View source for Vrillon broadcast

{{from wikipedia|Southern Television broadcast interruption}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2017}}
{{Infobox historical event
 |Event_Name   = Vrillon broadcast
 |Image_Name   = HanningtonTransmitter.jpg
 |Image_Caption = The Hannington transmitter in 2007, from where the broadcast signal was hijacked
 |AKA      =
 |Participants  = Unidentified 
 |Location    = Southern Television
 |Date      = 26 November 1977
 |Result     = Unsolved
 |URL      =
}}
The '''Vrillon broadcast''' was the first major [[w:wroadcast signal intrusion|broadcast interruption]] through the Hannington transmitter of the Independent Broadcasting Authority in the UK at 5:10&nbsp;p.m. on 26 November 1977. The mystery has never been solved.<ref name="barnett">{{cite web |last1=Barnett |first1=David |title=Vrillon: The alien voice hoax that became a legend |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/long_reads/vrillon-hacking-alien-voice-seventies-extra-terrestrial-hoax-unexplained-mysteries-a8069926.html |website=The Independent |publisher=The Independent |accessdate=18 June 2019}}</ref>

==Description==
On Saturday November 26th 1977, Southern TV's Andrew Gardner (newsreader) was presenting the  early-evening news. At 5:10PM the TV picture wobbled slightly, followed by a deep buzz. The news were replaced by a distorted voice delivering a message for almost six minutes.<ref name="barnett"> 

The broadcast took over the sound only, leaving the video signal unaltered, aside from some picture distortion.

The individual identified themselves as [[Vrillon]], a representative of the [[Ashtar Galactic Command]].<ref name=Vrillon>{{cite book
|last=Paulu
|first=Burton
|title=Television and radio in the United Kingdom
|publisher=University of Minnesota Press
|date=October 1981
|pages=179–180
|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_lv7awDml10C&pg=PA179&dq=Vrillon&lr=#v=onepage&q=Vrillon&f=false
|isbn=978-0-8166-0941-3}}</ref> or "[[Gillon]]", others "[[Asteron]]".<ref name=Collegian/><ref name=Independent>{{Citation
 | last = Sieveking
 | first = Paul
 | title = 100 Weird Years (see number 34)
 | newspaper = The Independent On Sunday
 | date = 26 December 1999
 | url = https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/100-weird-years-1134528.html
 | accessdate = 13 September 2009
}}</ref>

The interruption ceased shortly after the statement had been delivered, transmissions returning to normal shortly before the end of a ''Looney Tunes'' cartoon. Later in the evening, Southern Television apologised for what it described as "a breakthrough in sound" for some viewers. ITN also reported on the incident in its own late-evening Saturday bulletin.

==Transcript==

Speaking on British commercial radio on 6 December 1977,<ref>{{cite web |title=Bob Holness interviews John Whitmore |url=http://radio.bufvc.ac.uk/lbc/index.php/segment/0018800437019|date=6 December 1977|work=Space message on Southern TV |publisher=LBC Archive|accessdate=21 September 2009|quote=I'd first like to refer to the recording itself of the complete message, one thing that struck me was that there was in fact nothing threatening whatsoever on the tape, and I was aware that most of the newspaper reports said it was threatening and frightening and so on, and so forth, and I just want to point out that that's sort-of a projection of the fears onto the material itself rather than the reality.}}</ref> Sir John Whitmore also questioned newspaper reporting of the incident, referring to a recording of the complete broadcast which appeared to exist at the time.

A complete transcript of the message reads:<ref>2012 A Family Brief: ''The Science is all in'' By Robert L. Horton</ref>

{{quote|This is the voice of [[Vrillon]], a representative of the [[Ashtar Galactic Command]], speaking to you. For many years you have seen us as [[UFO|lights in the skies]]. We speak to you now in peace and wisdom as we have done to your brothers and sisters all over this, your planet Earth. We come to warn you of the destiny of your race and your world so that you may communicate to your fellow beings the course you must take to avoid the disaster which threatens your world, and the beings on our worlds around you.

This is in order that you may share in the great awakening, as the planet passes into the [[Age of Aquarius|New Age of Aquarius]]. The New Age can be a time of great peace and evolution for your race, but only if your rulers are made aware of the evil forces that can overshadow their judgments.

