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‘Sabotage’ blamed for news show porn
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An act of “sabotage” caused hard-core pornography to cut into a Monday night news show hosted by Tom Brokaw.
Valley viewers called Cox Communications and flooded local news media outlets following the 9 p.m. program about national health care, which aired on KPPX-TV (Cox Channel 17).
Chandler parent Brenda Schodt said she was shocked when a series of graphic sex acts suddenly appeared on her television screen.
“Maybe five or 10 minutes into the show there was no volume,” Schodt said. “I thought it was the TV, but when I looked up, there were these images.”
Cox spokeswoman Andrea Katsenes said Tuesday that the unexpected clips were not caused by Cox, and that the problem was a “source issue” with the broadcaster.
ION Television, which operates KPPX, called the problem “an act of human sabotage” at its station.
The company, based in West Palm Beach, Fla., declined to say if the pornography aired nationwide or only in the Phoenix market.
“We have launched a rigorous investigation, and any implicated employees will face strict disciplinary action and termination,” ION Media Networks spokeswoman Leslie Monreal wrote in a prepared statement.
Monreal apologized to viewers and said any unauthorized programming is taken seriously and will be prevented in the future.
The Federal Communications Commission was unable to be reached for comment.
ION Television, which was formerly PAX TV and “i,” advertises its commitment to airing family-friendly programming.
And that’s what concerns Schodt the most.
“I’m an adult with college-age kids,” she said. “But I was thinking of what it must be like for someone who has children at home.”
KPPX’s chief engineer, Ken Sell, said he raced to the studio Monday night to figure out what went wrong.
He told the Tribune he was going over the “air check tape” that records what KPPX has aired, but said he found no evidence that pornography was shown.
When contacted Tuesday, Sell declined to comment further. “Someone has to be responsible here because you certainly don’t want these things happening repeatedly,” Schodt said.
“I can’t imagine what it’s like for these younger kids to see these things and ask their parents questions.”
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Tribune writer Nick Martin contributed to this report.
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