What Not To Say On Air: Volume Two

((HT: edsbs.com/Jackson Clarion-Ledger))

Didn't we just go through this in Des Moines...?

Blakeney Communications has issued an apology over a sexually explicit and racist conversation between several of its employees that was broadcast Saturday during the University of Southern Mississippi's spring football game.

The conversation, lasting more than 30 minutes, occurred during a WXRR-104.5 FM webcast of the game, available at the All Access CBS Sports Web site. It was not heard on the radio station itself, according to the apology.

The conversation included graphic discussions of various sexual acts and other sexual banter, as well as a racially offensive description of another college.

"Blakeney Communications Inc. apologizes to the University of Southern Mississippi, ISP (Internet Service Provider) and Southern Miss fans for a technical error which inadvertently resulted in a private conversation by Rock 104 employees being sent out over the Internet instead of the Internet webcast of the Southern Miss Spring Football Game," the apology read.

"The employees were not aware that their conversation was accidentally being picked up by a live microphone and could be heard by Southern Miss fans who were trying to listen to the webcast of the game."

The USM athletic Web site has published a copy of the apology.

Fewer than 50 people heard the live webcast, according to Southern Miss athletic director Richard Giannini. The broadcast was only available to subscribers who pay $9.95 per month.
Larry Blakeney, owner of Blakeney Communications in Laurel, said those participating in the conversation were part-time employees and college students.

"They have been pulled off all Southern Miss broadcast and production," he said.

He would not comment further.

Giannini called the broadcast "an unfortunate incident," saying he has exchanged e-mails with Blakeney Communications about it. Blakeney representatives explained to him that the conversation was broadcast because of a wiring malfunction stemming from a new telephone system.

As to why the conversation lasted so long, Giannini said there was no way for either the radio station or the university to know it was occurring.

"You would have had to have been listening to the webcast," he said.

Rock 104 has broadcast Southern Miss football games for about 10 years, Giannini said. It has streamed the games online for five years without incident.

"They have been a very good partner to us over the years," he said.
Giannini said he isn't worried about negative fallout for Southern Miss.

"You're always worried about negative perception, but it reflects poorly on Blakeney Communications. We had no control over this," he said.

Giannini said he planned to discuss the issue more today with Blakeney officials. He would not elaborate.

Here's the segment in question... quite NSFW...

Classic radio if ever there was classic radio...