BBC Apologizes For Playing 'Hey Joe' Immediately After Oscar Pistorius Report

BBC Apologizes For Mortifying Oscar Pistorius Blunder
South African Olympic sprinter Oscar Pistorius appears on February 19, 2013 at the Magistrate Court in Pretoria. Pistorius battled to secure bail as he appeared on charges of murdering his model girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp on February 14, Valentine's Day. South African prosecutors will argue that Pistorius is guilty of premeditated murder in Steenkamp's death, a charge which could carry a life sentence. AFP PHOTO / STEPHANE DE SAKUTIN (Photo credit should read STEPHANE DE SAKUTIN/AFP/Getty Images)
South African Olympic sprinter Oscar Pistorius appears on February 19, 2013 at the Magistrate Court in Pretoria. Pistorius battled to secure bail as he appeared on charges of murdering his model girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp on February 14, Valentine's Day. South African prosecutors will argue that Pistorius is guilty of premeditated murder in Steenkamp's death, a charge which could carry a life sentence. AFP PHOTO / STEPHANE DE SAKUTIN (Photo credit should read STEPHANE DE SAKUTIN/AFP/Getty Images)

The BBC was forced to apologize Tuesday for playing Jimi Hendrix's "Hey Joe" immediately after a news report about the Oscar Pistorius murder trial on one of its radio stations, Radio 6 Music.

The lyrics of "Hey Joe" feature lines about a man who says he shot his "old lady" "down to the ground" — which sits uncomfortably with the story of Pistorius, the Olympic star who is being charged with murdering his girlfriend.

A spokesperson for the BBC said the choice of song was a mistake.

"In light of the nature of the news story, we apologise for any offence caused by the proximity of the song 'Hey Joe' to the bulletin," she said. "An on-air apology was made immediately the mistake was realized."

The BBC is not the first outlet to make this sort of error. CNN had to apologize last August for playing Billy Joel's "Only the Good Die Young" after a report about the shooting at a Sikh temple in Wisconsin.

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