Glitch causes 'X-out'
2005-11-23 20:13
New York - CNN has apologised 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 on 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.
- AP