Hijacked: The Max Headroom Broadcast Intrusion episode artwork

EPISODE · Jun 19, 2025 · 12 MIN

Hijacked: The Max Headroom Broadcast Intrusion

from The Shadow Frequency · host Matt Wilson

On November 22, 1987, something bizarre interrupted Chicago’s television airwaves. A masked figure—mimicking the digital persona Max Headroom—commandeered two separate TV broadcasts with cryptic, unsettling footage. Who was behind the intrusion? How did they pull off such a technically advanced stunt? And why has no one ever been caught? In this chilling episode, host Matt Wilson investigates one of broadcasting’s creepiest unsolved mysteries. Was it a prank, a protest, or something far stranger? Plus, Juniper Ravenwood shares your eerie theories and feedback in the Mailbag segment. Max Headroom signal hijack, 1987 broadcast interruption, TV hack, unsolved mystery, WGN-TV, WTTW Chicago, paranormal conspiracy, pirate broadcast, digital folklore

On November 22, 1987, something bizarre interrupted Chicago’s television airwaves. A masked figure—mimicking the digital persona Max Headroom—commandeered two separate TV broadcasts with cryptic, unsettling footage. Who was behind the intrusion? How did they pull off such a technically advanced stunt? And why has no one ever been caught? In this chilling episode, host Matt Wilson investigates one of broadcasting’s creepiest unsolved mysteries. Was it a prank, a protest, or something far stranger? Plus, Juniper Ravenwood shares your eerie theories and feedback in the Mailbag segment. Max Headroom signal hijack, 1987 broadcast interruption, TV hack, unsolved mystery, WGN-TV, WTTW Chicago, paranormal conspiracy, pirate broadcast, digital folklore

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Hijacked: The Max Headroom Broadcast Intrusion

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This episode was published on June 19, 2025.

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On November 22, 1987, something bizarre interrupted Chicago’s television airwaves. A masked figure—mimicking the digital persona Max Headroom—commandeered two separate TV broadcasts with cryptic, unsettling footage. Who was behind the intrusion? How...

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