Jazz FM apologises for on-air 'incident'
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Tom Hourigan posted on Sunday 19th February 2012 at 00:03Jazz FM’s issued this apology on its website tonight after, according to several independent reports on Twitter, Funky Sensation ended up being replaced for around 6 minutes by explicit pornography following a hack into the station’s transmission.
Is there any kind of precedent in terms of Ofcom sanctions for this? Jazz described the situation as one ‘entirely beyond its control’ – but I wondered how much that might temper the punishment, if any, the station’s in for…
From the Twitter comments it looks like it was gay pornography, by the way. Goodness.
I think it’s interesting that this is an inside job, too – apparently: http://www.twitlonger.com/show/g08uub – rather than someone who’s actually managed to hijack the stream from outside.
Somebody on Twitter did ask whether there’d be an on-air apology shortly after it happened; here’s the response from the show’s host/station PC.
Got to feel sorry for him, really.
I think it’s interesting that this is an inside job, too – apparently: http://www.twitlonger.com/show/g08uub – rather than someone who’s actually managed to hijack the stream from outside.
It wouldn’t be the first time that has happened to a United Kingdom radio station. I’m sure there was a community radio station that broadcast a rival station for a while a few years back, because a disgruntled volunteer remotely accessed the transmitter.
I can confirm this was a result of unauthorised use of studio equipment. Access to Jazz FM’s Vauxhall studios are controlled by access cards and they are investigating the incident further.
Tom Hourigan asked:
Is there any kind of precedent in terms of Ofcom sanctions for this? Jazz described the situation as one ‘entirely beyond its control’ – but I wondered how much that might temper the punishment, if any, the station’s in for…
As Martin Steers said, it would depend on the circumstances – plus, of course, whether Ofcom receive any complaints.
Assuming they do Jazz FM would simply explain what happened, that it was “entirely beyond its control” and assure Ofcom that procedures have now been put in place to prevent a recurrence.
It will then be shown on the Broadcast Bulletin as ‘Resolved’ and no further action will be taken.
How Twitter saw it…
@laurenOreillyx: Sitting at dinner, dad puts JazzFM on, and over the top of the radio there are two men panting and making sexual noises.. Slightly awkward
kbbanks1:jazzfm what on earth is playing over your sky digital channel, I suggest you sort it out now. Disgusting
@CodenameHash Aah #JazzFM, doing what I always wanted to do to get sacked from a radio station. Still, nice to see the spirit of XS lives on #amateurhour
@Geoff_Hobbs They’ll have to rename it jizz fm #jazzfm
@NickAstronomer: #jazzfm live broadcast tonight at 19:15-19:20 on DAB could cost them their licence..the language and what was going on, was truly appalling
martinstarke: Best radio fail ever fromjazzfm tonight apparently. Massive whoops! #gayporn
@RadioVicky Woah. Naughty #JazzFm. Hijacked broadcast or genuine ‘mike open’ accident
@superwonderstar: Imagine how catastrophic it would have been if a porn channel were momentarily interrupted by hot jazz music. #jazzfm #justmakingthingsworse
michaelvittiLochieNelson @jazzfm Sadly I cannot [apologise] tonight as the programme is on tape – I will apologise next week, I am truly sorry
@TopHatton: Just received lovely interference from a couple having sex on the radio, Saturday nights with #JazzFM #srslywtf
findSanctuary Just heard some rather 'funky' sounds onjazzfm mmm yeah they were sex noises, don’t know what’s gone on there! :S
ISOkirst Oh dear oh dearjazzfm takes on a whole new meaning!! Hacked perhaps? What the heck???? #jazzfm
robbouk1ukCHRISDJMOYLES a heads up for you mate, jazzfm between 7 & 7.30 tonite, someone with an open radio mike, having a VERY intimate time on air!
mynameis_Jojomikbarton @jazzfm it was on my mums DAB so it was national.
mynameis_Jojojazzfm me and my mum are laughing so hard. I think you were hacked or something we’ve just heard gay sex noises on your station. #awkward
GeoffTidey Wtf is going onjazzfm. It’s just turned into a porno. #nice
superwonderstar Em...jazzfm – I’m not the only person hearing this, right? #jazzfm
What’s most concerning, frankly, is that there was no on-air apology “because the show was on tape”. It’s very simple – dial in to the playout system, put Skype or a telephone line live to air, and get apologising. (Given you’re broadcast out of WRN, one assumes there are people there 24/7 too). To not bother with changing your output is dereliction of duty gone mad…
The website’s been playing up a lot today. On one occassion I was getting this but it later fixed itself. Now upon trying to load the site ahead of cooking dinner, I first got the same screen as mentioned in my Tweet to James, and then a very slow loading version of the site, but with the title: Jazz FM | Sandbox | NOT for public use – Sandbox only. Have tweeted to @JazzFM, so hopefully it’ll be fixed soon.
The audio is online for those that might be interested..
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suppose it depends what actually happened, and what steps they took to regain control / resolve the issues..
I think the only parallel, wasnt there a station that got broken into and the studio “highjacked” for a while?