Comments on: Ten Fired After Radio Contest Tragedy

Woman Died Despite Listener Warning On Danger Of Chugging Too Much Water

[djnechodom]

Keep in mind, when we're talking about overdosing on water, that we are talking about seriously high volumes over a short time. As mentioned earlier, it can also occur among endurance athletes. What you should NOT do, however, is change your normal water intake habits based on this news article! A half-gallon a day is good for you. A gallon a day is not going to kill you; just don't be more than about a hundred yards from the bathroom!

[jasperlily]

I'm amazed that so few people seem to know that drinking too much water can kill you. In WWII that was a favorite torture - force them to drink till their stomachs burst. I guess it's true: if you won't learn from history you are doomed to repeat it. But I really am surprised that a radio station's legal dept. would not have been aware of such dangers, even if the dj's or marketing dept. are ignorant. Not like they're in Iran where the head dude denies the holocaust even happened. Hey, maybe he doesn't know about the water danger either - wanna bet?

[nothappyatall]

""They signed releases so we're not responsible,"

If the contestants signed RELEASES then the station is not liable. Strange was not forced to drink water, nor was this some forced "hazing" in college,if she felt sick and continued then she had only herself to blame.
Sorry but people need to take responsibility for themselves and not expect everyone else, least of all a radio station to do it for you.

You can go right back to the consumerism in this country and her kids, she was doing this contest to win a stupid video game for her KIDS, kids who probably saw this junk on TV and whined and begged and cajolled mom to buy it for them but she couldn't afford this overpriced toy, so she did this contest.

In a roundabout way you can lay blame on several- starting with the advertisers, the TV/media ads, peer pressure and obsessive consumerism that empowers idiots to go to malls at 3 AM the day BEFORE and stand in line waiting in the rain and cold for an 8 AM opening with 1,000 others to save 20% on a special sale day or to be FIRST in line to grab the limited number of some "special" toy or appliance they HAVE to have. When they find they might "miss out" on one then fist fights and near riots bringing in the police in riot gear doesn't seem to faze these idiots, they want their new Cabbage Patch doll or iPod or whatever right then and on THAT day.

[dovestar]

To Avoice who thinks that if the victim's family wins a large lawsuit it will send a message to other stations that they need to come up with better programming: Baloney! This particular station is one of the highest rated stations in the Sacramento area largely because of that morning show. If the people want something else, then this station wouldn't be so high in the local ratings. One clear path would be to listen to them enough to identify their advertisers. Then contact each of them in turn and inform them that you will not patronize their store, product, orservice until they cease advertising on that station or on that type of morning show. It's called biting the hand that feeds them. And it works.

[dovestar]

SusieQ_13, what you suggest is ill advised and at best impossible in the free society in which we live, but it's a typical reaction. Whenever these things happen, we want government to pass laws protecting us from the dangers. Yet with each new law, more of our freedoms go bye-bye. We want these kind of laws, but we oppose government passing laws allowing it to collect various pieces of information such as the Patriot Act. We can't have it both ways. However, this and every radio station's license is gratned by the FCC, "in the public interest". To those who live in the area served by this radio station, please write letters, comments, etc to be placed in the station's Public File which will be inspected when their license comes up for renewal. You need to make it next to impossible for them to get their license renewed. Any station that would put its own profits above the public interest doesn't deserve to be broadcasting. Hold them accountable.

[susieq_13]

I had no idea you could die from a water overdose. How awful for the family who lost their mom. Radio stations, etc. should not be allowed to have contests that are dangerous no matter what.

[dovestar]

To DanielIrving: You are not the first to quote the Bible out of context, especially with sarcasm and you won't be the last. The Bible was written on three continents, over a 1500 year span, contributed to by people from all walks of life, and the attacks on it make about as much an impression as a tack hammer would on the Pyramids of Egypt. For your information, the verse you quoted was part of God's rules to the Israelites at the time for owning slaves. He allowed them slaves from the heathen nations, but He did not allow Israelites to be sold into slavery. He also did not allow slaves to be mistreated. You chase a rabbit when you try to discredit the Bible. As for the topic at hand, the verse I quoted you illustrates the lengths some people will go for the Almighty Dollar (which isn't so almighty, by the way) and it was quoted for that purpose. The Bible does know what it's talking about despite the efforts of people like you to discredit it. And despite those efforts, please bear in mind that the Author of the Bible loves you so much He died for you.

The station was clearly at fault..they know it..and their attorneys know it...Don't you think the station management consulted their lawyers before they fired those imbiciles? Of course they did. I expect a lawsuit and I expect the station will settle. The waver prevented nothing.The people in the contest did not have INFORMED consent..if you haven't been informed your consent is meaningless. So the waver was meaningless.

[graetz3]

No one should have been fired, I agree with that. Betcha there will be a lawsuit against the radio station and employees...

I THINK THE FIRINGS WERE JUSTIFIED.SIGNING A WAVER DOESN'T PROTECT THE STATION FROM RESPONSIBILITY..I am sure the woman's family will be suing on behalf of the children who lost their mother...and I expect they will win or the station will settle out of court.