The Sydney radio station linked to the apparent suicide of a London nurse said on Monday it tried repeatedly to reach King Edward VII Hospital management before airing a prank call, in which its hosts impersonated Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Charles.
“We attempted to contact them on no less than five occasions,” Rhys Holleran, the station’s boss told local radio. “We rang them up to discuss what we had recorded.” But 2Day FM’s claim that it followed established protocols in airing a prank call inquiring into the heath of the Duchess of Cambridge was rebutted by former employee and veteran radio journalist Wendy Harmer.
Harmer, speaking to her current employer, national broadcaster ABC, said that the rules would have obliged presenters Mel Greig and Michael Christian to have the permission of Jacintha Saldanha and the other nurse involved before the piece went to air. She said that radio insiders believed 2Day FM had been “flouting the rules.”
The station’s defence that it had sought to contact the hospital appeared to contradict Saturday’s statement from hospital chairman Lord Glenarthur, who made no mention of any attempt to contact hospital management.
In its official reply to Lord Glenarthur’s withering criticism of the station, no claim was made that attempts were made to reach hospital management.
Saldanha’s body was found in hospital accommodation three days after she was duped into breaking patient confidentiality, by revealing details of the treatment the former Kate Middleton was receiving for acute morning sickness in the early stages of her pregnancy.
Keywords: King Edward VII Hospital, 2Day FM, Jacintha Saldanha, Kate Middleton
Does the radio station think the frustration over its failure to get the
hospital people on line justifies their action of impersonating the
Royal family members!? How do they have the audacity to talk rubbish
even after the tragedy caused by their unethical and irresponsible
behaviour! This un-remorseful attitude is terrible and devoid of basic
human values!
The radio station acted like a bunch of idiots but then again howard stern has been rewarded all these years for doing just that. The bar is set unfortunately low these days. However, being humiliated in public wouldn't drive a normal person to suicide. There was mental illness there to begin with obviously.
Does the radio station think its failure to get the hospital people on
line justifies their action of impersonating the Royal family members!?
How do they have the audacity to talk rubbish even after the tragedy
caused by their unethical and irresponsible behaviour! This un-
remorseful attitude is terrible and devoid of basic human values!
They should be ashamed of themselves. They should be banned from radio.
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