Local DJ reacts to royal prank call

Posted: Dec 10, 2012 5:58 PM by Keli Moore, KSBY News
Updated: Dec 11, 2012 8:45 AM

Local DJ weighs in on Australian prank call

A Central Coast radio host recently had his own experience with controversy. Back in Oct. Q104.5's morning radio host Adam Montiel and a guest were joking around about over-the-top radio voices. The banter went on to an exaggerated reading of an actual obituary on air by his guest. By chance, a Central Coast listener was the son of the man's obit read.

"One thing that I have learned is that our broadcasts carry weight and people listen and people react. And we have been held accountable for the things that we have broadcast," said Adam Montiel.

Montiel took full responsibility, he was on unpaid leave for a week, and said he made amends.

"Thankfully grace prevailed and forgiveness prevailed and I was able to have a connection with the person and get on the same page as them," said Adam Montiel, DJ.

Reflecting on the recent DJ prank on the show 2Day FM in Sydney, Montiel said he may never understand how this situation ended in a death.

"I can only imagine that they are normal decent people and this will stay with them for ever," said Montiel.

He said beyond healing, there should be recuperations.

"In the end you are going to have to be responsible for what you broadcast," he explained.

Whether the Austrailian DJs get their show back, Adam said it won't bear the weight of knowing a woman took her own life.

"Because of this prank, however you look at it, directly or indirectly, a woman, a mother, a wife is longer here," said Montiel.

But he said something like this would never happen in the United States.

"In addition to the FCC and what our own laws say, if what happened in Australia happened here, you would have HIPPA laws as far as the hospital is concerned and I am sure that it is against the law to impersonate a government official," said Montiel.

Montiel's case is very different because he was ad-libbing, where in Australia the call was planned, pre-recorded, approved by management and then re-aired.

Police haven't yet determined how the nurse died, but it was widely assumed that it was related to her falling for the prank.