Unbelievably stupid racist screw-up by Fox affiliate news anchor

[Major Nikon]

[font size="4" face="bold"]KTVU Reports Racist Joke As Names Of Asiana 214 Pilots[/font]

On Friday, Bay Area Fox affiliate KTVU told viewers the purported names of the pilots on Asiana Flight 214.

The problem was that the names — "Sum Ting Wong," "Wi Tu Lo," "Ho Lee Fuk" and "Bang Ding Ow" — were obviously fake. The news anchor read the names off the teleprompter and didn't bat an eye, adding that the information had been confirmed by the National Transportation Safety Board.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/12/asiana-pilots-fake-names-racist_n_3588569.html

[NYC_SKP]

1. So I listened to her read those names. I'm going to hell.

I had to listen to it twice.

Even though it's tragic, damn it's funny, too!

[Hugabear]

54. Yes, racism is funny, isn't it

[NYC_SKP]

67. I wondered about that immediately after posting.

And I didn't edit my post. The thread indicates that a lot of members see the humor and I wouldn't label them as racists.

Is it a racist practical joke to make fun of names?

I don't know. I would have to hear from a number of, in this instance, people of Chinese descent to see if they're offended.

It's not for me to decide, but to laugh at something like the fact that their culture's names can be interchanged with English language terms is not a racist thing.

Do you think it's racism to find humor in the fact that a given culture's naming system happens to be interchageable with another culture's lexicon?

[HiPointDem]

83. those aren't 'their culture's names'. they're fake names made up by racists who don't speak

korean but think they know something about 'their culture's names'.

reporting such 'names' in the context of a deadly plane crash isn't funny.

[NuclearDem]

2. Wow, didn't even catch it as she was saying it?

Unbelievable.

[Agschmid]

10. Good thing she pronounced fuk.. The way she did!

[HiPointDem]

84. that she did...tells you something.

[Fla Dem]

3. Oh Mi Gud..........that is so funny. Sum Won Wil pay for that little prank. n/t

[MrScorpio]

4. Who was the newscaster, Ron Burgundy?

[NYC_SKP]

9. KTVU Noon News anchor Tori Campbell.

http://www.ktvu.com/staff/tori-campbell/

[Rex]

5. Trash television, the lowest common denominator can be found in the M$M.

Real news no longer matters, just made up bullshit! THAT is what we get in today's news cycle. Thanks for helping make America suck KTVU!

[malaise]

27. You'd never knpw the South Koreans were American allies

Damn this is racist shite

[Rex]

30. Also, I bet 99% of Foxnews viewers cannot find NK or SK on a map.

I'd wager money on it. Racist, ignorant assholes. They shame the country imo.

[malaise]

32. Didn't another asshole walk up to an Asian-American

recently and ask her where's she's from.
I am convinced there are people whose sole goal in life is to perpetuate racist stereotypes

[Rex]

35. Did not hear about that, but I have a theory

It is their incredibly huge inferiority complexes imo. The only way they can feel better and without all the self-loathing, is to feel superior to someone else that doesn't look like them. Also applied to different cultures and societies.

Without it, they are reminded daily of how hollow and meaningless their lives are.

[malaise]

36. Hence the notion of uppity

How dare anyone achieve more than them - or dare to be college educated and have a sense of self.

[Rex]

39. Yes and that goes along well with the RWing lies of - college is a liberal hotbed.

Education is only good for football, we should do away with the arts. Home schooling is the answer against the godless liberal school system...I could go on and on.

Broken down into it's essential form - hate and fear what you do not understand.

Whereas the normal person is filled with curiosity and wonderment...the average RWinger if filled with hate and fear.

[malaise]

40. You nailed it

Ignorance is bliss

[Ken Burch]

62. And 30% of them probably think those two countries are right next to East and West Korea.

[Rex]

75. Or that N/S Korea was at one time just one country

or even what hemisphere. I bet most of them could not find America on a world map.