Be still now and listen, for your chance may not come again. All your weapons of evil must be removed. The time for conflict is now past and the race of which you are a part may proceed to the higher stages of its evolution if you show yourselves worthy to do this. You have but a short time to learn to live together in peace and goodwill. Small groups all over the planet are learning this, and exist to pass on the light of the dawning New Age to you all.

You are free to accept or reject their teachings, but only those who learn to live in peace will pass to the higher realms of spiritual evolution. Hear now the voice of [[Vrillon]], a representative of the [[Ashtar Galactic Command]], speaking to you. Be aware also that there are many false prophets and guides at present operating on your world. They will suck your [[energy]] from you – the energy you call ''money'' and will put it to evil ends and give you worthless dross in return.

Your [[higher self|inner divine self]] will protect you from this. You must learn to be sensitive to the voice within that can tell you what is truth, and what is confusion, chaos and untruth. Learn to listen to the voice of truth which is within you and you will lead yourselves onto the path of evolution. This is our message to our dear friends. We have watched you growing for many years as you too have watched our [[UFO|lights in your skies]].

You know now that we are here, and that there are more [[alien|beings]] on and around your Earth than your scientists admit. We are deeply concerned about you and your path towards the light and will do all we can to help you. Have no fear, seek only to know yourselves, and live in harmony with the ways of your planet Earth.

We of the [[Ashtar Galactic Command]] thank you for your attention. We are now leaving the [[plane|planes of your existence]]. May you be blessed by the supreme love and truth of the cosmos.}}

The Winter 1977 issue of ''[[Fortean Times]]'' (issue #24)<ref>{{cite book

|title=Diary of a Mad Planet: Fortean Times Issues 16–25
|publisher=John Brown Publishing Ltd
|date=1995
|url=https://www.google.com/books?id=06m7AAAACAAJ&dq=diary+of+a+mad+planet&ei=9X2uSvuDB5qEkASfoISXAw
|isbn=1-870021-25-8}}</ref> magazine featured a transcript of what they described as the 'short message' that was broadcast:

{{quote|This is the voice of [[Asteron]]. I am an authorised representative of the [[Intergalactic Mission]], and I have a message for the planet Earth. We are beginning to enter the [[Age of Aquarius|period of Aquarius]] and there are many corrections which have to be made by Earth people. All your weapons of evil must be destroyed. You have only a short time to learn to live together in peace. You must live in peace... or leave the galaxy.}}

==Explanation==
At that time, the Hannington [[w:Ultra High Frequency|UHF]] television transmitter was unusual in being one of the few main transmitters which rebroadcast an off-air signal received from another transmitter (the Independent Broadcasting Authority's Rowridge transmitter on the Isle of Wight), rather than being fed directly by a landline. As a consequence it was open to this kind of signal intrusion, as even a relatively low-powered transmission very close to the rebroadcast receiver could overwhelm its reception of the intended signal, resulting in the unauthorised transmission being amplified and rebroadcast across a far wider area. The Independent Broadcasting Authority stated to carry out a hoax would take "a considerable amount of technical know-how"<ref name=Guardian>"From outer space at short range", ''The Guardian'', 28 November 1977, p. 4.</ref> and a spokesman for Southern Television confirmed "A hoaxer jammed our transmitter in the wilds of North Hampshire by taking another transmitter very close to it."<ref name=Collegian>{{Citation
 | title = Galactic hoax startles viewers
 | newspaper = The Daily Collegian (Page 18)
 | date = 2 December 1977
 | url = http://digitalnewspapers.libraries.psu.edu/Olive/APA/collegian/sharedpages/SharedView.Page.aspx?sk=F2A1959A&href=DCG%2F1977%2F12%2F02&page=18
 | accessdate = 19 December 2016
}}</ref> The identity of the intruder was not discovered.{{Citation needed|date=February 2019}}

