A Message From The Wholesome Heartland

Computer maker Gateway 2000, Inc. said it is recalling some of its promotional videotapes because they might contain sexually explicit material.

An unknown number of videotapes produced between Dec. 20, 1996 and Jan. 6 contained approximately 30 seconds of unauthorized material, the company said.

It planned to contact any consumer who received a videotape that was produced during that period.

Gateway officials said the offensive material was apparently inserted by a disgruntled employee of a video reproduction supplier and was limited to a single shipment in the week following Christmas.

“We stopped mailing tapes as soon as we learned about this and the company is now shipping tapes produced under strict controls,” said James A. Taylor, senior vice president of Gateway 2000, a direct marketer of personal computers.