The Max Headroom broadcast signal intrusion was a television signal hijacking that occurred in Chicago, Illinois, United States, on the evening of November 22, 1987, by an unknown man (or group of unknown individuals). It is an example of what is known in the television business as broadcast signal intrusion. The intruder was successful in interrupting two broadcast television stations within the course of three hours. After a brief and only partially successful attempt to break into the signal of intended target of WGN-TV, the signal pirates succeeded in getting their broadcast intruded onto WTTW during an episode of the Doctor Who serial Horror of Fang Rock. The pirate broadcast, which lasted 90 seconds and was pre-recorded on videotape, featured an individual disguised as television character Max Headroom parodying WGN and television in general. The incident made national headlines and the people responsible have never been identified.
