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Why The Aussie Djs Should Or Should Not Be Punished
So be it, we are being monitored so I shall keep my mouth shut or else no doubt I shall eventually be sued.
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if they had left Kate alone, to be treated by her doctors, this wouldn't have happened. The hospital must have been livid no matter the jokey nature of the call. Perhaps some thought it funny, i didn't, as Naomi says practical jokes rarely are. To also make the suggestion that the poor woman in question may have other issues is a step too far seeing as how no one from the hospital staff has said that could be the case, nor the woman's family. If it turns out that she did have issues that made her take her own life, this may well have been the tipping point.
We do not know enough about the circumstances surrounding this death. We do not even know that it was suicide.
If it is later shown that the lady did commit suicide, and that this call did materially contribute to her decision to do so, then is the time to determine what sort of punishment should be handed out.
Certainly the radio station needs to examine its protocols. These particular DJs had already received 2 warnings, and calling a hospital and then broadcasting a discussion about the health status of a patient breaches all sorts of laws on privacy and data protection.
In general, I find practical jokes to be unfunny and in poor taste, especially prank phone calls, but having a rubbish sense of humour is not a good reason for losing your livelihood.
The level of abuse directed their way by the social media is hysterical overreaction, and undeserved.Another example of why mob justice is not something to be wished for.
If it is later shown that the lady did commit suicide, and that this call did materially contribute to her decision to do so, then is the time to determine what sort of punishment should be handed out.
Certainly the radio station needs to examine its protocols. These particular DJs had already received 2 warnings, and calling a hospital and then broadcasting a discussion about the health status of a patient breaches all sorts of laws on privacy and data protection.
In general, I find practical jokes to be unfunny and in poor taste, especially prank phone calls, but having a rubbish sense of humour is not a good reason for losing your livelihood.
The level of abuse directed their way by the social media is hysterical overreaction, and undeserved.Another example of why mob justice is not something to be wished for.
I've not heard of anyone "having a go" at this nurse who took the first call and passed it on - the hospital says it was "supportive" - however, we can't get away from the fact that this was a serious breach of patient confidentiality. If this had been an NHS hospital, this would be a serious untoward incident and would be under immediate investigation - you can't share patient information willynilly, certainly not to an unidentified person on the phone. However, it's nurse 2 who gave out the information, not nurse 1 - but it did say on the nurse that nurse 1 was of an anxious disposition (this is of course all hearsay) so she probably saw it as a dreadful error on her part. The radio station say there are no legal breaches but I believe it's illegal to record (and then broadcast) a telephone conversation without advising the participants (that's why we get a message that "this call may be recorded" when we ring companies).
In answer to the OP -yes they should be punished, this was a crass invasion of the Duchess' privacy - but apparently the radio station has a track record for this sort of thing. They've just lost a huge advertising contract on the back of this stupidity.
In answer to the OP -yes they should be punished, this was a crass invasion of the Duchess' privacy - but apparently the radio station has a track record for this sort of thing. They've just lost a huge advertising contract on the back of this stupidity.
LazyGun, this wasn't a practical joke; practical jokes are aimed at someone and with a desired outcome in mind.
This was a prank call, and the point with such calls is that the outcome is *never* precisely foreseeable. You just d it to see what will happen. So it's always open to perpetrators to claim they didn't know what was going to happen. Of course they didn't - but they went ahead with it anyway.
But actions do have consequences and it's not at all unfair to require people to take responsibility for them. On the contrary, it's one of the foundations of the way our society works.
The DJs agree with me on this, of course. Only yesterday they were boasting of their succeess. "A career highpoint", one of them called it. The station was still advertising it hours after the nurses's death was reported.
Well, if they're so happy to claim the credit when things go right, there's nothing wrong in saying they should take the blame when things go wrong. And the social media furore now is in porportion to the adulation they were getting yesterday - another consequence of their actions which they must face.
The station's claim that "it wasn't foreseeable" is self-serving, and a shameful attempt to blame the victim. So it's unforeseeable that if you humiliate someone in front of the whole world, they will feel sucidal? Well, if they couldn't foresee that they shouldn't have made the call.
This was a prank call, and the point with such calls is that the outcome is *never* precisely foreseeable. You just d it to see what will happen. So it's always open to perpetrators to claim they didn't know what was going to happen. Of course they didn't - but they went ahead with it anyway.
But actions do have consequences and it's not at all unfair to require people to take responsibility for them. On the contrary, it's one of the foundations of the way our society works.
The DJs agree with me on this, of course. Only yesterday they were boasting of their succeess. "A career highpoint", one of them called it. The station was still advertising it hours after the nurses's death was reported.
Well, if they're so happy to claim the credit when things go right, there's nothing wrong in saying they should take the blame when things go wrong. And the social media furore now is in porportion to the adulation they were getting yesterday - another consequence of their actions which they must face.
The station's claim that "it wasn't foreseeable" is self-serving, and a shameful attempt to blame the victim. So it's unforeseeable that if you humiliate someone in front of the whole world, they will feel sucidal? Well, if they couldn't foresee that they shouldn't have made the call.
// I imagine that she was immensely proud of working within the British Health Services and felt utterly humiliated when she discovered that she had been an unwitting stooge in this 'prank'; given the profile of the patient and the family involved.
Some things cut deeper with people than might be supposed.....and whilst suicide may seem a disproportionate response, it might be worth getting the full picture before rushing to judge.
The Aussie DJ's should be (and have been) censured for their juvenile 'prank'....and it would be nice to think that it may persuade other equally vacuous and publicity hungry wannabes from carrying out similar 'pranks' in the future.JTH //
Hear,hear JTH.
WR.
Some things cut deeper with people than might be supposed.....and whilst suicide may seem a disproportionate response, it might be worth getting the full picture before rushing to judge.
