California-based news station KTVU fired three seasoned producers over an incorrect report on Asiana flight 214, in which an anchor read fake and racially offensive names of pilots of the airplane, a U.S. newspaper reported on Friday.
According to the San Francisco Chronicle, investigative producer Roland DeWolk, special projects producer Cristina Gastelu and producer Brad Belstock were all sacked in the wake of an in-house investigation into the on-air gaffe on July 12. Noon news producer Elvin Sledge also left the station, but said he was stepping down for health reasons.
In the cited segment, anchor Tori Campbell announced during live broadcasting that KTVU had learned the names of four pilots who piloted the ill-fated aircraft. The names were: Sum Ting Wong, Wi Tu Lo, Ho Lee Fuk and Bang Ding Ow.
KTVU was severely criticized for the blunder, and the video clip of the newscast quickly went viral online. KTVU’s parent company Cox Communications recently sent notices to YouTube and urged the website to remove the video.
It was later revealed that the inaccurate names had been confirmed by a summer intern of the National Transportation Safety Board. The NTSB issued its own apology and said it had fired the involved intern.
Asiana Airlines considered pursuing legal action against the station, but announced it had decided against it last Wednesday.
The fatal crash landing on July 6 killed three Chinese teenagers and injured over 180 people.
minsikyoon@heraldcorp.com
