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Part Two

May 7, 2001

“Lou Reed is Dead”

In a twist on hoaxes, Radio stations were fooled into thinking that Rock pionner, Lou Reed, was dead. It was an email hoax which circulated and was accepted for real. Many Radio stations simply broadcast the hoax as fact.

April 1, 2002

“Robert Mugabe Assassinated”

South African DJ, Nigel Pierce, from “Radio Good Hope”, told his listeners that President Robert Mugabe had been shot dead in Zimbabwe. The subsequent listener outrage and shock led to Pierce being suspended for this hoax report, which was supposed to be an April Fool's joke.

June 23, 2000

Bill Fox's Britney Spears Appearance

Bill Fox, a DJ at WBHT-FM in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, told his listeners that Britney Spears, the teen idol of pop music, was going to appear at the Radio station. Hundreds of listeners and fans showed up. But, when a limousine arrived, somebody got out holding a Britney Spears doll. The Associated Press reported that someone on the scene quoted Fox as saying, “"See, I told you she was a real doll to work with." People were visibly upset; kids were crying and parents were outraged.

November 20, 1998

“The Worthless $20 Bill“

When the government changed the look of the $20 dollar bill, Radio personalities in more than 12 states aired false broadcasts that the old $20 dollar bills would be worthless. Thousands of listeners panicked and placed calls to stations, banks, the government and other businesses and agencies.

According to “USA Today”, the erroneous reports began airing on September 20, four days prior to the debut of the new $20 dollars bills. It began when Ron Olson and Steve Conley at WMC-FM in Memphis, received a call from an anonymous listener who stated the bills would lose their value.

April 1, 1992

“Richard Nixon For President”

On April Fools Day, 1992, John Hockenberry on National Public Radio's “Talk of the Nation” program, pulled off a classic hoax. He enlisted the help of comedian Rich Little who impersonated the voice of Richard Nixon. Hockenberry announced that Nixon had decided to run for President again and aired the Rich Little-created audio clips to lend creedence to his claim. In one clip, Little as Nixon said, "I never did anything wrong, and I won't do it again." Hockenberry then asked real guests for their astute, political analysis. Listeners were outraged and phoned NPR in masses to express this. Hockenberry disclosed the ruse later that day in his program.

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