A provincial radio and television station apologized to the public on Monday for accidentally broadcasting an erect penis popping up during an undercover investigation of a massage parlor allegedly by a male reporter. 

Through negligence and lack of responsibility, editorial employees had failed to notice the "improper scene," according to the statement issued by Sichuan Radio and Television station based in the Southwest China city of Chengdu.

"We are to blame for causing such a serious mistake," the statement read.

The apology came after a live news show where a man visited a massage parlor with a secret camera to investigate its sexual services.

"Come here to have fun! One time 200 yuan ($29)," female employees of the shop can be seen shouting to him in clips of the news video that briefly circulated on China's Twitter-like Sina Weibo platform.

The masseuse takes him to a room where the man reportedly requests a 60 yuan regular massage.

Meanwhile the candid camera continued broadcasting, leading to a live image of the man's penis popping up to greet his hostess.

The employee responds by clutching the man's manhood and saying, "a rubdown costs 160 yuan."

The video went viral, briefly, before disappearing from the web.

"Oh my god!" "Unbelievable!" were among the politer comments left by internet users about a provincial television channel accidentally broadcasting live hardcore pornography.

While many netizens who had watched the video claimed that the man appeared in the clips was the station’s reporter, some said, instead, it could be a local informant. The TV station did not confirm the on-camera man’s identity.