10 Strange Unexplained Broadcasts
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VOICE OVER: Patrick Mealey
WRITTEN BY: Beca Dalimonte
It was probably aliens... Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the most bizarre broadcasts and TV interruptions that defy explanation! Our countdown includes zombie attack messages, a SuperBowl hijack, surprise bible verses and more!
Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the most bizarre broadcasts and TV interruptions that defy explanation! Have you ever witnessed a strange broadcast intrusion? Let us know in the comments!
Shortwave radio has been a useful tool in warzones, but it lacks a concrete method of moderation, and is relatively simple to use. This means that anyone could theoretically start their own station. One of the format’s mystery stations is UVB-76, also known as “The Buzzer,” which primarily transmits short buzzing sounds, not unlike the horn of a boat or truck. This is sometimes accompanied by the muffled sounds of conversation or even screaming! It would be pretty strange on its own, but seemingly random interruptions of Russian voices reading out callsigns make the station even more mysterious. It is thought that the signal may have ties to Russian military operations but, beyond that, its purpose is unknown.
In 1945, animator Friz Freleng created the easily irritable cowboy, Yosemite Sam, as a foil to Bugs Bunny. Little did he know that the character’s distinctive voice would be transmitted by a shortwave radio station sixty years later. Simply dubbed “Yosemite Sam,” the rumored station would crackle to life seven seconds after the start of an hour, playing an audio clip of the title character saying “Varmint, I'm a-gonna b-b-b-bloooow ya ta'smithereenies!". This was followed by a series of intensifying frequencies, which lasted two minutes. In 2005, two ham radio operators traced the transmission to a radio test site for a military contractor. However, after being spotted by a security guard, they abandoned their documentation efforts and fled. The broadcast ceased soon after and was never heard again.
In September 1987, audiences who tuned in to a screening of an adult film on the Playboy Channel were surprised when their scheduled programming was interrupted by a display of bible verses. The incident, which ironically happened on a Sunday, was ultimately pinned on a man named Thomas Haynie, who worked for the Christian Broadcasting Network. Although it seems like an open and shut case, Haynie has maintained his innocence throughout, and the network claims that the evidence against him is purely circumstantial. Professional broadcasters have even tried to recreate the hack using the religious station’s equipment to no avail. Which begs the question - who did interrupt the Playboy Channel’s broadcast that night?
Another radio broadcast, another strange and unexplainable noise. This XM station has been dubbed “The Backwards Music Station” by some, although it involves no actual music. We think its alternate title, “Whales” or “Whalesong,” feels a bit more accurate to the unsettling sounds it broadcasts across the airwaves. The station has no discernable schedule, often falling silent for lengthy periods before popping back up with the sounds of otherworldly feedback. Although one could believe these broadcasts to be “mistakes,” to do so would ignore the sheer amount of equipment and energy needed to transmit the sounds over such a wide area. Conspiracies abound about what the station’s purpose is, with many believing it to be a secret government signal.
While all mysterious radio signals can be unnerving, most can at least be traced back to Earthly locations. The ‘Wow! Signal,’ on the other hand, seems to come from the stars. The purportedly extraterrestrial transmission was recorded with a radio telescope at Ohio State University in 1977. But it was only after astronomer Jerry R. Ehman came across it that its anomalous nature was discovered. Ehman circled the recorded data and wrote “Wow!” beside it, giving the signal its charmingly simplistic name. Over the years, attempts have been made to hear and record the surprising sound again to no avail, adding to the signal’s mysterious nature. Could it really be once in a lifetime evidence of alien life?
The 43rd Super Bowl was a game for the ages; a competitive match-up between the Steelers and Cardinals that drew in more viewers than any Super Bowl before it. Unfortunately for some Arizonans, about thirty seconds of their team’s landmark game were interrupted by some unexpected adult content. Sure, it’s true that the Super Bowl has been known to run some pretty risqué ads in the past, but they all pale in comparison to the full frontal nudity seen by these select Tucson residents. In response to the hijack, Comcast ended up offering a $10 credit to each of the affected households - a hefty sum that reflected poorly on the accused culprit, Frank Gonzalez.
