As people in Chicago gathered around their TVs for the nightly news, sportscaster Dan Roan was reporting the day’s highlights when the screen suddenly went black. Seconds later, a new image appeared on the screen. There was no sound and viewers were no longer looking at Dan Roan. They were now looking at a strange figure in a rubber mask, sunglasses, a brown jacket, tie, and white shirt. Behind the figure was a corrugated metal sheet moving up and down giving the amateur effect of a 3D background. The figure moved erratically from side to side, back and forth, as if laughing hysterically. The lack of audio only added to the weird spectacle. It lasted for half a minute before station engineers were able to regain control of the broadcast. Two hours later their screens once again lost reception and turned black. The creepy masked figure took over the airwaves again. This time however, there was audio and what happened over the 90 seconds that followed is still described as one of the most bizarre television hacking crimes in broadcasting history.

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