FCC Warns Stations After Two High-Profile Hacks

The FCC has issued an urgent reminder about network security after hackers breached the audio chains of two U.S. radio stations within three days, broadcasting fake Emergency Alert System tones followed by a song with explicit racist lyrics.

The incidents hit:

• 97.5 KFNC(FM) in Mont Belvieu, Texas (ESPN Radio affiliate serving Houston)
• 89.7 WRIQ(FM) in Charles City, Virginia (NPR “Radio IQ” station serving Richmond)

Both stations were compromised because they were running on vulnerable backup systems. KFNC was using its backup transmitter site, while WRIQ’s backup audio source automatically activated after detecting silence.

In a public statement, the FCC’s Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau directly blamed “improperly secured Barix equipment” commonly used for studio-to-transmitter links (STL). The agency urged all broadcasters to immediately secure their networks and apply any available firmware updates to audio-over-IP devices.

The back-to-back breaches in November highlight a growing risk to broadcast infrastructure when stations rely on outdated or poorly protected backup pathways.