WKJY Morning Duo In Hot Water Over Fake Bit

Have Apologized

CONNOISSEUR MEDIA AC WKJY (K98.3)/LONG ISLAND, NY morning hosts STEVE HARPER and LEEANA KARLSON apologized over the weekend -- and were then suspended -- after an on-air bit was discovered to be a hoax.

The duo fabricated a story about a parent responding in anger to a same-sex couple over their child's birthday invite. REUTERS reports, "in the note, a fictitious mother wrote two gay parents on a seventh birthday invite for a girl named 'Sophia' that her son 'Tommy' would not attend their daughter's party," adding, "I do not believe in what you do and will not subject my innocent son to your 'lifestyle'."

HARPER and KARLSON posted an apology on the station's website -- which is currently down -- writing, "This story was, in fact, totally fictitious, and created by the two of us," continuing, "This was done without the knowledge of K-98.3 management or ownership."

The two explained in their apology that the bit was done with the intent of spurring a "healthy discourse on a highly passionate topic."

NEWS 12 LONG ISLAND is reporting that GM DAVE WIDMER said in a statement "that it has responsibility to listeners to be accurate and is looking at 'all courses of action'." That action reportedly now includes a suspension of an unknown length.

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