Woman dies after water-drinking contest

[exile]

Whats that saying..."too much of a good thing is a bad thing". Its a shame how people can so ignorant and that this woman had to lose her life as a result of their ignorance.

Like tellner said, it doesnt matter what kind of waiver they have the lawyer will look at it and laugh and then tear the radio station apart piece by piece in the court room. Serves them right

B

KG, I hope with all my heart that that's how it plays out! This woman's life shouldn't be regarded as a used kleenex to be crumpled up and thrown away in the service of boosting the station's drive for ever-greater advertising revenue...

 

[Carol]

According to Reuters, a caller even brought up a story of a NoCal freshman pledge that died in a similar fashion:

http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/games/archives/2007/01/17/ten_sacked_in_wii_contest_tragedy.html

Very sad story.

 

[KempoGuy06]

KG, I hope with all my heart that that's how it plays out! This woman's life shouldn't be regarded as a used kleenex to be crumpled up and thrown away in the service of boosting the station's drive for ever-greater advertising revenue...

Absolutely. If there is any kind of justice out there these people should have to pay with their own lives because of what their stupidity has done to this woman and her children. But, alas there isnt a justice system like that. So my hopes and prayers go to the people representing the woman in hopes that they get the law to be a strict as it possibly can.

If anyone is following this closely please keep us updated.

B

 

[exile]

Absolutely. If there is any kind of justice out there these people should have to pay with their own lives because of what their stupidity has done to this woman and her children. But, alas there isnt a justice system like that. So my hopes and prayers go to the people representing the woman in hopes that they get the law to be a strict as it possibly can.

If anyone is following this closely please keep us updated.

B

Amen to that.

A lot of people in the media seem to regard the rest of the world as expenable cannon fodder for the entertainment industry. A TV studio or radio station can afford to throw enough $$ at an audience, many of whom are struggling to stay afloat, to get them to do demeaning or even dangerous things to have a chance at that brass ring. Talk shows have a particularly bad record in this regard, but it's much more general than that. I often find myself getting really impatent with, and critical of, people who buy into that sort of crap and put themselves in harm's way (or humiliation's way) to get a few extra (very transient!) bucks, but I try to remind myself that I'm not in their position and I don't know what I would choose to do or not do if I were... you can never tell; we hope we'd opt to keep our dignity and our safety even if, at the end of our tether, we were tempted, but.... ? The real issue, as I see it, is the disgusting cynicism of the tempters in these cases.

 

[Infinite]

Posted in a new thread but!

http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/01/18/radio.death.ap/index.html

More on that story justice is coming.

 

[exile]

Posted in a new thread but!

http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/01/18/radio.death.ap/index.html

More on that story justice is coming.

Let's hope so. The callousness of the SOBs they quoted is almost incomprehensible. OK, they lost their jobs, but there's a little kid without a mother out there now...

 

[KempoGuy06]

Let's hope so. The callousness of the SOBs they quoted is almost incomprehensible. OK, they lost their jobs, but there's a little kid without a mother out there now...

Yes lets hopes so. It is sick to imagine the conversation when those DJ's were joking about it. All I know is that those people are lucky that I dont get to decided their punishment. Remember there are things you can do to a person that is far worse than death. All of which might be to easy on them. God have mercy on cause no one else should.

B

 

[dubljay]

Well I'm surprised that it took this long for it to happen.

http://ngc.boomtown.net/en_uk/articles/art.view.php?id=13272

The lawsuit has been filed.

 

[KempoGuy06]

Well I'm surprised that it took this long for it to happen.

http://ngc.boomtown.net/en_uk/articles/art.view.php?id=13272

The lawsuit has been filed.

Good. Im wondering what will happen to them, obviously money, how much time will they get if any? Does anyone have any professional input on this?

B

 

[Carol]

Good. Im wondering what will happen to them, obviously money, how much time will they get if any? Does anyone have any professional input on this?

B

Time is only served if convicted on criminal charges. I don't see anywhere that criminal charges have been brought about in this case, only a civil lawsuit.

