None of the individuals responsible for the intrusion have been identified, although some people believe that the message could have originated from an alien race. The IBA confirmed that it was the first time such transmission had been made. The intrusion did not entirely affect the video signal but replaced the program audio with a six-minute speech about the destiny of the human race and a disaster to affect 'your world and the beings on other worlds around you'. On November 26, 1977, an audio message, purporting to come from outer space and conveyed by an individual named ‘Vrillon’ of the ‘ Ashtar Galactic Command’, was broadcast during an ITN news bulletin on Southern Television in the United Kingdom. Main article: Southern Television broadcast interruption

Īs a cable television operator connects itself in the signal path between individual stations and the system's subscribers, broadcasters have fallen victim to signal tampering on cable systems on multiple occasions.

Other methods that have been used in North America to intrude on legal broadcasts include breaking into the transmitter area and splicing audio directly into the feed.

All that is required is an FM transmitter that can overpower the same frequency as the station being rebroadcast. Hijacking incidents have involved local TV and radio stations as well as cable and national networks.Īlthough television, cable and satellite broadcast signal intrusions tend to receive more media coverage, radio station intrusions are more frequent, as many simply rebroadcast a signal received from another radio station. For unauthorized broadcasting in general, see Pirate broadcasting.Ī broadcast signal intrusion is the hijacking of broadcast signals of radio, television stations, cable television broadcast feeds or satellite signals without permission nor license. 'Broadcast signal piracy' redirects here.

Max headroom pirate