When Pranks Go Too Far

[GreyWing]

All the more reason for people to start realising that there are some very fragile people out there with some genuine real life issues outside of what you know or can see.

Unfortunately as cold as it sounds, that is life. Some people will under-react to anything, others will over under-react to everything. Nobody has said Jeremy Beadle was sick for what he did, one of his victims could have ended their lives too. They didn't so it was funny.

These two did nothing different to any FM radio station over the years, including BBC Radio 1 we have all had a giggle at over the years.

The only difference here is the action of the victim... I would imagine it will come to light in a number of years that there was something in her personal life that contributed to this. Maybe her bosses were giving her a hard time etc, that isn't the DJ's fault.

It is sad but I really feel uneasy about the amount of abuse these two are getting.

 

[GreyWing]

"Celebrities" have a level of responsibility towards the public that follow them, look up to them or maybe even imitate them. If these "celebrities" can not handle this level of responsibility then they should not be doing the "job" they get paid vast sums of money in order to "entertain" the masses.

As a wise man once said; "With great power comes great responsibility."

I feel a little uneasy about an increasing population who seem devoid of a basic level of responsibility towards others.

They don't have the responsibility in my opinion. People who blindly follow celebs like they do the xfactor stuff need to take personal responsibility. But I don't think it was the case in this instance and it will probably turn out she had other issues in her life.

The media are hypocrites, only a few days ago there was the Brazilian stunts http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...ost-girl-lift-time-prank-features-COFFIN.html

Ask me which one is more likely to kill someone... it's the lift stuff, those people are truly terrified with an increased heart rate... and yet the media find that funny with no complaints.

These two are easy targets now and easy for people to blame. Well if they are going to blame them, blame the advertisers, blame the people that listen to the station....

 

[Edwin]

I don't think you can blame them to be honest, we have all laughed at these types of things.

No, "we" all haven't! It's basically a license for public bullying and humiliation - going back to the Beadles About days and earlier (much more extreme now, of course, to make any sort of impact in the Youtube culture we live in) and as such, a pretty despicable form of comedy.

 

[GreyWing]

If this person hadn't chosen this course of action, it would have been forgot about. What I am saying is that the outrage people are showing now, should have been shown 3 days ago. But it wasn't, that's why I think people are getting hypocritical about it.

But nobody said anything when a radio presenter got through Downing Street switchboard pretending to be William Hague... Nobody said anything then.

There has been plenty of opportunity for people to highlight this stuff over the years, I have never heard of anyone warning it was going to cause someone to commit suicide.

Now as I understand it, they should not have aired it without the consent of those involved (the victim). If that is true then it is a case for managers to answer.

I guess it's going to come down to individuals opinions on it... My background has always been one of almost brutal humour where nothing sticks. I know others have less of a thick skin and will see it differently.

 

[cc976a]

Hindsight is a wonderful thing. I hate the media, and hate what society has become as a result......but the two DJs didn't have any intention to humiliate - was a silly prank.

I was shocked when I heard and felt a lot of sympathy for the poor nurse who must have gone through a lot of pain, hurt, humiliation and embarrassment - and would assume shame.

I do wonder what was said from behind closed doors within the hospital from managers who could have disciplined or threatened all sorts. They deny of course (but no-one to counter this now). With such a premium well-to-do hospital could we be comfortable knowing she wasn't given such a dressing down internally over this?

I hate the way the media personally embarrass people. I hate the X Factors yearly bullying of the people that probably don't know what's being done to them when they bring the bad singers up on stage for a second time on the live final to humiliate them (WTF is up with society who sit and laugh at these poor people !!) - and I hate trial by media that can affect peoples live......

.....it's just I can't see this here. Take the example of Charlie whats-her-name who won celebrity get me out of here. That cheap stunt with her daughter was sickening and despicable . Whoever sanctioned that on the show should be disciplined. A sick stunt for entertainment.

To me though there wasn't any intention to humiliate or bully an individual in this instance.

