(Thumbnail image: Sacramento Press)
“She entered a radio contest hoping to win a video game system for her kids, several hours and almost two gallons of water later, she was dead. As Don Knapp shows us, the lethal contest has now produced a multi-million dollar judgment.” (CBS 5)
It was a radio stunt gone wrong. In 2007, a Sacramento radio station put on the water drinking contest called “Hold your Wee for a Wii." That contest left Jennifer Strange, a 28-year old mother of three, dead just hours later from acute water intoxication.
But recently, a jury found that the station was negligent in her death and awarded the surviving family over $16 million. We take a look at how media are reacting to the news, with perspectives from FOX News, Broadcast Blues TV, The Sacramento Bee, The Los Angeles Times and more.
First, FOX News’ contributor Dr Manny explains the threat of water intoxication.
“The amount of water you should drink varies from person to person, but it’s true. If you get too much you could suffer water intoxication. The healthy adult kidney processes 15 liters of water a day, but of you drink too much, too fast, eventually the kidneys will not be able to work fast enough to remove the water… And in extreme cases, lead to death.”
Broadcast Blues TV posted a clip from a documentary that talks about how the radio hosts neglected public concern.
“…During the show any number of people were calling in, and saying, look, this is a dangerous stunt, someone can die… The staff laughed this off…”
A Sacramento Bee editorial says the case is about more than just the financial settlement.
“It says so much about so many, including us… People do stupid things all the time. It's unavoidable. But when given a platform to act stupidly, it creates an opportunity for others to act in poor judgment. That's where we found ourselves in the case of Jennifer Strange.”
Other perspectives focus on personal accountability. In the case, the station claimed that Strange should have known the contest was dangerous. A comment on a Los Angeles Times story gives a related perspective.
“This is so foolish... This woman exhibited poor judgement and unfortunately died… It sounds like she engaged in dumb behaviour and that's the end of it... How is it the radio station's fault?”
Other perspectives highlight the effect this case will have on future radio stunts. The NBC affiliate in San Francisco KCRA3 provides more on this.
“Attorney Dreyer says this verdict will impact every radio station in the nation. If there is any potential people are going to be injured or of death they’re just not going to do it. They’re just not going to do it. To me, what stronger message can we possibly want than that?”
In San Diego, the CW affiliate San Diego 6 gives the perspective on how the case is perceived by other radio DJs who’ve run similar contests.
"We've had people riding in a grocery cart down steps. We've had people drink Tabasco sauce… Sometimes we overlook a little something but now - with this out - we will absolutely be a little bit more careful."
So do you think the ruling was fair, or should Jennifer Strange have known how dangerous the contest was? Will this make future radio contests safer?
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