[HiPointDem]

85. the article has more to do with the morons at fox news rather than their viewers. except that

the people at fox aren't morons. they're highly educated 'professionals'.

so what does this say about them?

[pnwmom]

6. Okay, can someone please give me a hint on Bang Ding Ow?

The rest, I get.

[TroglodyteScholar]

8. Something's wrong...we're too low...holy fuck...

...BANG, DING...OW!

[pnwmom]

21. Me So Dum.

[TroglodyteScholar]

41. Nah

I was a little ashamed to put that together myself

[mannat786]

96. Something's wrong...we're too low...holy fuck...

Bang

[NYC_SKP]

11. The sounds upon hitting the ground, "Bang!", "Ding", then "OW!". (nt)

[hexola]

7. thier real names were widely reported that day...

anyone even causally following should have known...

[7962]

58. And the apology...

&feature=player_embedded

[HiPointDem]

87. so supposedly an ntsb official *confirmed* those names. i for one would like to know who

that 'official' was.

or if he even exists.

i think it was fox staff having a little laugh at the expense of the viewers whom they so obviously despise, as they pretty routinely pull this kind of stuff.

[displacedtexan]

12. Is anyone really surprised?

It's FOX, after all.

Sad. Sad. Sad.

[Mr.Bill]

17. It's a Fox entertainment affilliate

Not Fox News. The reporters are employed locally by the station, not by Fox News.

[displacedtexan]

20. KTVU is our local San Francisco FOX NEWS channel, Mr. Bill.

And our population majority is Asian. We Round Eyes are the minority here. The fact that this made it all the way to the air is inexcusable.

[Mr.Bill]

26. I have lived in the area for over 50 years, and KTVU is not

the channel where you watch Fox News, ie Bill O'Reilly, Sean Hannity, etc. It is where we watch Fox entertainment shows and local news.

Fox entertainment and Fox News are two different channels. KTVU is an affiliate, it is not owned by Fox News. It is owned by Cox Media.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KTVU

And the majority of the population in San Francisco is not Asian.

http://sanfrancisco.areaconnect.com/statistics.htm

I am in full agreement with you that the fact this made it to air is inexcusable. And it would be on any TV station anywhere in the country.

[BlueCheese]

47. Right...

It's where you go to watch the Simpsons, 24, Glee, and American Idol, if you're so inclined. It doesn't show FOX News.

[7962]

61. Good lord, the massive desire to somehow put this on Fox is laughable

They do enough on their own without blaming silly local stuff like this on them.
On the apology, she says the names were confirmed by the NTSB just that morning. How on earth could THAT be?

[Kingofalldems]

74. I read that Ailes now has influence on local Fox affiliates.

[HiPointDem]

88. "we round eyes" = wtf?

[southernyankeebelle]

13. I know I shouldn't laugh but come on didn't she realize she was being had?

I feel terrible for her.

[REP]

14. A San Francisco Bay Area newsreader didn't recognize fake Asian names. Here. In the SF BAY AREA.

Sigh.

[Mr.Bill]

38. And she's been in the area for quite some time.

http://www.ktvu.com/news/news/tori-campbell/nKbB8/

[REP]

42. There's a reason I don't watch local news

It hurts too much. I think I gave up when Anne Peterson* with her rapidly diminishing nose urged us to get our pets "spaded."




*KCTV, KCMO

[Mr.Bill]

45. The funny thing is

KTVU has a very good reputation for local news, as does this reporter. She has won an Emmy, and the station has won many. I have been watching them for over 50 years and have always regarded them very highly, and they are usually better than all the other SF stations. I guess anybody can screw up once in a while, but this was a big one.

[REP]

48. Local Emmys ... guess I'm pretty jaded

I'm pretty familiar with what goes on in my home market, and I'm pretty sure it's not much different here (I've only been here 15 years). Being the least rotten apple in the barrel isn't that awesome. Grumble.

[Mr.Bill]

49. Yes, they are local Emmys.

But it does mean they are the best in their market. Television news anywhere is not what it once was.

