The 1987 Max Headroom Broadcast Hack: Unsolved Cybercrime Mystery

On November 22, 1987, Chicago television stations WGN-TV and WTTW experienced unauthorized broadcasts by an individual wearing a Max Headroom mask. This incident remains one of the most notorious unsolved broadcast intrusions in television history

The Bizarre Broadcast

The Intrusions

• WGN-TV: At approximately 9:14 p.m., during the sports segment of The Nine O'Clock News, viewers' screens went black for about 15 seconds. Subsequently, an individual wearing a Max Headroom mask appeared, rocking erratically in front of a corrugated metal panel mimicking the character's background. The intrusion lasted about 30 seconds before engineers regained control by changing the frequency of the signal linking the broadcast studio to the station's transmitter atop the John Hancock Center.

• WTTW: Around 11:20 p.m., during an episode of Doctor Who, the same masked figure interrupted the broadcast. This time, the individual made a series of unrelated comments, including references to "nerds," WGN sportscaster Chuck Swirsky, and the "Catch the wave" slogan from a Coca-Cola campaign featuring Max Headroom. The broadcast concluded with the figure partially exposing his buttocks while an unidentified female figure spanked him with a flyswatter. This intrusion lasted approximately 90 seconds before normal programming resumed.

How Did They Do It?

During the analog era, television signals were susceptible to hijacking through methods such as:

• Transmitter Hijacking: Overpowering a station's broadcast signal with a stronger one, The perpetrator likely overpowered the stations' signals by transmitting a stronger microwave transmission to the broadcast towers, triggering a capture effect.

• Inside Knowledge: Speculation arose that the perpetrator had technical expertise, possibly from working within the broadcasting industry.

• Equipment Requirements: Executing such a stunt would have required equipment costing over $10,000—a significant investment for a prank in 1987.

Why Wasn’t It Solved?

• Pre-Digital Forensics: Limited tracking tools in the 1980s.
• No Motive: No ransom or political message—just chaos.
• Statute of Limitations: Expired in 1992, closing FBI’s case.

Think you can solve this 35-year-old mystery? Join the discussion on Reddit’s r/UnresolvedMysteries!