Virgin Radio Fined For Encouraging Harrassment

Virgin Radio has been fined £10,000 by the Radio Authority following an event on Chris Evans’ breakfast show in which the presenter incited the harassment, by the public, of a freelance photographer.

Evans, who owns the radio station, disclosed the mobile phone-number of the photographer and urged listeners to ring him up and harass him “until he goes toes up”. Apparently the photographer had been involved in a scuffle with Liam Gallagher, lead singer of Oasis and friend of Evans’. The photographer reported having received over 700 phone calls, some of them involving death threats, as a result of Evans’ actions.

The Radio Authority commented on the incident: “The Authority does not condone the behaviour of any photographers who invade privacy, but it has no jurisdiction over any such allegations. However, to broadcast personal details about someone without prior permission, and to urge harrassment, is a very serious matter. In this particular case, the members of the Authority considered that the broadcast amounted to an abuse of the airwaves. The Authority has made it clear to Virgin that a similar breach in the future would result in the imposition of even more severe sanctions.”

“We accept the Radio Authority’s decision,” was the only comment from Virgin Radio this morning.

Virgin Radio: 0171 434 1215