While most television hacks are short one-off events, Lucky 7 was a bit different. One of the first ever pirate TV stations, Lucky 7 broadcast for three nights in a row in 1978, taking over an inactive channel in Syracuse. Although the station’s host could be a bit disconcerting, wearing a gas mask to remain anonymous, the channel didn’t seem to have overtly nefarious motives. It simply aired shows like “Star Trek” and “The Twilight Zone,” as well as films that were unavailable on television at the time, such as “One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest.” Future entertainment was initially promised by the channel’s host but, after attracting national attention, Lucky 7 ultimately went off the air for good.
Three years after “The Walking Dead” began on AMC, residents of four U.S. states got a taste of what its characters may have experienced in the early days of infection. Hackers exploited the Emergency Alert System, interrupting local channels airing programs like “The Steve Wilkos Show” and “Barney & Friends” to relay a message about the dead rising from their graves. There’s a clear attempt to make the report sound official, with the voiceover maintaining a professional tone as it instructs viewers not to approach the supposed undead roaming the streets. Although reports claim that the people responsible were arrested, the same message would resurface on an Indiana radio station four years after the initial incident.
In 1938, a radio broadcast of “The War of the Worlds” inspired mass panic when listeners mistook the story for a real alien invasion. Almost forty years later, history would repeat itself…this time with an unplanned, smaller scale broadcast in southern England. Interrupting a news report, a speaker who called themself Vrillon (or “Gillon” or “Asteron,” depending on who you asked) addressed the ITN audience. They urged viewers to abandon their “weapons of evil” in preparation for the New Age of Aquarius. This new era would supposedly mark a period of human evolution as long as people learned to coexist peacefully. The unsettling transmission lasted almost six minutes, but no culprits - alien or otherwise - were ever found.
#10: UVB-76 / “The Buzzer”
Shortwave radio has been a useful tool in warzones, but it lacks a concrete method of moderation, and is relatively simple to use. This means that anyone could theoretically start their own station. One of the format’s mystery stations is UVB-76, also known as “The Buzzer,” which primarily transmits short buzzing sounds, not unlike the horn of a boat or truck. This is sometimes accompanied by the muffled sounds of conversation or even screaming! It would be pretty strange on its own, but seemingly random interruptions of Russian voices reading out callsigns make the station even more mysterious. It is thought that the signal may have ties to Russian military operations but, beyond that, its purpose is unknown.
#9: Yosemite Sam
In 1945, animator Friz Freleng created the easily irritable cowboy, Yosemite Sam, as a foil to Bugs Bunny. Little did he know that the character’s distinctive voice would be transmitted by a shortwave radio station sixty years later. Simply dubbed “Yosemite Sam,” the rumored station would crackle to life seven seconds after the start of an hour, playing an audio clip of the title character saying “Varmint, I'm a-gonna b-b-b-bloooow ya ta'smithereenies!". This was followed by a series of intensifying frequencies, which lasted two minutes. In 2005, two ham radio operators traced the transmission to a radio test site for a military contractor. However, after being spotted by a security guard, they abandoned their documentation efforts and fled. The broadcast ceased soon after and was never heard again.
#8: Bible Verses on The Playboy Channel
In September 1987, audiences who tuned in to a screening of an adult film on the Playboy Channel were surprised when their scheduled programming was interrupted by a display of bible verses. The incident, which ironically happened on a Sunday, was ultimately pinned on a man named Thomas Haynie, who worked for the Christian Broadcasting Network. Although it seems like an open and shut case, Haynie has maintained his innocence throughout, and the network claims that the evidence against him is purely circumstantial. Professional broadcasters have even tried to recreate the hack using the religious station’s equipment to no avail. Which begs the question - who did interrupt the Playboy Channel’s broadcast that night?
#7: The Backward Music Station / "Whales"
Another radio broadcast, another strange and unexplainable noise. This XM station has been dubbed “The Backwards Music Station” by some, although it involves no actual music. We think its alternate title, “Whales” or “Whalesong,” feels a bit more accurate to the unsettling sounds it broadcasts across the airwaves. The station has no discernable schedule, often falling silent for lengthy periods before popping back up with the sounds of otherworldly feedback. Although one could believe these broadcasts to be “mistakes,” to do so would ignore the sheer amount of equipment and energy needed to transmit the sounds over such a wide area. Conspiracies abound about what the station’s purpose is, with many believing it to be a secret government signal.