Personally I can't understand the constant 'demand' for celebrity scoops and news. Who the f*ck cares what celebrity had what for breakfast two weeks ago etc...

I feel so sorry for this women and her family, but this this is more a silly prank that had seriously bad - but quite rare - consequences, rather than any intention to do or cause harm, humiliation or bullying.

 

[Bailey]

These two are easy targets now and easy for people to blame. Well if they are going to blame them, blame the advertisers, blame the people that listen to the station....

So, Well done Telstra and Coles for pulling their advertising budgets away from this radio station.

For those that aren't familiar with the Australian market. These are the two biggest players in retail and telecommunications in Australia, by a long mile

I won't hark on about this issue but those who believe it is similar to Jeremy Beadle type prank, really have a long way to go to understand the human and personal psyche.

I know the day that this recording was broadcast (And No, I hadn't listened to it) I said a little prayer for the nurses involved and no I'm not religious but I do understand our sense of personal accountability.

Lets also not forget those two idiot DJ's described the airing of the recording as the "Highlight of their careers" No mention of the obvious "Low-point" of the innocents then ?

 

[newguy]

It was a silly prank and by a radio station known to do things like this. Still, I do feel some sympathy for all involved because no-one would want an outcome like this to occur. That the poor woman took her own life is tragic beyond words.

 

[Bailey]

It was never unforeseen by many newguy. That it came to happen, then that's a Yes

 

[GreyWing]

It was never unforeseen by many newguy. That it came to happen, then that's a Yes

Well then those many people have been wrong for the last 40 years of FM radio, last 40 years of candid camera types films... All those millions of pranks and one suicide that we have heard of.

Being right one in 10 million times doesn't give some people the right to proclaim prophecy and direct policy though.

If people do want to hold these 2 to account then they are justified in my opinion on the child sex issue where they asked that 14 year old about having sex, the girl replied she'd been raped. Obviously they never knew about the rape but asking someone of that age those questions was completely wrong.

That to me was worthy of the sack and they shouldn't have been on the air afterwards.

 

[Aegean]

I think the use of the word 'prank' is what I don't agree with.

Radio stations ringing up a pizza place asking them if they "do liver" is a prank. Ringing up a hospital (as Dashu pointed out), where a member of the royal family has been admitted, pretending to be another member of the royal family, extracting medical information them broadcasting it - that isn't a 'prank' to me.

The whole thing was pre-recorded and, as it says on the BBC:

Lord Glenarthur said it was "truly appalling" that the call, in which Mrs Saldanha transfers the caller to the duchess' nurse believing it to be the Queen, was approved by radio management before broadcast.

 

[GreyWing]

I think the use of the word 'prank' is what I don't agree with.

Radio stations ringing up a pizza place asking them if they "do liver" is a prank. Ringing up a hospital (as Dashu pointed out), where a member of the royal family has been admitted, pretending to be another member of the royal family, extracting medical information them broadcasting it - that isn't a 'prank' to me.

The whole thing was pre-recorded and, as it says on the BBC:

Lord Glenarthur said it was "truly appalling" that the call, in which Mrs Saldanha transfers the caller to the duchess' nurse believing it to be the Queen, was approved by radio management before broadcast.

Your are right, publishing medical records and state of the patient was wrong, that should never have happened and I thought it was wrong when I heard it.

I think the presenters thought the prank would be getting found out by the person that answered the phone, having a bit of an argument with them before hanging up. I don't think they gave much thought about getting through to anyone.

After they did get through, I don't think there was much in good taste for the call to go. They stumbled through it and that was that. It should not have been aired once it got to lawyers and managers.

I just feel that is a million miles away from blaming two people for this death...

 

[GreyWing]

They don't have the responsibility in my opinion. People who blindly follow celebs like they do the xfactor stuff need to take personal responsibility. But I don't think it was the case in this instance and it will probably turn out she had other issues in her life.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...-Duchess-Cambridge-attempted-kill-before.html