Anger at Australian radio station over royal hoax

Rhys Holleran (right), the CEO of Southern Cross Austereo (the parent company of Sydney's 2Day FM radio station), answers questions during a press conference in Melbourne Saturday, December 8, 2012. The conference came after news that Jacintha Saldanha, the nurse who took a hoax call from 2Day FM to a London hospital treating the pregnant Duchess of Cambridge, apparently killed herself. / WILLIAM WEST/AFP/Getty Images

LONDON The British hospital that fell victim to a prank call from two Australian DJs asking questions about the pregnant Duchess of Cambridge condemned the hoax on Saturday, as the radio station behind the prank tried to defend itself against rising anger a day after the nurse who took the call was found dead.

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The body of Jacintha Saldanha, 46, was found early Friday at nurses' housing provided by the London hospital where Prince William's wife, the former Kate Middleton, was being treated for acute morning sickness this week.

Police have made no connection between her death and the prank call, but people from London to Sydney have been making the assumption she died because of the stress.

The DJs have apologized for the hoax and taken the show off the air, but station 2day FM was forced to yank its Facebook page after it received thousands of angry comments and complaints have reportedly flooded into Australia's media regulator.

Rhys Holleran, CEO of 2DayFM's parent company Southern Cross Austereo, said the hosts were shocked and devastated by news of Saldanha's death.

"This is a tragic event that could not have been reasonably foreseen and we're deeply saddened by it," Holleran said during a news conference in Melbourne on Saturday. "I spoke to both presenters early this morning and it's fair to say they're completely shattered."

Greig and Christian have been offered counseling, Holleran said.

"These people aren't machines, they're human beings," he said. "We're all affected by this."

Holleran would not say who came up with the idea for the call, only that "these things are often done collaboratively." He said 2DayFM would work with authorities, but was confident the station hadn't broken any laws.

Australian 2Day FM radio presenters Michael Christian and Mel Greig Dec. 4, 2012, in a grab from footage posted on the Internet as they joke about their successful hoax call to the King Edward VII Hospital in London.

/ Rex Features via AP Images

Lord Glenarthur, the chairman of King Edward VII's Hospital, wrote the chairman of the radio station's owner, saying the consequence of the prank "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," he wrote in the letter.

A photo of King Edward VII hospital nurse Jacintha Saldanha, who is thought to have committed suicide, released Dec. 8, 2012.

/ Metropolitan Police/PA Wire

Police released a grainy photo of Saldanha on Saturday. A native of India, she had lived in Bristol in southwestern England with her family for the past nine years, Scotland Yard confirmed.

Police said her death is being treated as "unexplained," though they said they didn't find anything suspicious. A coroner will make a determination on the cause next week.

Flowers were left outside the hospital's nurses' building. Attached to the red, white and blue flowers, a note read: "Dear Jacintha, our thoughts are with you and your family. From all your fellow nurses, we bless your soul. God bless."

Britain's Press Association reported she had a partner, Benedict Barboza, and a teenage son and daughter. In a statement, Saldanha's family said they were "deeply saddened" by the death and asked for privacy.

"She was a lovely, lovely person who always spoke to you when you saw her in the street," neighbor Mary Atwell told the agency. "She fitted in well around here, they all did. They've lived here for at least 10 years and were very quiet and pleasant."

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[andie52]

They are devastated because a woman took her life over a silly prank and they are in trouble because of it.
It's like a drunk who constantly gets behind the wheel of a vehicle and then can't understand why they finally caused a car crash that killed or maimed people. I have no sympathy for either of them.

[JV1970]

Nor do I!

[javicvb]

I don't understand why they creat this polemic for a joke

[frankkburns]

How were the nurses humiliated? They just fell for a prank call, it could happen to anyone. Methinks this hospital is overreacting, and that they perhaps overreacted at the start of it too, and are actually responsible for the death of the nurse, not the DJs. It's ridiculous to impute guilt to the DJs -- they do this all the time, and it's just part of a DJ's job. Sure it's silly, but that's life and they meant no harm. I believe an investigation is called for, since the overreaction and letter by the hospital makes it looks like they are intent on pointing the finger in another direction. What pressure and guilt did they heap on the nurse in the hours and days after this prank call?

[JV1970]

No, it's NOT part of a DJ's job! Their job is to play records.

[bwlewis1964]

Don't mess with the Queen!

[Polka_Dancer]

To all those who believe this nurse committed suicide because she is mentally ill or disturbed, would you say that in front of her children to their faces?

[JV1970]

I don't know how old her children are but it's likely that her children already know that she was mentally ill and have known it for sometime.

[LVwidow]

This is sad for the family of the nurse and also for the DJ's. This nurse only connected the DJ's to the floor, she did not give out any information so I don't understand the stress level that she apparently had. Hey, maybe it has to do with her Indian culture as far as being pranked and the humiliation or something. This is not the first radio station that has pranked somebody. A radio station in Canada did it to Sarah Palin when she was running for vice president and everyone laughed about it. Unfortunately, no one knows when somebody is already close to the edge. Isn't the nurse who actually gave out the information still living? Sad story for the prank to be more important than your husband and kids.

[wildnutz]

LV: Your grasp of the issue is that of a toddler. She lost face and was humiliated. In her culture this is very serious,now keep your mouth shut and try to learn something. Nit wit.

[nirak2-2009]

Is anyone even sure she killed herself because of this? NO

[stderr]

In the United States, trying to trick your way into someone's private medical records is a crime. I wonder if it is a crime in the UK. I wonder if it's a crime in Australia. I wonder if it's a crime when you are in Australia but tricking someone in a hospital in the UK.

[moctella]

She was in severe beat down mode from work. The hospital stated she was not a target of retribution. If you believe that, then make sure you leave milk and cookies for Santa.


I work in Healthcare (USA VB Virginia) ... trust me ... there is the official story; then there is the truth. I'm surprised she lasted as long as she did

[FormerUSMCSergeant]

This indignation is absolutely absurd. These people take a crap just like the rest of us. They are not gods. They are inbred leeches who produce absolutely nothing.

[FormerUSMCSergeant]

This family is incredibly wealthy yet costs the Brits about $65 million/yr.
What a farce.

[JV1970]

You idiot! The indignation isn't for the joke that was done on the royal family although even the royal family has a right to privacy!

It's for the harm and embarrassment that the stupid DJs caused this innocent woman!