CNN Apologizes for X on Cheney's Face(CNN & the "X" over Cheney: keeping alive a lie)

AP via SFGate.com ^ | Wednesday, November 23, 2005 | no byline

[Greg o the Navy]

CNN Apologizes for X on Cheney's Face Wednesday, November 23, 2005 (11-23) 08:55 PST New York (AP) -- CNN has apologized for a "technical malfunction" that briefly flashed a black "X" mark over the face of Vice President Dick Cheney during the network's coverage of a speech on Monday. The "X" flashed twice, on the air for a total of one-seventh of a second, CNN said Wednesday. The incident caused a brief sensation on the Web among people suspicious that it was a political commentary. But CNN said some of its machinery had a "momentary glitch" and no human operator was involved. The "X" is something used by a computer to mark a space where one visual element is to segue into another, and is normally not seen by a viewer. The network likened its appearance to a computer that inexplicably freezes. "We obviously regret that it happened and are working on the equipment to ensure it is not repeated," the network said in a statement.

[Greg o the Navy]

A contemptible denial from the Clinton News Network. Can someone remind me why these useless creeps are given license to slander?

[Peace Is Coming]

The bottom of the screen read:

"CHENEY: I DO NOT BELIEVE IT IS WRONG TO CRITICIZE"

What about that???

[thoughtomator]

I bet Bill Burkett has the documents to back this up.

[quantim]

are working on the equipment

That equipment is human, not machine.

[JUST A BARTENDER]

They were just showing people in Florida how to vote.

[tonyinv]

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

This is a blatant lie.

Any momentary glitch would have just had the picture frozen. Where did the X come from? Some CNN bottom feeder concoted it, the bloggers called it, and now CNN is backtracking. Yeah, just like Janet Jackson's wardrobe "malfunctioned."

[ALWAYSWELDING]

Just happened to happen when the Vice President gave his speech? Not the segment before, not the one after?

Not one other program that day, or week.

Not the month before, not the year before.

Not since the turn of the century.

Not all 8 years of Clintoon.

Just happened to happen during Cheney's speech beating up the Dems.

Could be I suppose, if you like playing the lottery you may buy it.

I say... NOT BLOODY LIKELY.

[HitmanLV]

Honestly, I don't think this is a big deal. It looks like some workplace horsing around that got loose.

Anyone ever worked in an office where there was a little fun once in a while? That we don't share their sense of humor is peripheral. They said they were sorry, that's good enough for me. Whoever is directly responsible may get reprimanded or maybe fired.

It diminishes our side to go ape over stuff like this. One problem in our culture is misplaced outrage: the libs make it an inexorable part of their worldview and day to day life.

Don't make it part of ours.

[Just Lori]

The "X" is something used by a computer to mark a space where one visual element is to segue into another,

Can anyone with expertise back this up? Any other networks have this?

[Just mythoughts]

I do not believe them either, even though they had Rush's purported girlfriend with one of the technical malefactors on explaining what supposedly happened.

They showed their monitor with the "full" time X, however, I found it very very curious that they did not have other examples where their equipment had technical "X" glitches.

I believe somebody did it on purpose.

[sofaman]

CNN has been dubbed "CNX"...

[lizma]

More like it read "CHENEY: I DO NOT BELIEVE and made the rest muddled.

Just makes you think they must have been getting away with feeding us load of garage for decades for them to be embolden enough to think they can get away with this sophomoric prank.

[Political Junkie Too]

Anyone ever worked in an office where there was a little fun once in a while?

They don't just work in an office, they work in the only private occupation specifically singled out in the Constitution for protection. That means that they have an extra burden of responsibility.

-PJ

[HitmanLV]

I worked in two major NYC law films, designed to be a collection of attorneys, officers of the court, who strive for the just and fair administration of justice from sea to shining sea.

You don't want to know... :-)

[Political Junkie Too]

Yeah, I know, but if we start cutting them some slack then they'll take more slack, and before you know it, they'll start expecting the slack and then planning and anticipating the slack.

-PJ

[Bob]

Can anyone with expertise back this up? Any other networks have this?

On another thread, someone pulled up the black text under the 'X'. The text said 'Transition to Black in 5 frames' or some such. That wording would be consistent with its being a marker for video switching or editing. While exactly how it got put up may be open to question, it does appear to be a legitimate switching message that could have been accidentally put into the feed.

[Republican Wildcat]

This series of excuses reminds of the Janet Jackson "wardrobe malfunction" excuse they tried for awhile to explain that one.

[HitmanLV]

I'm not cutting slack. You can't expect perfection, but you can expect accountability.

This is probably a joke that was accidentally aired. The 'deliberate' part is the joke, the accident is that it was aired.

Like I said, CNN apologized, and they should find the person responsible and reprimand, or fire them, or whatever. This isn't a big deal.

Every office I ever worked in had quite a bit of horsing arround. Whenever it got out of hand, someone was held accountable. As long as this is the case, I'm fine with it and past it.

[TheWyzzyrd]

Speaking as a trained electronics technician, specifically in communications electronics, I personally think the odds against it being an "accident" are very high. An X over someones' face goes way beyond chance. An X on the screen? Maybe. A large X on the screen? Maybe. An X over someones' face? Maybe. A large X centered on a persons' face? Highly unlikely. JMHO.