Radio Caroline faces regulator rebuke after falsely reporting monarch's demise
The offshore broadcaster Radio Caroline has been found in breach of UK media regulations following an erroneous announcement about the death of the King, with a formal correction d…
The offshore broadcaster Radio Caroline has been found
The offshore broadcaster Radio Caroline has been found in breach of UK media regulations following an erroneous announcement about the death of the King, with a formal correction delayed by half an hour after the mistake went out.
Ofcom, the communications watchdog, ruled that the station violated its broadcasting code after it transmitted the false information on the morning of the incident. The regulator's investigation highlighted that the station failed to take immediate steps to rectify the error, which could have caused significant public distress.
According to the official report, the erroneous statement aired during a live segment, and it took the station's team a full thirty minutes before they issued an on-air apology and correction. Ofcom noted that this delay fell short of the expected standard for handling such sensitive material, particularly given the gravity of the subject matter.
Radio Caroline, which began as a pirate radio
Radio Caroline, which began as a pirate radio service in the 1960s and now operates under a community license, acknowledged the breach in its response to the regulator. The station attributed the mistake to a technical miscommunication between staff members, but Ofcom maintained that robust internal protocols should have prevented the lapse.
The ruling serves as a reminder to all broadcasters of the critical importance of verifying information before publication, especially concerning the royal family. Ofcom's decision was published on its website, where it also confirmed that no financial penalty was imposed, but the station has been ordered to review its editorial procedures.
In a statement, a spokesperson for Radio Caroline expressed regret over the incident, saying the station "deeply apologises for any confusion and distress caused." The broadcaster has since implemented additional training for its team to ensure such an error does not recur.