Radio Stunts & Hoaxes

April 1 - April Fools Day - has traditionally manifested itself as stunts and hoaxes through radio shows around the world. After all: What radio host can turn down an opportunity to get people talking about his or her show or station? Unfortunately, not all pranks have always turned out for the better. Below are some of the classic April...

People have done crazy things to win radio station contests. One woman even died a few years ago from water intoxication after participating in a contest in pursuit of a Nintendo Wii. Every person who enters a radio station contest has to initially decide what kind of trade-off they are willing accept. Sometimes, it's not really worth winning a...

In August, 2002 New York radio hosts Opie & Anthony became legendary for a radio stunt performed in St. Patrick's Cathedral by a man and woman who had sex on behalf of the radio show. Read more.

2007 was a relatively quiet year when it came to pranks, stunts, hoaxes, and contests mostly because of a contest tragedy which began the year and cast a shadow over much of the rest of it. After a woman in Sacramento, California, died from water intoxication after participating in a contest to win a Wii game console, the business took a step back. See other notables from the past year.

Radio shows and Radio stations are constantly conducting promotions, stunts, pranks, and hoaxes in the hopes of getting attention and raising ratings. This year, even one advertiser pushed the limits for attention. Here is just a sampling of the more interesting "high profile" moments from 2006.

Radio hoaxes are as old as Radio itself. Sometimes they have been intentionally perpetrated by DJs looking for more ratings and listeners. But, other times Radio has simply been the medium where they were innocently started by a single phone call or rumor. Here is a chronology of some classic Radio hoaxes 91ZM Tom Cruise Ian Stables.

DJs and Radio stations have a long history of pulling off stunts. They bring visibility to radio shows and help to raise the ratings. But, not all stunts go well. Here's a list from 2003 that certainly didn't.

A Lexington, Kentucky DJ is being sued by a listener who thought she won $100,000 in a radio contest only to find out the DJ was only prepared to award her 100 Grand candy bar.

On October 30, 1938, Orson Welles and the Mercury Theatre performed a radio play based on an H.G. Wells story entitled "War of the Worlds". The national broadcast caused panic and mass hysteria as listeners began to believe Martians had landed in New Jersey and were taking over the world. Here are links to the original audio and related resources.

One again April Fools Day came and DJs across the country - and the world - couldn't help but pull a few pranks to get attention. Here now are some highlights of this year's best (or maybe we should say worst) April Fools stunts from various radio show and stations. Details.

Two Miami, Florida Disc-Jockeys staged a prank phone call and masqueraded as the Dictator of Cuba, Fidel Castro. The man they were calling, Venezuela President, Hugo Chavez, fell for it. Yet, another entry into the Radio Hoax Hall of Fame.

Recently, at the Norwegian Quart Festival, Norweigan comedian/DJ, Kristopher Shau attached an engine to a dead pig and used it as a boat. Oh, and then, the next day, he doused it with gasoline and barbecued it. Not to mention the Enema competition. There's more....

A Romanian DJ seized his own radio station and threatened to jump off a balcony. Read more.

A Birmingham, England radio station has settled with a contestant who's buttocks was injured while sitting on dry ice during a radio stunt. More Details

A South African DJ was suspended for several days after airing a skit involving an interview with Jesus Christ. He says he was only trying to do a parody on "The Passion of The Christ". Full Story

Countless Radio shows this week fell for a Metallica hoax. A fake news story reported that a lawsuit had been filed by the heavy-metal veterans against a Canadian band because it was using the chords "E" a "F" in a Metallica-branded way. Well, plenty of Radio personalities jumped on the bogus press release and were taken for a ride. Usually, it's the people on the Radio who perpetrate the hoaxes

On the heels of the recent Radio hoax where two Miami DJs placed a phone call to the President of Venezuela and used sound bites to impersonate Cuban dictator, Fidel Castro, comes a new one from New Zealand. This time the DJ promised listeners a dream date with Tom Cruise. It was a lie.

Enrique Santos, one-half of the high-profile Miami morning show which made prank calls to Cuban dictator Fidel Castro and Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has decided to run for mayor of that city. Read more...

Later this week the worldwide sales embargo on the latest Harry Potter book will be lifted. As soon as "Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince" goes on sale, Australian radio station, 973FM will read J.K. Rowling's sixth book on the air in its entirety.