Yahoo News Kate Prank Call Station 'Breached Licence'
Australia's media watchdog has found the radio station at the centre of a prank call targeting Prince William's pregnant wife Kate in breach of its broadcasting licence.
The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has been investigating the phone call made by Sydney radio station 2Day FM which led to the suicide of nurse Jacintha Saldanha who put the call through to the Duchess of Cambridge's ward.
The radio station has responded with legal action, taking ACMA to court arguing the watchdog does not have the power to say it broke the terms of its licence.
British nurse and mother-of-two Ms Saldanha took the hoax call from two DJs pretending to be Queen Elizabeth II and William's father Prince Charles, before passing it onto a colleague who divulged details of Kate's morning sickness.
The broadcast of the prank made global headlines and Ms Saldanha was found hanged three days later, triggering a major backlash against the radio network and the hosts.
The ACMA has spent six months investigating 2Day FM, examining whether the prank call breached its broadcasting licence and the commercial radio codes of practice.
Its preliminary findings have been put to the radio station for a response but 2Day FM is now trying to stop it going any further.
"In response to the ACMA's preliminary findings on this issue, 2Day FM applied to the Federal Court for orders restraining the ACMA from continuing the investigation and making a finding that 2Day FM breached that condition," the watchdog said in a statement.
"The ACMA intends to contest 2Day FM's application."
It is understood the ACMA has found 2Day FM in breach of the NSW Surveillance Devices Act.
The act states it is illegal to record and broadcast a phone conversation without the prior consent of the person on the other end of the call.
The radio station will argue in court only the police have the power to say it broke the law.
2Day FM, which earlier this month controversially named one of the DJs involved, Michael Christian, as its 'next top jock' , said in a statement: "The ACMA has no power to investigate whether the recording of a telephone call breaches State or Federal laws and the agencies which do have that power have not conducted an investigation or sought any information from 2Day FM.
"2Day FM also considers that the recording of the prank call did not breach any law."
Kate and William's baby, which will be third in line to the throne, is expected in mid-July.
On Saturday, the heavily-pregnant duchess made her last public appearance before giving birth, attending the Trooping the Colour military parade in London.
