadcast, expressed consent to the broadcast of the word.”
During an address to parliament overnight British Prime Minister David Cameron paid tribute to Ms Saldanha and indicated that investigations into her death would continue.
