Videotape of Racing Deaths on Fox Brings Complaints

A major advertiser and an auto-racing organization have asked Fox not to repeat the recently televised special “When Disaster Strikes,” calling some of the footage “appalling.”

The controversy principally relates to video showing the death of IndyCar driver Jeff Krosnoff and a course marshal in an accident last July.

Toyota Motor Sales USA contacted the network’s head of sales, urging Fox not to air the special again. Complaints have also been lodged by IndyCar, the sanctioning body of the race shown, citing insensitivity toward the families involved.

Toyota “understands how difficult it is to capture the attention of today’s consumer, given the ‘cluttered’ media environment,” national advertising manager Michael A. Bevan wrote in a letter dated Nov. 12. “However, sensationalizing the deaths of innocent people is questionable, particularly from a network striving for continued growth.”

The letter also pointed out that the driver “was in a Toyota-powered car.” A Toyota spokesman confirmed that the advertiser intervened at the behest of Arciero-Wells Racing, a race team Toyota began sponsoring this year.

According to Fox, the special is not currently scheduled to be repeated but no final decision has been made in regard to its broadcast at a later date. It’s also possible the disputed racing video could be excised if the program airs again.

Fox scored big ratings with the initial Oct. 28 telecast of “When Disaster Strikes,” which also featured people leaping to their deaths during a high-rise building fire, a helicopter crash and natural disasters. The network also did well with the similarly themed “When Animals Attack,” which was seen earlier this month and was rebroadcast Monday.

Some broadcasters and media watchdogs have criticized the content of the Fox programs, though other networks have offered similar fare. CBS, for example, airs the specials “World’s Most Dangerous Animals,” and NBC recently televised video of a woman gored by a bull on its newsmagazine “Dateline NBC.”

IndyCar has encouraged racing fans to complain about “When Disaster Strikes” over the Internet, providing them with Fox’s E-mail address. Several have sent messages calling the special exploitative and insensitive to the families of those killed.