#6: Wow! Signal
While all mysterious radio signals can be unnerving, most can at least be traced back to Earthly locations. The ‘Wow! Signal,’ on the other hand, seems to come from the stars. The purportedly extraterrestrial transmission was recorded with a radio telescope at Ohio State University in 1977. But it was only after astronomer Jerry R. Ehman came across it that its anomalous nature was discovered. Ehman circled the recorded data and wrote “Wow!” beside it, giving the signal its charmingly simplistic name. Over the years, attempts have been made to hear and record the surprising sound again to no avail, adding to the signal’s mysterious nature. Could it really be once in a lifetime evidence of alien life?
#5: Salacious Super Bowl Hijack
The 43rd Super Bowl was a game for the ages; a competitive match-up between the Steelers and Cardinals that drew in more viewers than any Super Bowl before it. Unfortunately for some Arizonans, about thirty seconds of their team’s landmark game were interrupted by some unexpected adult content. Sure, it’s true that the Super Bowl has been known to run some pretty risqué ads in the past, but they all pale in comparison to the full frontal nudity seen by these select Tucson residents. In response to the hijack, Comcast ended up offering a $10 credit to each of the affected households - a hefty sum that reflected poorly on the accused culprit, Frank Gonzalez.
#4: Lucky 7
While most television hacks are short one-off events, Lucky 7 was a bit different. One of the first ever pirate TV stations, Lucky 7 broadcast for three nights in a row in 1978, taking over an inactive channel in Syracuse. Although the station’s host could be a bit disconcerting, wearing a gas mask to remain anonymous, the channel didn’t seem to have overtly nefarious motives. It simply aired shows like “Star Trek” and “The Twilight Zone,” as well as films that were unavailable on television at the time, such as “One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest.” Future entertainment was initially promised by the channel’s host but, after attracting national attention, Lucky 7 ultimately went off the air for good.
#3: Zombie Apocalypse Message
Three years after “The Walking Dead” began on AMC, residents of four U.S. states got a taste of what its characters may have experienced in the early days of infection. Hackers exploited the Emergency Alert System, interrupting local channels airing programs like “The Steve Wilkos Show” and “Barney & Friends” to relay a message about the dead rising from their graves. There’s a clear attempt to make the report sound official, with the voiceover maintaining a professional tone as it instructs viewers not to approach the supposed undead roaming the streets. Although reports claim that the people responsible were arrested, the same message would resurface on an Indiana radio station four years after the initial incident.
#2: 1977 Southern Television Broadcast Interruption
In 1938, a radio broadcast of “The War of the Worlds” inspired mass panic when listeners mistook the story for a real alien invasion. Almost forty years later, history would repeat itself…this time with an unplanned, smaller scale broadcast in southern England. Interrupting a news report, a speaker who called themself Vrillon (or “Gillon” or “Asteron,” depending on who you asked) addressed the ITN audience. They urged viewers to abandon their “weapons of evil” in preparation for the New Age of Aquarius. This new era would supposedly mark a period of human evolution as long as people learned to coexist peacefully. The unsettling transmission lasted almost six minutes, but no culprits - alien or otherwise - were ever found.
#1: The Max Headroom Intrusion
One of television’s strangest broadcast intrusions is also, naturally, one of its most interesting. On November 22, 1987, residents of Chicago, Illinois experienced two separate signal hijackings by a figure dressed as satirical television host, Max Headroom. The first was an unsettling twenty second long broadcast of Headroom bouncing around the screen, accompanied by a buzzing static sound. Two hours later, he resurfaced, this time interrupting a broadcast of “Doctor Who.” He spoke with distorted audio, spouting catchphrases and humming the “Clutch Cargo” theme song. The longer he was allowed to speak, the more bizarre the content became. After about 90 seconds, the interruption ended and normal programming resumed. To this day, the identities of the hijackers remain unknown.