UK's Ofcom says Essex radio station breached rules after false King Charles death alert

LONDON — Britain's media regulator Ofcom has found Essex-based Caroline Radio in breach of broadcasting rules after the station aired an on-air announcement in May incorrectly stating that King Charles had died. Following the message, which said the station was suspending regular programming "due to the passing of His Majesty King Charles" until further notice, the British national anthem was played and the station remained silent on air for about 16 minutes. The presenter later apologized, saying the alert was untrue and had been caused by a technical fault. Ofcom's investigation found that a worker maintaining a studio computer had accessed pre-recorded audio files out of curiosity and inadvertently aired them during a live broadcast. When the worker realized what had happened, the files were stopped and the individual left the building in a panic. The regulator said the station violated rules requiring accuracy and impartiality in news, as well as the requirement to correct on-air errors promptly. The apology and correction came roughly 30 minutes after the false announcement, a delay Ofcom attributed to the presenter broadcasting remotely. Caroline Radio said the files were protected by strict instructions to the presenter and management, that the worker had ignored those instructions, and that the staff member involved had since been reprimanded and accepted the station's apology. The station added that the files had been removed from the computer desktop and that correct procedures had been reiterated across the team. No further regulatory action was detailed in the ruling.