Radio Caroline aired false reports of the King's death due to a staff error, leading to an Ofcom ruling regarding broadcasting accuracy.

Radio Caroline has been found in breach of broadcasting rules after mistakenly airing three pre-recorded announcements claiming King Charles III had died. The incident occurred on 19 May during the Barry Marsh Show, resulting in a period of silence on DAB+ and the broadcast of back-up music on AM frequencies. A correction and apology were issued by the station 30 minutes later.

Cause of the broadcast error

The false announcements were triggered when a staff member performing maintenance accessed pre-recorded obituary files intended for use in the event of the King's death. Ofcom reported that the files were played out of curiosity, which interrupted the presenter's remote stream. The staff member involved reportedly panicked and left the premises after realizing the error.

Ofcom ruling and station response

Ofcom ruled that the station breached Rule 5.1, which mandates due accuracy in news, and Rule 5.2, which requires significant errors to be corrected promptly. The watchdog described the incident as a very significant inaccuracy regarding a matter of high public interest. Radio Caroline stated that it is a volunteer-led station and that the staff member responsible has been reprimanded. Additionally, the station has moved the obituary files from the studio desktop to prevent future occurrences.