marsden_online (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
marsden_online) wrote2012-12-08 08:02 am
marsden_online) wrote2012-12-08 08:02 am
The cost of cheap laughs
Duchess of Cambridge hoax call nurse found dead (BBC)
A London nurse at the centre of a royal phone prank by Australian radio presenters has been found dead (Herald)
Nurse who took Middleton prank call found dead (Stuff)
Something which the BBC article reports which the others do not (at time of typing*) is that this was apparently not the nurse who gave information to the presenters.
This backs up my personal theory that the nurse who did give out the information was answering a line which she had every reason to expect had already been vetted.
* [edit: The Herald story has been updated with a more comprehensive version]
* [edit: the Stuff article has eventually been updated, although that fairly important information is relegated to a small paragraph well down the page nearly obscured by an ad]
~~~
While I'm very glad that none of my friends on assorted social-media had the poor taste to share the link to the call my workmates did begin playing it and I immediately had to leave the office and go for a walk. My thoughts then were that this was going to cost the nurse who gave out the information at least one of her
- reputation
- job
- career
- self confidence
all because a couple of jerks with a phone number and an audience wanted to score some points.
(Spare a thought for that nurse at this time because what she is going through just got that much worse.)
It seems that was not a long enough view of the consequences :( I am confident the radio presenters and their manager had no thought of the possible consequences for anyone but themselves and this is an extreme but perfect example of why I absolutely loathe prank situations, especially when perpetuated by the media. In part because the perpetrators feel free to do so knowing they will not suffer the consequences. That I think is a societal issue and I'm glad to see (also only reported in the BBC version) that a public backlash does seem to be occurring - but that will only do any long term good if it is directed against the whole culture of radio station shock jocks and prank calls (and further) rather than just this one incident. Sadly I do not think this incident will bring about any change.
~~~
The death is being treated as a suspected suicide. I personally think it could easily have been an accidental overdose of medication prescribed to help her cope or a heart attack brought on by the stress - but these and other possible explanations in no way reduce the tragedy of the situation. Props to the Herald for including this at the end of their article
A London nurse at the centre of a royal phone prank by Australian radio presenters has been found dead (Herald)
Nurse who took Middleton prank call found dead (Stuff)
Something which the BBC article reports which the others do not (at time of typing*) is that this was apparently not the nurse who gave information to the presenters.
BBC royal correspondent Peter Hunt said he understood Mrs Saldanha - who was staying in hospital accommodation close to King Edward VII hospital - was the person who answered the call from the Australian DJs and was not the nurse who discussed the duchess's medical condition.
Mel Greig and Michael Christian had said they were "very sorry if we've caused any issues"
Mrs Saldanha, a duty nurse who was married with two children, answered the telephone because it was 05:30 GMT and there was no receptionist on duty.
The BBC understands Mrs Saldanha had not been suspended or disciplined by the hospital.
This backs up my personal theory that the nurse who did give out the information was answering a line which she had every reason to expect had already been vetted.
* [edit: The Herald story has been updated with a more comprehensive version]
* [edit: the Stuff article has eventually been updated, although that fairly important information is relegated to a small paragraph well down the page nearly obscured by an ad]
~~~
While I'm very glad that none of my friends on assorted social-media had the poor taste to share the link to the call my workmates did begin playing it and I immediately had to leave the office and go for a walk. My thoughts then were that this was going to cost the nurse who gave out the information at least one of her
- reputation
- job
- career
- self confidence
all because a couple of jerks with a phone number and an audience wanted to score some points.
(Spare a thought for that nurse at this time because what she is going through just got that much worse.)
It seems that was not a long enough view of the consequences :( I am confident the radio presenters and their manager had no thought of the possible consequences for anyone but themselves and this is an extreme but perfect example of why I absolutely loathe prank situations, especially when perpetuated by the media. In part because the perpetrators feel free to do so knowing they will not suffer the consequences. That I think is a societal issue and I'm glad to see (also only reported in the BBC version) that a public backlash does seem to be occurring - but that will only do any long term good if it is directed against the whole culture of radio station shock jocks and prank calls (and further) rather than just this one incident. Sadly I do not think this incident will bring about any change.
~~~
The death is being treated as a suspected suicide. I personally think it could easily have been an accidental overdose of medication prescribed to help her cope or a heart attack brought on by the stress - but these and other possible explanations in no way reduce the tragedy of the situation. Props to the Herald for including this at the end of their article
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