Michael Jackson death hoax upsets fans

LOCAL DISC JOCKEY SCARES SOME MICHAEL JACKSON FANS. THE D-J REPORTED THAT THE KING OF POP HAD DIED OF A DRUG OVERDOSE. IT WAS A JOKE — BUT NOT EVERYBODY’S LAUGHING. CRIS ORNELAS IS HERE WITH WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING ABOUT THE HOAX. HERE IN OUR NEWSROOM WE GOT A FLOOD OF CALLS FROM PEOPLE WANTING TO KNOW IF IT WAS TRUE AND ASKING WHY WE WEREN'T REPORTING THE DEATH OF A MUSIC ICON. THE SHORT ANSWER IS WE didn't REPORT IT BECAUSE IT didn't HAPPEN. THE HOAX HAPPENED YESTERDAY ON 97.7 THE WILD. ITS A RHYTHM AND BLUES STATION OWNED BY AMERICAN GENERAL MEDIA. A DJ REPORTED ON THE AIR THAT THE 50 YEAR OLD MOON WALKER HAD DIED FROM AN OVERDOSE. WE LEFT A MESSAGE WITH THE PROGRAM DIRECTOR BUT HE NEVER CALLED US BACK. A MAN WHO ANSWERED THE PHONE AT THE STATION AS WELL AS SEVERAL VIEWERS CONFIRM THE PRANK. 5:56 'i think its pretty cold if its not true if they are just spreading that as a rumor' 4:19 'it seems pretty irresponsible reporting'7:54-8:02 'its not really funny to play around with things like that someone's life or if they are deceased or not' WHEN IT HIT THE AIRWAVES LATE YESTERDAY AFTERNOON MANY HARDCORE MICHAEL JACKSON FANS WERE DISTRAUGHT. 6:21 'i would never take it as true just because i heard it on the radio i would certainly try and verify it and see if it were true'ONE MAN WROTE US AN EMAIL SAYING IT WAS A TASTELESS JOKE THAT UPSET A LOT OF PEOPLE. THE DJ WHO PULLED THE STUNT HAS REPORTEDLY BEEN REPRIMANDED. 8:03 'it doesn't seem like that big of a deal because you know with celebrities people are always making up stories' 6:48 'i don't think anything should happen to them i think they should find something better to do' WE DID SOME DIGGING AND FOUND WHAT MIGHT BE THE beginning OF THE RUMOR TURNED PRANK. A JACKSON BIOGRAPHER TOLD BRITISH NEWSPAPERS YESTERDAY THAT JACKSON WAS SERIOUSLY ILL... JACKSON'S SPOKESPERSON SAYS THE SINGER IS IN FINE HEALTH.