Radio Caroline breached Ofcom rules after mistakenly announcing King's death
Ofcom said the station aired three false obituary messages and waited about 30 minutes to correct them, breaching accuracy and correction rules.
- Media regulator Ofcom ruled that Radio Caroline breached broadcasting standards after the station mistakenly announced the death of His Majesty King Charles III during a live broadcast on Tuesday.
- During The Barry Marsh Show, a staff member played pre-recorded obituary files "out of curiosity," which accidentally activated the station's "Death of a Monarch" procedure intended for the King's eventual death.
- Listeners heard the national anthem followed by 16 minutes of silence on DAB+, while Radio Caroline took around 30 minutes to broadcast an apology describing the incident as a "very significant inaccuracy."
- Ofcom found the station in breach of rules 5.1 and 5.2, noting the presenter "panicked and left the premises" after realizing the error, compounding the delay in correcting the announcement.
- As a "100% volunteer-led" organization, Radio Caroline has reprimanded the staff member, removed the obituary files from its studio computer, and reminded all personnel of proper broadcasting procedures to prevent recurrence.
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