17 January 2007
Entercom Listener Contest Gone Awry, Sacramento, KDND, Jennifer Strange Death
TEN CANNED
After Listener's Death, Who's Being Held Accountable?
*** Major update below: homicide investigation opened! ***
In the wake of a now- infamous listener contest that left a young Sacramento mother dead, Entercom has fired ten staffers, including the KDND morning hosts who were present during the contest.
Given the severity of what occurred during this dangerous water- drinking contest, why have these sackings hit the lowest levels of the company? Why aren't upper- level managers accountable for Jennifer Strange's death?And how about a personal apology from CEO David Field? Aren't Entercom's leaders ultimately responsible for properly overseeing their stations?
Compounding Entercom's rapidly accelerating public relations disaster are new revelations that KDND's morning jocks were well aware of the risks of this kind of contest. From Sacramento's Channel 13:
DJs Talk About Water Intoxication Risk On Tape
Steve Large Reporting
(CBS) SACRAMENTO A warning about the danger of water intoxication and even a prediction of death. It appears the DJ's involved in a fatal radio contest were well aware of the risks of drinking too much water during a contest in which listeners drank large amounts of water.A mother of three died after the contest on the Sacrament morning radio show. CBS13 obtained a recording of the contest as it aired on 107.9 The End last Friday. CBS13's Steve Large listened to the four hour recording and reports on what went on.
"Can't you get water poisoning and like die?" Those words spoken by a 107.9 DJ before the water drinking contest even started. The question was dismissed.
Now 28-year-old Jennifer Strange is dead. The runner up in the contest died of water intoxication hours after it ended.
Donnie Logsdon was one of the 18 people the water drinking contest to win a Nintendo Wii game cosole. Now he's hearing the contest as it went over the air for the first time. "Shocked...I feel sick right now," Logsdon told CBS13 after listening to the show.
During the contest, a listener - self-identified as a nurse - called the live radio broadcast and warned that the game was dangerous.
"I want to say that those people drinking all that water can get sick and die from water intoxication," said the caller.
"Yeah, we're aware of that," replied a DJ. "They signed releases so we're not responsible, okay?"
Logsdon tells KOVR-TV news that they didn't hear that on-air warning in the room where he and the others were filling up way beyond comfort.
"Maybe she would have walked away," says Logsdon. "But we didn't hear that inside there."
For Entercom, it's clear this controversy isn't going to fade anytime soon. How soon will they recognize the serious damage this has done to their company's image and make high- level changes?
UPDATE - According to the Sacramento Bee, sheriff's deputies have now opened a homicide investigation:
Sheriff will review radio show death
By Christina Jewett - Bee Staff Writer
Last Updated 12:39 pm PST Wednesday, January 17, 2007
Sacramento Sheriff John McGinness, alarmed by audio recordings obtained by The Bee of the radio show contest that may have led to the death of 28-year-old Jennifer Lea Strange, has directed homicide detectives to look into whether a crime was committed during the water-drinking contest sponsored by the "Morning Rave" show on The End radio station (KDND, 107.9).
McGinness has said previously that he did not believe a criminal case is warranted because Strange took part in the contest of her own free will. However, after The Bee obtained a recording of the four-hour, 40-minute radio show that showed radio hosts discussing the possible dangers of the contest on air the sheriff said he believes a closer look is warranted and that his detectives will investigate. McGinness said there is the potential for a manslaughter charge if investigators find radio hosts did not render aid to Strange. McGinnis said he is meeting with District Attorney Jan Scully's office, also.