07 December 2008

Melbourne radio host found dead


Melbourne breakfast radio host Richard Marsland has been found dead.

Police said the 32-year-old Caulfield man's death is not thought to be suspicious.

Mr Marsland co-hosted on Triple M with Pete Helliar and Myf Warhurst after starting his radio career in Adelaide on the SAFM breakfast show with Greg Fleet, Marty Sheargold and James Brayshaw.

He also co-hosted a live, daily morning program AM Adelaide on Channel 7, Adelaide with the multiple-Logie award winning Anne Wills, and then hosted The Late Date Show nationally with Bessie Bardot on 2DayFM, 92.9 and FoxFM.

Austereo Melbourne general manager Ben Amarfio expressed the station's sadness at losing a talented and popular member of the Triple M team.

"Everyone he worked with was impressed with his professionalism and dedication and he had an extremely bright future ahead of him," Mr Amarfio said in a statement.

"We thought so highly of Richard that we were expanding his role in the show next year.

"Our thoughts are with his family and loved ones at this difficult time."

6 Dec 2008

Again we have a report, that does not mention the cause of death. Since there are apparently no suspicious circumstances, it therefore looks like a suicide.

If we have a moderately high profile figure, who's cause of death was suicide, for whatever reasons, depression etc, then the public should be made aware, and help offered to others, as it has been done in the past with other 'celebrities'.




1 comment:

tunnster said...

It is actually in the broadcasters code of practice to avoid reporting suicides, as it is known to cause copy cat suicides in the days after the reporting.

The more interesting part to this story is how Triple M in their press release said it was such a tragedy especially since they had just "promoted" Richards role with in the Breakfast Show.

Friends say he was angry on the Friday before the suicided, as Triple M had just told him the night before they had reduced his role in the show in 2009.

They leaked the story about his death before family and friends could find out privately as to media manage the story.