==Public and media response==
The incident caused some local alarm and attracted publicity. In the next day's Sunday newspapers,<ref name="Sunday Express">''Sunday Express'', 27 November 1977, p. 28.</ref> with the IBA announcing the broadcast was a hoax.<ref name="Los Angeles Times">"Mystery Voice Loses Its Loophole", ''Los Angeles Times'', 30 November 1977, p. B5.</ref> The IBA confirmed it was the first time such a hoax transmission had been made.<ref name="Times report">"Source of hoax space broadcast stays a mystery", ''The Times'', 28 November 1977, p. 2, col. E.</ref>

Hundreds of worried viewers flooded Southern Television with calls on Saturday night after a voice from outer space interrupted a routine news programme for more than six minutes.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/search/results/1977-11-28/1977-11-28?basicsearch=voice&somesearch=voice&exactsearch=false&retrievecountrycounts=false&sortorder=2 |accessdate=18 June 2019 |work=Birmingham Daily Post |date=28 November 1977|title=Mystery TV voice inquiry}}</ref>

Reports of the event carried worldwide<ref>{{Citation
 | title = Mysterious voice shakes up Britons
 | newspaper = Chicago Tribune
 | date = 30 November 1977
 | url = https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/chicagotribune/access/618290852.html?dids=618290852:618290852&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Nov+27%2C+1977&author=&pub=Chicago+Tribune&desc=Mysterious+voice+shakes+up+Britons&pqatl=google
 | accessdate = 13 September 2009
}}</ref><ref name=LATimes2>{{Citation
 | last = Smith
 | first = Jack
 | title = Every Bloke for 'Imself
 | newspaper = Los Angeles Times
 | date = 6 December 1977
 | url = https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/650232142.html?dids=650232142:650232142&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Dec+06%2C+1977&author=&pub=Los+Angeles+Times&desc=Every+Bloke+for+'Imself&pqatl=google
 | accessdate = 13 September 2009
}}</ref> with numerous American newspapers picking up the story from the UPI press agency.<ref name=Ellensburg>{{Citation
 | title = British Viewers Hear 'Message'
 | newspaper = Ellensburg Daily Record
 | date = 28 November 1977
 | url = https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=KgkQAAAAIBAJ&sjid=YY8DAAAAIBAJ&dq=&pg=5086%2C3662230
 | accessdate = 20 September 2009
}}</ref><ref name=RomeNewsTribune>{{Citation
 | title = Earth listeners receive 'special message'
 | newspaper = Rome News-Tribune
 | date = 28 November 1977
 | url = https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=S6AFAAAAIBAJ&sjid=BDMDAAAAIBAJ&dq=&pg=1860%2C4460747
 | accessdate = 20 September 2009
}}</ref>

The broadcast became a footnote in [[ufology]] as some chose to accept the supposed "alien" broadcast at face value, questioning the explanation of a transmitter hijack. Within two days of the incident's report in ''The Times'', a letter to the editor published on 30 November 1977 asked, "[How] can the IBA – or anyone else – be sure that the broadcast was a hoax?"<ref name="Times followup">"Fact or science fiction?", ''The Times'', 30 November 1977, Letters to the Editor, p. 17.</ref> The editorial board of one American local newspaper—the ''Eugene Register-Guard''—commented, "Nobody seemed to consider that 'Asteron' may have been for real."<ref name=Eugene>{{Citation
 | title = Pay Attention
 | newspaper = Eugene Register-Guard
 | date = 15 December 1977
 | url = https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=HccTAAAAIBAJ&sjid=L-ADAAAAIBAJ&dq=&pg=4519%2C4894437
 | accessdate = 20 September 2009
}}</ref> By as late as 1985, the story had entered [[urban folklore]], with suggestions there had never been any explanation of the broadcast.<ref name=CMletters>{{Citation|title=Galactic traveler issued a warning |newspaper=Columbia Missourian |page=4a |date=21 March 1985 |url=http://newspapers.umsystem.edu/default/Scripting/ArticleWin.asp?BaseHRef=CMN/1985/03/21&EntityId=Ar00403&Skin=Google&ViewMode=GIF |accessdate=20 September 2009 }}{{dead link|date=June 2016|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Captain Midnight broadcast]]
* [[Max Headroom broadcast]]

==References==
<references/>

[[Category:Forteana]]
[[Category:Ashtar Galactic Command]]