The FCC’s Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau has issued a cybersecurity alert to broadcasters following the November 23 hijacking of Gow Media’s ESPN 97.5 (KFNC) in Houston, where attackers broke into the station’s feed during live NFL coverage and aired racist audio. The station reported on X that its signal had been compromised and that engineers were working to correct the issue.
General Manager Todd Farquharson said the breach occurred after a power outage damaged transmission equipment at the tower site the previous day. Backup systems were activated, and investigators determined that hackers gained access through a vulnerability in the Barix device used as part of the auxiliary chain. Engineers were able to cut off the unauthorized stream and restore normal programming within an hour.
According to the FCC, this intrusion resembles a growing number of incidents in which compromised studio-transmitter links—often involving unsecured or outdated Barix hardware—allow attackers to redirect audio feeds. In similar cases, intruders have injected streams containing obscene material or simulated Emergency Alert System tones, raising both regulatory and public-safety concerns.
The Bureau urged broadcasters to take immediate protective steps, especially those using Barix equipment or other IP-based STL systems. Recommended actions include installing current software patches, upgrading firmware, replacing default passwords with strong credentials, and isolating remote access behind firewalls and VPNs. The advisory also emphasized continuous monitoring of EAS gear and checking audit logs for any signs of unauthorized access.
Stations were encouraged to work directly with manufacturers for security guidance and to report suspicious activity or confirmed breaches to the FCC Operations Center as well as the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center.
The Bureau stated that cybersecurity diligence is now a core operational responsibility for broadcasters, noting that the combination of IP-connected transmission paths and widely deployed Barix devices has created a target for attackers seeking to hijack on-air content.