Southern Cross Austereo (SCA) has suspended all prank calls and terminated its Hot 30 show, as furore continues to surround the tragic death of British nurse Jacintha Saldanha following 2DayFM's now infamous royal prank.
The radio network's recent prank call to King Edward VII hospital, which saw local hosts Michael Christian and Mel Grieg impersonate Queen Elizabeth and Prince Charles, descended into a global tragedy after the nurse and mother who transferred the call - Jacintha Saldanha - was found dead in the days following.
In addition to suspending all advertising on 2DayFM after major sponsors such as Coles pulled its sponsorship, SCA has issued a company-wide suspension of all prank calls and terminated its iconic 'Hot 30' radio show.
It has also said that its hosts Michael Christian and Mel Grieg will not return to air until further notice, and that it is undergoing a "comprehensive review" of its company policies and processes.
SCA chief executive officer Rhys Holleran said: “First and foremost we would like to express our deep and sincere condolences to the family of Jacintha Saldanha for their loss. We are very sorry for what has happened.
"As a leading commercial radio broadcaster, we must ensure that our internal processes and protocols are robust.
"We don’t claim to be perfect and we always strive to do better. We have initiated a detailed and rigorous review of our policies and procedures to inform any improvements we can make.
“We are also providing support to our people who are deeply saddened by this tragic and unforseen event.”
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