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| Royal hoax DJs tell of distress over death of nurse | Royal hoax DJs tell of distress over death of nurse |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The two DJs at the centre of the prank call to the hospital where the Duchess of Cambridge was staying have spoken for the first time since the tragic death of the nurse Jacintha Saldana. | |
| Teary and upset, Mel Greig and Michael Christian told of their distress upon hearing about Saldanha's death. | Teary and upset, Mel Greig and Michael Christian told of their distress upon hearing about Saldanha's death. |
| "(It was) the worst phone call I've ever had in my life," Greig told the Nine network's A Current Affair programme. | "(It was) the worst phone call I've ever had in my life," Greig told the Nine network's A Current Affair programme. |
| "I've thought about this a million times in my head and have wanted to reach out to them (the family of Saldanha) and just give them a big hug. I hope they're OK, I really do," said Greig. | "I've thought about this a million times in my head and have wanted to reach out to them (the family of Saldanha) and just give them a big hug. I hope they're OK, I really do," said Greig. |
| "I just hope that they get the love, the support and care that they need," said Christian. | "I just hope that they get the love, the support and care that they need," said Christian. |
| The two DJs spoke to the media for the first time since they went into hiding on Saturday. They gave interviews to Channel Nine and Channel Seven's main evening current affairs programmes, to be aired on Monday evening. | The two DJs spoke to the media for the first time since they went into hiding on Saturday. They gave interviews to Channel Nine and Channel Seven's main evening current affairs programmes, to be aired on Monday evening. |
| Christian told Channel Nine's Today Tonight he was "gutted, shattered, heartbroken". | |
| Greig said: "It doesn't seem real because you just couldn't foresee something like that happening from a prank call. You know it was never meant to go that far. It was meant to be a silly little prank that so many people have done before. This wasn't meant to happen." | Greig said: "It doesn't seem real because you just couldn't foresee something like that happening from a prank call. You know it was never meant to go that far. It was meant to be a silly little prank that so many people have done before. This wasn't meant to happen." |
| The DJs pulled out of a third interview they were scheduled to do for The Project, on the Ten network, because they were unwell, according to a spokesman for the TV channel. | The DJs pulled out of a third interview they were scheduled to do for The Project, on the Ten network, because they were unwell, according to a spokesman for the TV channel. |
| The host of the Nine programme, Tracey Grimshaw, earlier tweeted that the interview had not been paid for. It was "neither asked nor offered", she said. | The host of the Nine programme, Tracey Grimshaw, earlier tweeted that the interview had not been paid for. It was "neither asked nor offered", she said. |
| Grimshaw told Fairfax Media the prerecorded interview was "very intense" with a lot of people in the room including radio station staff and supporters. She said she felt sympathy for the DJs. | Grimshaw told Fairfax Media the prerecorded interview was "very intense" with a lot of people in the room including radio station staff and supporters. She said she felt sympathy for the DJs. |
| "They're at a certain point on the food chain. There are other people who made the decision to put it to air. It wasn't live to air. There was a decision made after that prank call was recorded to put it to air, and virtually all the focus has been on them," Grimshaw said. | "They're at a certain point on the food chain. There are other people who made the decision to put it to air. It wasn't live to air. There was a decision made after that prank call was recorded to put it to air, and virtually all the focus has been on them," Grimshaw said. |
| "We talked about the process of the prank call, how it came about, what happens after you record something like that, where are the checks and balances, what is the network's policy on prank calls, where do you draw the line," she addedd. | "We talked about the process of the prank call, how it came about, what happens after you record something like that, where are the checks and balances, what is the network's policy on prank calls, where do you draw the line," she addedd. |
| "We talked about their future and we talked about whether prank calls should be banned." | "We talked about their future and we talked about whether prank calls should be banned." |
| Southern Cross Austero Media said it had suspended advertising on 2Day FM until further notice, ended Greig and Christian's Hot 30 show and suspended prank calls across the company. The statement said attempts had been made to contact the hospital before the hoax was broadcast, adding that it believed no laws had been broken. | Southern Cross Austero Media said it had suspended advertising on 2Day FM until further notice, ended Greig and Christian's Hot 30 show and suspended prank calls across the company. The statement said attempts had been made to contact the hospital before the hoax was broadcast, adding that it believed no laws had been broken. |
| "Several attempts were made by the production team to discuss the segment with the hospital, but with no success. The segment was referred to an internal review process which included internal legal review and authorisation was granted to broadcast," the statement said. | "Several attempts were made by the production team to discuss the segment with the hospital, but with no success. The segment was referred to an internal review process which included internal legal review and authorisation was granted to broadcast," the statement said. |
| "The company does not consider that the broadcast of the segment has breached any relevant law, regulation or code. The company will fully co-operate with any investigations." | "The company does not consider that the broadcast of the segment has breached any relevant law, regulation or code. The company will fully co-operate with any investigations." |
| Rhys Holleran, CEO of Southern Cross Austereo, said the station attempted to contact King Edward VII hospital "no less than five times" before broadcasting the pre-recorded material. | Rhys Holleran, CEO of Southern Cross Austereo, said the station attempted to contact King Edward VII hospital "no less than five times" before broadcasting the pre-recorded material. |
| "It is absolutely true to say that we actually did attempt to contact those people on multiple occasions," Holleran said. "We rang them to discuss what we had recorded," he said, adding that this was done before the recorded prank went to air. | "It is absolutely true to say that we actually did attempt to contact those people on multiple occasions," Holleran said. "We rang them to discuss what we had recorded," he said, adding that this was done before the recorded prank went to air. |
| "Absolutely. We attempted to contact them on no less than five occasions. We wanted to speak to them about it," he said. | "Absolutely. We attempted to contact them on no less than five occasions. We wanted to speak to them about it," he said. |
| Holleran reiterated that he was "deeply saddened" by the tragic events that have unfolded since the call but again said no one could have reasonably foreseen the circumstances. He said the station was happy to co-operate with any investigation into the incident. | Holleran reiterated that he was "deeply saddened" by the tragic events that have unfolded since the call but again said no one could have reasonably foreseen the circumstances. He said the station was happy to co-operate with any investigation into the incident. |
| The industry-drawn-up Commercial Radio Codes of Practice and Guidelines state that a station must not broadcast the words of an identifiable person unless they have been informed in advance that the recording may go to air. If someone is unaware they are being recorded, the interviewee must grant consent for it to be played, prior to anything being broadcast. | The industry-drawn-up Commercial Radio Codes of Practice and Guidelines state that a station must not broadcast the words of an identifiable person unless they have been informed in advance that the recording may go to air. If someone is unaware they are being recorded, the interviewee must grant consent for it to be played, prior to anything being broadcast. |
| Shares in Southern Cross Austereo fell 7.7% in early trading on the Australian stock market before recovering slightly. | Shares in Southern Cross Austereo fell 7.7% in early trading on the Australian stock market before recovering slightly. |
| • For confidential support call the Samaritans on 08457 90 90 90 | • For confidential support call the Samaritans on 08457 90 90 90 |