"Might as well.. JUMP!"

[Afghan Dave]

 :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1265863/Ofcom-slams-Steve-Penk-played-Van-Halens-Jump-woman-threatened-bridge-suicide.html

Radio DJ Steve Penk has been criticised for playing the Van Halen hit Jump as a woman threatened to leap off a bridge.

Broadcasting watchdog Ofcom ruled that the Oldham station The Revolution had breached editorial standards.

It received 57 complaints after Mr Penk played the song after receiving a text from a motorist stuck in traffic on the M60 because of the drama.

Mr Penk introduced the song with the words: 'Just get on with it.' He had also joked about setting up giant bouncy castles, mattresses and a trampoline below the woman.

Shortly after the record was played the 30-year-old woman leapt 30ft from the bridge. She suffered minor injuries.

The incident in January saw four lanes of the M60 closed for more than eight hours as police tried to talk her down.

Ofcom said: 'While some listeners may have been frustrated to be caught in traffic (and contacted the station), most would have been aware that in real time, as the programme was being aired, there was a woman considering suicide.'

The ruling also noted the words used by Mr Penk to  introduce the song 'would have compounded the potential offence'.

A spokesman for The Revolution told Ofcom: 'With the benefit of hindsight, Steve Penk accepts that it may have been  inappropriate to attempt to derive humour from a serious  incident which could, potentially, have ended in tragedy.'

But Mr Penk said he stood by his actions, adding: 'I've always been a firm believer in freedom of speech. I don't think Ofcom knew what to do with this. I think it's been bounced around all over the place.

'But the bottom line is that, with hindsight, perhaps you wouldn't have done it. I still stick by what I said, which is it wasn't done through any malice or to get a cheap laugh. It was done to empathise with those stuck in the traffic that morning.

'I knew whatever I said wasn't going to affect that woman. Will it change the way I broadcast? Absolutely not. Would I do it again? It's an interesting question and almost impossible to answer. I just don't know.'

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1265863/Ofcom-slams-Steve-Penk-played-Van-Halens-Jump-woman-threatened-bridge-suicide.html#ixzz0l4JVZU6Q

[Matt77]

I'm with Mr Penk on this one. My work journey took an hour and a half that day!
In work I sit about 200 yards from the bridge with my desk facing the window so it was a bit of light entertainment for my colleagues that had made it in.
At the time she said she fell off the bridge and wasn't trying to jump.

[shobet]

He should have played Jump by Derek and Clive. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ZEEgIti8sM

[hunter]

Whatever reason, if it makes radios play VH then I am fine with it   8)

[MrBump]

Whatever reason, if it makes radios play VH then I am fine with it   8)

+1