In 1952 and 1961 respectively, both the Robertson Panel and Brookings Report indirectly used the panic created by Orson Welles' 1938 American radio broadcast as a reason for keeping the extra-terrestrial reality unacknowledged. In England a smaller scale panic was created amongst the TV watching public when a broadcast was hi-jacked but we can be sure the episode created far wider alarm to the broadcasting industry. At just after 5pm on November 26th 1977 a series of transmitters covering the old Southern Independent TV region (London, the South East and South Coast) were temporarily hijacked and an audio message played out over the end of prime-time evening news. The fact the newscaster continued to present underneath the monologue and the failure of network technicians to either terminate the hijacker or shut-down the network as a whole demonstrates this was totally unexpected and no amateur effort. Whilst a few other similar methods of exposure on radio networks have taken place in the UK and globally, most were small in scale and eventually either admitted to or traced to situationist type media pranksters.

The voice was metallic in tone and washed in and out during the 5 minutes required to impart its full content. A surreal series of distortions, cartoon clips and pulsating echoes accompanied the transmission - with the original newscast continuing yet far below the regular volume. 'Vrillion' claimed to represent the Ashtar Galactic Command - an ET collective who's name has cropped up since the 1950s. Although the method employed was novel, the content was much a long the lines we've come to expect when encountering an initial contact situation: a warning for the human species about diverting disaster, eradicating WMDs and false prophets. The transcript and and MP3 audio is below.

Whilst the alleged Ashtar transmission was almost clichéd (but of course highly valid in sentiment) amongst the many similar ET warnings we've encountered in the post-Roswell era - the issue is whether it was an easily provable hoax or not. In the pre-internet era of the 1980s, some of us on the alternative media or "zine" circuit were aware of the episode and it was occasionally the topic of articles and group discussion. To my knowledge no-one has ever found a valid, terrestrial explanation for the event and we could well expect it is one that the government and media authorities have attempted to brush from public memory. The usual explanations cropped up, mostly surrounding the likelihood of some disgruntled broadcast technician or group of prankster students. The fact remains though that knocking out a series of powerful transmitters and remaining on air for more than a few seconds is no mean feat -  even going back to the era of pre-digital, UHF transmission methods. We assume that in the late 70s as today - protocol exists for not only preventing this type of event but certainly shutting down such efforts almost immediately they start but this didn't happen: instead the newsreader continued calmly unaware and the Vrillion's voice was allowed to complete his broadcast.

If we assume for one moment that the event was extra-terrestrial in nature -  would it be the sort of attempt a galactive collective would use to send a message to our species? As with all events of this nature, we need to be aware of the complexity of players who could gain from such exposure: is it a straight-up prank? a test-run for a Project Bluebeam type false flag event? or a 'true' message with good intention behind it?

Although overriding the transmitters of a fair chunk of England is a substantial logistical effort to ourselves would a techologically ahead ET race decide to select one TV transmission region and not all of them? We'd assume that a global or at least national broadcast would be a more effective aim unless this was some test effort using a smaller area so the results could be monitored. The line from the transmission which states: 'We speak to you now in peace and wisdom as we have done to your brothers and sisters all over this, your planet Earth.' could suggest that this episode was part of a wider or ongoing process maybe with shifting methods of communication and broadcast. It's feasible that some prime-directive oriented alien intelligences are aware of the Orson Welles broadcasts and the ramifications this had not only for the US population members who were frozen in fear but more importantly for the clamp-down on off-planet disclosure efforts which gradually followed the Welles event, trickling down the decades resulting in the mass denial and misinformation the exopolitical community are still attempting to clear today.

"Vrillion's" message:

This is the voice of Vrillon, a representative of the Ashtar Galactic Command, speaking to you. For many years you have seen us as lights in the skies. We speak to you now in peace and wisdom as we have done to your brothers and sisters all over this, your planet Earth.

We come to warn you of the destiny of your race and your world so that you may communicate to your fellow beings the course you must take to avoid the disaster which threatens your world, and the beings on our worlds around you. This is in order that you may share in the great awakening, as the planet passes into the New Age of Aquarius. The New Age can be a time of great peace and evolution for your race, but only if your rulers are made aware of the evil forces that can overshadow their judgements.

Be still now and listen, for your chance may not come again.

All your weapons of evil must be removed. The time for conflict is now past and the race of which you are a part may proceed to the higher stages of its evolution if you show yourselves worthy to do this. You have but a short time to learn to live together in peace and goodwill.

Small groups all over the planet are learning this, and exist to pass on the light of the dawning New Age to you all. You are free to accept or reject their teachings, but only those who learn to live in peace will pass to the higher realms of spiritual evolution.

Hear now the voice of  Vrillon, a representative of the Ashtar Galactic Command, speaking to you. Be aware also that there are many false prophets and guides operating in your world. They will suck your energy from you - the energy you call money and will put it to evil ends and give you worthless dross in return.

Your inner divine self will protect you from this. You must learn to be sensitive to the voice within that can tell you what is truth, and what is confusion, chaos and untruth. Learn to listen to the voice of truth which is within you and you will lead yourselves onto the path of evolution. This is our message to our dear friends. We have watched you growing for many years as you too have watched our lights in your skies. You know now that we are here, and that there are more beings on and around your Earth than your scientists admit. We are deeply concerned about you and your path towards the light and will do all we can to help you. Have no fear, seek only to know yourselves, and live in harmony with the ways of your planet Earth. We of the Ashtar Galactic Command thank you for your attention. We are now leaving the plane of your existence. May you be blessed by the supreme love and truth of the cosmos.

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