The Aussie DJ's should be (and have been) censured for their juvenile 'prank'....and it would be nice to think that it may persuade other equally vacuous and publicity hungry wannabes from carrying out similar 'pranks' in the future.JTH //
Hear,hear JTH.
WR.
I don't find it remotely funny, as said above, a gross invasion of privacy for a young lady going through a difficult time with her first pregnancy with the whole world watching - I anticipate we would not have heard anything about this pregnancy for a while had they had their own personal choice - just that due to her admission to hospital at such an early stage they had little option.
Suicide may not be forseeable as such but I see it as perfectly forseeable that someone would potentially get into a huge amount of trouble (private medical information being given out) or at least feel awful about what had happened - multiply that by it involving the future King and Queen of the country and the third in line to the throne, the hospital's prestige of being the hospital of choice for the Royals (so I've read), potential impact on other private patients who I anticipate pay a large amount of money for their care there and having the option to go elsewhere and the significant, probably worldwide, press coverage and media intrusion.
It also doesn't fit well with the recent criticisms of the press in their intrusion into people's private lives and doesn't set a great precedent for others trying their luck if just brushed off as a bit of a harmless laugh. Obviously given the tragic outcome that is unlikely to happen but that should not be an excuse for it not to be dealt with properly on a larger scale of things.
Suicide may not be forseeable as such but I see it as perfectly forseeable that someone would potentially get into a huge amount of trouble (private medical information being given out) or at least feel awful about what had happened - multiply that by it involving the future King and Queen of the country and the third in line to the throne, the hospital's prestige of being the hospital of choice for the Royals (so I've read), potential impact on other private patients who I anticipate pay a large amount of money for their care there and having the option to go elsewhere and the significant, probably worldwide, press coverage and media intrusion.
It also doesn't fit well with the recent criticisms of the press in their intrusion into people's private lives and doesn't set a great precedent for others trying their luck if just brushed off as a bit of a harmless laugh. Obviously given the tragic outcome that is unlikely to happen but that should not be an excuse for it not to be dealt with properly on a larger scale of things.
Unfortunately this was obviously the last straw for the nurse.
She must have had other problems in her life, I cant believe she did this purely over taking this call and whether she got a reprimand from her bosses or not.
Remember the Ross and Brand prank call to Andrew Sachs about what they claimed theyd done to his grandaughter ?
DJ's and others have been doing this kind of thing for years, some are hilarious some are downright embarassing,this one to the hospital, how would this one be classed if this sad event hadnt happened ?
you gotta luv the meedjia, theyre a law unto themselves.
theyll be claiming this call was in the public interest next
She must have had other problems in her life, I cant believe she did this purely over taking this call and whether she got a reprimand from her bosses or not.
Remember the Ross and Brand prank call to Andrew Sachs about what they claimed theyd done to his grandaughter ?
DJ's and others have been doing this kind of thing for years, some are hilarious some are downright embarassing,this one to the hospital, how would this one be classed if this sad event hadnt happened ?
you gotta luv the meedjia, theyre a law unto themselves.
theyll be claiming this call was in the public interest next
Let's also remember her husband and two children who must be devastated by the loss of their mother, in the midst of all this media furore http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2244608/Jacintha-Saldanha-Familys-grief-suicide-nurse-transferred-DJs-hoax-Kate-Middleton-hospital-call.html
LazyGun, you are quite right, of course; I did have something to that effect in my last post but must have deleted it when I got in a bit of tangle mid-post. I was writing about moral responsibility, not legal/medical. I beieve if you choose to hoax strangers you can't escape responsibility by claiming it's not your fault if they react in strange ways.
If the consequences of your actions are going to be "unforeseeable", don't take the actions.
If the consequences of your actions are going to be "unforeseeable", don't take the actions.
of course she had other issues!
i know people are saying she may not have, in order to 'defend' her in some way - as though the notion that she may have had problems is something to be ashamed of - but the fact is, normal, well adjusted and happy people do not kill themselves over a practical joke! - expecially one that actually doesnt seem that embarrassing for her in the scheme of things.
well adjusted happy people do not orphan their children, over embarrassment.
normal well adjusted and happy people do not widow their partners over feeling silly.
normal well adjusted people simply do not kill themselves because they got told off at work.
happy people do not kill themselves.
people do not kill themselves unless they simply cannot go on anymore and have reached rock bottom of the pits of depression etc.
i actually hope she did have other issues - because the idea of someone being pushed to kill themselves on a whim over something fairly petty is frankly bizarre - and a huge over reaction - and also very selfish and could possibly even be said to be petulant!
might sound harsg but if she was not driven to suicide through years of toment etc and this incident just tipped her over the edge, then it is beyond belief that she took her otherwise happy life - dont you think?
i know people are saying she may not have, in order to 'defend' her in some way - as though the notion that she may have had problems is something to be ashamed of - but the fact is, normal, well adjusted and happy people do not kill themselves over a practical joke! - expecially one that actually doesnt seem that embarrassing for her in the scheme of things.
well adjusted happy people do not orphan their children, over embarrassment.
normal well adjusted and happy people do not widow their partners over feeling silly.
normal well adjusted people simply do not kill themselves because they got told off at work.
happy people do not kill themselves.
people do not kill themselves unless they simply cannot go on anymore and have reached rock bottom of the pits of depression etc.
i actually hope she did have other issues - because the idea of someone being pushed to kill themselves on a whim over something fairly petty is frankly bizarre - and a huge over reaction - and also very selfish and could possibly even be said to be petulant!
might sound harsg but if she was not driven to suicide through years of toment etc and this incident just tipped her over the edge, then it is beyond belief that she took her otherwise happy life - dont you think?
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