Global Radio's Galaxy station in Manchester has been found to have been in breach of media regulator OfCom's rules when it accidentally broadcast a conversation between two unknown staff members, one of whom could be heard saying "...I reckon every spacker in Manchester could go to Toys R Us, meanwhile I'm having to walk fucking miles with me kids in the rain".
The conversation somehow got on to the tape of pre-recorded edition of the station's Rob Ellis show, and was aired during Saturday afternoon. An apology was made the following week but OfCom argued that was too little too late. It said the comments broadcast would be "very offensive to most people", and that the apology should have been more specific as to what was being apologised for, and should have been aired as soon as possible after the offending conversation was broadcast.
Galaxy bosses, while accepting the remarks should never have been broadcast, argued that it was hard to issue immediate apologies on pre-recorded shows, but OfCom said that trained staff should be onsite when pre-recorded programmes are being aired who can interrupt said programmes if required and "ensure full compliance with [Ofcom's broadcasting] code".