[REP]

64. Amen to that!

I wasn't clear; I know that local news gets local Emmys but I'm also aware of pay-for-play that has been rampant in the last 25 years. Again, more old person grumbling

[Mr.Bill]

65. I studied journalism in the 60s

And had some very good teachers. Imagine how I feel when I'm in a room where Fox News is on.

[REP]

66. I did so in the 80s; also with (mostly) excellent teachers ...

... I think I'm familiar with the pain you're feeling. For me, it's the realization that CM Kornbluth's The Marching Morons was read as a how-to rather than a warning.

[NYC_SKP]

15. Lee Gang Guk and Lee Jeong Min, actually.

From what we understand, Lee Gang Guk and Lee Jeong Min were the actual pilots of the flight. One of the pilots told investigators he was blinded by a light about 500 feet above the ground, leading to the crash.

http://larrybrownsports.com/blunder/ktvu-asiana-pilots-sum-ting-wong-bang-ding-ow-video/196331

[hrmjustin]

33. Congrats on 50,000 posts my friend!

[NYC_SKP]

50. Oh! How about that!

Thanks, friend!

[hrmjustin]

51. Your welcome!

[GeorgeGist]

16. That is so bad ...

and middle school hilarious.

[Berlum]

18. Fox (R) = Ho Lee Shit

pathetic (R)

[Fantastic Anarchist]

19. Ron Burghandy has nothing on her!

The unbelievable obtuseness of that anchor. Wow.

Literally dying over here.

"Go fuck yourselves, San Diego."

[awoke_in_2003]

37. That is exactly what I was thinking...

Don Henley had them nailed with "Dirty Laundry"

[Logical]

22. LOL, freaking cracked me up! n-t

[starroute]

23. Now trending worldwide on Twitter

According to livestreamer Tim Pool, "'Ho Lee Fuk' and 'Sum Ting Wong' now trending worldwide after KTVU wrongly uses fake racist names to identify Asiana pilots"

[Pretzel_Warrior]

24. I laughed when I saw this on Mediaite

[Cali_Democrat]

25. ...

[snappyturtle]

28. That news anchor could be replaced by a robot. nt

[Locut0s]

29. Without more info I'm not going to blame the anchor...

Their job isn't easy, and she may have just thought they were odd sounding names and didn't realize what she was reading. BUT I'm not at all surprised considering it's a FOX affiliate. The person I blame of course is whichever fuck put the story together.

I've seen sickening amount of racism over this story. Actually every time a story comes up about Asia I see racist ass holes come out of the woodwork. I suppose I'm especially sensitive cause I'm 1/2 Chinese.

[Ilsa]

31. I posted on the other identical thread

that Rupert Murdoch & Roger Ayles wanted her for the Fox News Morning Show. I didn't realize that she already worked for Fox!

[REP]

43. She doesn't. She works for KTVU, an affiliate owned by Cox.

[AllINeedIsCoffee]

34. JESUS FUCKING CHRIST

[PD Turk]

44. I'm dying here

I've worked in television for over 13 years and it's a biz full of merry pranksters. Someone is always trying to pull a prank on somebody. When they actually pull it off it's almost always side-splitting.... that it's a FOX affiliate makes it all the more better

[DainBramaged]

59. More better

Sorta like Jack Meoff?

[krispos42]

77. Mike Oxehuge?

[Niceguy1]

93. that one

Would have gotten me lol

[BlueCheese]

46. This is local news on a FOX affiliate...

... not attributable to national FOX News.

I guess someone played a prank on the anchor, who didn't realize it. I don't actually think it's racially offensive-- just kind of embarrassing and funny. A Bart Simpson/Ron Burgundy moment.

[heaven05]

63. ???

really?

[Cooley Hurd]

52. Even funnier (or sadder); KTVU pimps its own coverage of the accident:

http://www.ktvu.com/news/online/home/viewers-choose-ktvu-coverage-asiana-airlines-fligh/nYjT9/

ABC National News Relies on KTVU NewsChopper 2 Footage Instead of Their Own Affiliate!

