AAP
Australia's media regulator is in talks with radio station 2Day FM over the royal prank scandal, as the broadcaster launches an internal inquiry and shares in its parent company take a beating.
Two hosts of the Sydney station, posing as the Queen and Prince Charles, prank-called London's King Edward VII Hospital last week and obtained private information about the condition of the pregnant Duchess of Cambridge.
Nurse Jacintha Saldanha is believed to have taken her own life on Friday, three days after she answered the call from radio hosts Mel Greig and Michael Christian.
The case has triggered demands for tougher regulation of the electronic media in Australia.
The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) said on Monday it was "engaging with the station".
"We have not opened an investigation," a spokeswoman told AAP.
Rhys Holleran, CEO of station owner Southern Cross Austereo, said an internal review was under way as he revealed the hospital had been telephoned at least five times before the program went to air.
"We actually did attempt to contact those people on multiple occasions," he told Fairfax Radio.
"We rang them up to discuss what we had recorded."
Communications Minister Stephen Conroy said the ACMA was considering whether to initiate its own inquiry, beyond the usual process of giving broadcasters the opportunity to respond to complainants.
"There are provisions for them to take action directly themselves if it's felt it is serious and they are considering this," Senator Conroy told reporters in Sydney.
The decision on whether to proceed was up to the independent regulator.
"While the ACMA is gathering the facts and working through the process it would be unwise for me to comment," the minister said.
Mr Holleran denied the station had a cultural problem, despite on-air incidents involving another 2Day host Kyle Sandilands in recent years.
"I can only say the prank call is not unusual around the world," Mr Holleran said.
"I don't believe there is a cultural problem within 2Day FM."
Opposition Leader Tony Abbott said it was a "terrible tragedy" for all involved.
"It was a prank that went horribly wrong," he told reporters in Sydney.
"I think it is important to let the dust settle before we rush into demands for more media regulation."
In a video posted on the Austereo website, Mr Holleran said the company was deeply saddened by what had happened and was committed to helping any authorities wanting to investigate the matter.
"It's a tragic event and one that we could never have foreseen," he said.
On the Australian stock exchange, shares in Southern Cross fell 8.5 cents, or 7.7 per cent, to $1.02 in morning trade.
All advertising with 2Day was suspended on Saturday after Coles and Telstra pulled their ads.
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