 

[BrandiJo]

Maybe i am missing something but why are we blaming the radio station? they did not hold a gun to her and make her drink. She was an adult and agreed to the game. Regardless of the risks she could have stepped out once she started filling ill, she could have used the restroom anytime. I guess she might not have been totaly informed but thats still her job to ask the right questions, IMHO
​

 

[Carol]

Maybe i am missing something but why are we blaming the radio station? they did not hold a gun to her and make her drink. She was an adult and agreed to the game. Regardless of the risks she could have stepped out once she started filling ill, she could have used the restroom anytime. I guess she might not have been totaly informed but thats still her job to ask the right questions, IMHO​

Because the mother is guilty of, at worst, having poor analytical skills.

OTOH, the radio station used FCC-licensed public airwaves to mass-promote a deadly stunt. By applying for an FCC license, the broadcaster agrees to take certain steps to protect the public from harm (such as EAS broadcasts, reports of storms or civil disorder, etc.) The radio station had a more wide-ranging resonsibility than the mother.

I'm sure the station will be hit with a serious fine from the FCC. I don't know when their license is up for renewal again but they will likely face some serious challenges for their renewal. The station owners may even face a landmark court challenge if there are some rigid complaints that their license was used for an "obscene broadcast".

 

[exile]

Because the mother is guilty of, at worst, having poor analytical skills.

OTOH, the radio station used FCC-licensed public airwaves to mass-promote a deadly stunt. By applying for an FCC license, the broadcaster agrees to take certain steps to protect the public from harm (such as EAS broadcasts, reports of storms or civil disorder, etc.) The radio station had a more wide-ranging resonsibility than the mother.

This is dead-on. Very few people are aware of what overconsumption of liquids can do; they've been told repeatedly, in fact, that they need to drink more water—at least 8 8-oz glasses a day. Exactly what percentage of even a well-informed sample of the poplulation is aware that that kind of `water binge' can kill you? It would be interesting to find out; my guess would be, a very small one. We're not talking here about having to warn people that hot coffee is hot and not to pour it on yourself!

By promoting an event which appeared to involve an inherently harmless activity, the station was in effect using its status as a quasi-public institution to vouch for the safety of the activity—no warnings, no cautions given, although the DJ and station directors who planned the event were aware that they were asking people to do something quite dangerous. They didn't have to hold a gun to her head to still be implicated in a criminally irresponsible action.

 

[KempoGuy06]

Time is only served if convicted on criminal charges. I don't see anywhere that criminal charges have been brought about in this case, only a civil lawsuit.

Could some criminal charges be charged? Im sure that some how they could get charged with manslaughter. Or something like negligent homicide, is that even real or am I mixing things up? Let me know.

B

 

[Carol]

Could some criminal charges be charged? Im sure that some how they could get charged with manslaughter. Or something like negligent homicide, is that even real or am I mixing things up? Let me know.

B

There isn't a clear-cut "they" in the situation though. They meaning the Morning Show folks that got sacked? They meaning the Program Director?

Most of the focus is going to be on the company's assets and how those assets can translate to settlement checks for the family and fine payments for the government. Prosecuting an individual radio schmuck or two may take away from that focus or even dilute the notion of who is responsble for what.

Tying down responsibility to an individual level in a way that a California jury will percieve as guilty beyond a reasonable doubt may not be so easy. There also isn't a clear-cut case in FCC law that I can see as to whether this can be prosecuted at the federal level either. That's not to say it won't happen...but I suspect there are a lot of powers watching to make sure that nothing interferes with the windfall checks that are likely to be written.

 

[KempoGuy06]

There isn't a clear-cut "they" in the situation though. They meaning the Morning Show folks that got sacked? They meaning the Program Director?

Most of the focus is going to be on the company's assets and how those assets can translate to settlement checks for the family and fine payments for the government. Prosecuting an individual radio schmuck or two may take away from that focus or even dilute the notion of who is responsble for what.

Tying down responsibility to an individual level in a way that a California jury will percieve as guilty beyond a reasonable doubt may not be so easy. There also isn't a clear-cut case in FCC law that I can see as to whether this can be prosecuted at the federal level either. That's not to say it won't happen...but I suspect there are a lot of powers watching to make sure that nothing interferes with the windfall checks that are likely to be written.

Oh. Very well explained.

B