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[Alanz]

My thoughts exactly, but then again, I've never been into practical jokes or pranks.

Me neither they tend to backfire eventually

[Jan Van Quirm]

ANYBODY who's a patient at ANY hospital is entitled to privacy.

Nearly every hospital on the planet that has a public communication system installed will in general NOT give information on patients or put you through to a ward until you demonstrate that you are closely connected to that person (like knowing which ward they're on and at my local hospital that'd be the name of the ward and not just 'Gynie' or 'Obstetrics' etc).

I'm sure, like Dotsie says, that this hospital got hauled over the coals for allowing this to happen, simply because they're independent, charge their clientele royally for the privilege and pay over the going rate for quality medical staff because of that (whether or not English is their first language). The buck has to stop somewhere and when I called an NHS hospital without knowing which ward my father was on, I had to speak to a receptionist (not a nurse), and had to give a lot of info before I was transferred to a ward and told before that happened that I would only be put through to dad if he was able and willing to take my call.

That's what should happen - in this situation there's no way in heaven or earth that the Queen or her husband would actually call the hospital, so, yeah, the pranksters struck what appeared to be gold because the proper protocols weren't in place. A woman has died because their joke was taken too far - end of. The 2 DJs both looked suitably horrified when they were interviewed yesterday and quite rightly so. I hope that the coroners inquest will establish the true situation on what happened with Nurse Saldhana and, if necessary, establish what went wrong with the protocols that her employers, The King Edward VII Hospital, should have had in place to prevent the error and that ultimately resulted in her death. Even if the incident wasn't the primary cause.

[Alanz]

I see in the News paper that the Radio station Management face a fine of up to £30,000 or even 5 years in Jail if convicted,Serves them right in my opinion they deserve all they get It might make other would be Pranksters think twice what they are doing or about to do

[Alanz]

just heard on News that Nurse was found Hanged

[Jack Remillard]

No real doubt then. Poor lady.

[Bouncy Castle]

Apparently, she was still alive when they found her, but they couldn't revive her.

The family of Jacintha Saldanha is to receive more than £300,000 from a memorial fund.

The nurse's husband and teenage children will be donated money generated from the advertising profits of Sydney station 2Day FM, whose presenters were behind the prank call.

In way of reparations, Southern Cross Austereo (SCA), the parent company of 2Day FM, said it would establish a memorial fund to benefit the nurse's family.

The company said a minimum contribution of around £320,000 would be made.

Rhys Holleran, SCA's chief executive, said: 'We are very sorry for what has happened. It is a terrible tragedy and our thoughts continue to be with the family.

'We hope that by contributing to a memorial fund we can help to provide the Saldanha family with the support they need at this very difficult time.

'The company today reiterates that it is deeply saddened by this tragic and unforeseen event and offers its condolences to the family of Jacintha Saldanha.'

SCA has also cancelled the station's Christmas party, planned for later this week, as it would be 'inappropriate' to go ahead with the event for Sydney staff, said a spokeswoman.

[Batty]

The nurse's husband and teenage children will be donated money generated from the advertising profits of Sydney station 2Day FM, whose presenters were behind the prank call.

As the station has stopped broadcasting all advertising, there won't be much revenue generated ...

Personally, if it was my mother that was killed after the station's 'prank', I wouldn't accept their condolences or their blood money, either.

[Alanz]

Aren't they allowed to start again on Thursday with all proceeds to go to the Family untill the end of the year with a minimum donation of half a Million Dollars I think i heard it somewhere

[Del]

Yeah and huge donations going to two depression charities here too.

Strange. I don't know how to take it.

I agree with what Jan saidnin her post about the hospital.

And I still hold that there is not ONE organisation to be held accountable here.

We are getting reports here about how newspapers in the UK are baying for the blood of these two young .DJ's. Well frankly they aren't dealing well with it as it is... it would be disgraceful if this witch hunt added more tragedy to this terrible business.

And I really have a problem with some of the gutter press getting holier than thou on this event after some of the disgusting things they publish.

[Alanz]

I think they are trying to sort that out in this country with the Lord Levesan inquiry, Wether they will or not remains to be seen

[Quatermass]

And I really have a problem with some of the gutter press getting holier than thou on this event after some of the disgusting things they publish.

Agreed.

And here's an imaginary phone call from Australian media to UK media.

*Ring ring*

"Hello, Pot? This is Kettle. You're black."

[Alanz]

Very true. They're all tarred with the same brush i think

[Quatermass]

I think the term is, "If it bleeds, it leads." An American term, I think, but it works well for many stripes of sensationalist journalism. But then again, humanity in general likes to see blood, as long as it ain't theirs.

[Alanz]

Totally agree withyou M8

[Jack Remillard]

We are getting reports here about how newspapers in the UK are baying for the blood of these two young .DJ's. Well frankly they aren't dealing well with it as it is... it would be disgraceful if this witch hunt added more tragedy to this terrible business.

Well, yes, I hope they can cope with it all...

But it was their idea, and if they were involved in the decision to broadcast it without getting permission because it was in the UK, then they share responsibility for stretching the rules there.

I was actually feeling a bit more sympathetic to them before I saw their interview. They didn't seem to accept that they had personally screwed up - it was all 'nobody could have anticipated this' kind of thing. They humiliated two nurses horribly in front of billions of people. That kind of humiliation can have consequences, which they discovered. This wasn't an inevitable consequence, but it was possible.

I accept that as two relatively thick skinned people from a culture where pranks are (apparently) considered normal, they might not have been able to understand how that kind of prank could hurt somebody, but that really was a failing on their part.

I suppose I can understand that they don't want to feel like it was their fault, as that kind of knowledge would be horrible, and they really do seem to be struggling to keep themselves together.

But yes, the hospital and the radio station management are just as responsible for this, you are absolutely right.

EDIT - And I do accept that it was probably not done with any real malice, it was a case of getting carried away doing something stupid and not properly considering the possible consequences. But it was a real screw up.

And anybody involved in the decision to broadcast it without consent deserves the book thrown at them.