Police could not negotiate with an armed man for 54 minutes during a Melbourne siege while a journalist was on the telephone with the gunman, a coroner has been told.

In a real-life scenario with similarities to the famous Frontline satire, Nine News chief of staff Kate McGrath had a series of telephone conversations - which totalled more than an hour in duration - with Antonio Loguancio while he was holed up in a Glenroy bungalow on March 2, 2013.

Members of the Victoria Police Special Operations Group attend the standoff with Antonio Loguancio in 2013. Credit:Simon O'Dwyer

Loguancio, 40, a convicted rapist, fatally shot himself the next day, after a 43-hour stand-off with police.

Ms McGrath told the Coroners Court on Monday that Loguancio contacted her upset at his portrayal in the media, including use of the nickname "Mad Dog".