Ofcom Rules Radio Caroline Broke Broadcasting Rules by Accidentally Announcing the King's Death

Ofcom has ruled that Radio Caroline breached broadcasting rules after the station mistakenly announced the death of King Charles III during a live programme on 19 May.

Three pre-recorded announcements declaring that the King had died were broadcast during the Barry Marsh Show, according to Royal Central. The false announcements stated that the "news media" had confirmed King Charles's death. They were followed by the national anthem and 16 minutes of silence on the station's DAB+ digital service. Listeners to the AM service heard back-up music instead. A correction and apology went out roughly 30 minutes later.

The cause was human error of an unusual kind. A staff member carrying out maintenance accessed pre-recorded obituary files — material broadcasters prepare in advance for the death of a public figure — and played them, in the station's own account, "out of curiosity." The files cut off the presenter's remotely streamed programme. Radio Caroline said the presenter did not initially realise the show had gone off air because they were broadcasting remotely. The station director became aware after hearing continuous music rather than the scheduled programme while monitoring the AM output.

The staff member who played the obituary files realised what had happened and stopped the broadcast, then reportedly panicked and left the premises. That person was subsequently reprimanded.

Ofcom, the UK's communications regulator, ruled that the incident breached two broadcasting rules: Rule 5.1, which requires broadcasters to report news with due accuracy, and Rule 5.2, which requires significant mistakes to be corrected quickly. Ofcom described the announcement of the King's death as a "very significant inaccuracy" concerning a matter of "very high public interest" Royal Central.

Radio Caroline broadcast an apology attributing the incident to a "technical issue." The station told Ofcom it took the matter "very seriously" and acted "as soon as possible." It has since removed the obituary files from the studio desktop. Radio Caroline also told the regulator that only two complaints were received and stressed that it is a "100% volunteer-led" operation without the resources available to larger broadcasters.

The station's history adds a layer of colour to an already striking incident. Radio Caroline was founded in 1964 as an offshore pirate radio station broadcasting from ships in international waters. It continued broadcasting from a ship for decades until it was shipwrecked off the Kent coast in 1991. Today it broadcasts with operations based off the north-east Essex coast.

Ofcom may impose a sanction on a broadcaster if it considers that the broadcaster has seriously, deliberately, repeatedly or recklessly breached one of its requirements, according to the Ofcom broadcast standards guidance. Whether a sanction will follow in this case has not been announced.