A nurse, Jacintha Saldana, was found hanged in her apartment a few days after taking the call from DJs Michael Christian and Mel Grieg who had pretended to be the Queen and Prince Charles.
The prank call sparked international outrage against the Sydney-based broadcaster, 2Day FM, which had not gained consent from the nurses involved for their voices to be broadcast before airing the prank call recording.
A new programme, hosted by a different DJ, will fill its nightly slot but Southern Cross Austereo, which owns 2Day FM, said while Christian and Greig’s time slot had been replaced with a new show, the pair remained employed by the station, reports The Guardian.
“We look forward to Mel (Greig) and MC (Christian) returning to work when the time is right, in roles that make full use of their talents – we will discuss future roles with them when they are ready,” said Southern Cross Austereo chief executive Rhys Holleran.
The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA), which regulates commercial radio stations, launched an investigation into whether 2Day FM had breached the Commercial Radio Code of Practice. ACMA has the power to revoke the station’s licence or to impose conditions on how it operates.
Images via Getty / YouTube / Sky News