This past weekend viewers flocked to KTVU Channel 2 News for coverage of the tragic crash of Asiana Airlines Flight 214 at San Francisco International Airport (SFO).

KTVU Channel 2 News owned this breaking news story with a number of firsts!
- First on-air.
- First on-line.
- First with alerts to mobile devices.
- First on Twitter & Facebook.
- First with aerial shots from KTVU NewsChopper 2.
- First with a live reporter from the scene.
- First live interview with anyone connected to someone on the flight.

“Being first on air and on every platform in all aspects of our coverage was a great accomplishment, but being 100% accurate, effectively using our great sources and social media without putting a single piece of erroneous information on our air, is what we are most proud of as a newsroom,” said Lee Rosenthal, KTVU News Director.
<snip>

And then the colossal fuck up that just about negates everything else.

[heaven05]

60. just about?

totally.

[senseandsensibility]

82. I watched their live coverage during this incident

and it really was good. Frank Somerville (sp?) was the journalist on air and he used to be a partner with the journalist who read the names. They were paired together in the mornings, but I don't know if they still are. Anyway, I hadn't seen him in a while, and I was impressed with his ability to cover the story for hours live. He may be remembered by some who aren't locals because a few years ago a picture of him braiding his African American daughter's hair (he is white) was all over the web and posted here. People loved the pic, and it was very moving. I just hate to see the whole station get smeared for what was a serious mistake.

[heaven05]

53. unfuckingbelievable!!!!

has gone viral and bookmarked for posterity. I SHALL be using this.

[DCBob]

55. Surely they had to have noticed that..

Response: No they didn't.. and stop calling me Shirley!

[Nye Bevan]

56. So wrong.

So very wrong.

Shame on anyone who sees any humor in this.

[heaven05]

57. why

do you think there is someone called an EDITOR at news organizations? The buck should have stopped there. I just can't believe it.

[Hugabear]

68. Yet that very same racism is alive and well in this thread

Posters finding this funny, even making up their own mock Asian sounding names. And it's allowed, apparently.

[Warpy]

69. Good gawd, those blow dried bobbleheads are just as dumb as we think they are

I don't know whether it's hilarious or just plain frightening!

[Motown_Johnny]

70. How could she possibly be so stupid?

The only reason that comes off as funny is because she is doing such a stupid thing. It is the verbal equivalent of a Three Stooges scene.

[jessie04]

71. That is the best laugh i've had in a long time.

nt

[pangaia]

72. Racist or not rascist...

funny or not( and I think it is) How could ANYBODY,,anybody, and especially a news reader(why especially a news reader? I don't know), be so stupid, so brain dead, so totally asleep, so totally unaware of herself, as to not know what she was saying?

It boggles the mind.

[NYC_SKP]

73. It has to do with how the brain decodes unfamiliar words.

Her brain saw the letters, didn't make an associated to known words, and then immediately decoded to the most likely sounds.

We don't hear new words we might decode as we say them and relate them to the way they sound to other people who are just listening.

So it just came out the way it did, and to those of us who see the words on the screen and hear her say them, it just happens to be hilarious.

Nobody is shitting on people of Chinese extraction, it's a funny human linguistic fuckup and I laughed out loud.

The humorous part is divorced from the ethnic context, it's funny because it's human imperfection, and there is no harm intended or, IMHO, inflicted.

[HiPointDem]

89. "no harm intended or, IMHO, inflicted" = arufourreel

[PoliticAverse]

76. NTSB statement on their confirmation of the names...

http://www.ntsb.gov/news/2013/130712.html

The National Transportation Safety Board apologizes for inaccurate and offensive names that were mistakenly confirmed as those of the pilots of Asiana flight 214, which crashed at San Francisco International Airport on July 6.

Earlier today, in response to an inquiry from a media outlet, a summer intern acted outside the scope of his authority when he erroneously confirmed the names of the flight crew on the aircraft.

The NTSB does not release or confirm the names of crewmembers or people involved in transportation accidents to the media. We work hard to ensure that only appropriate factual information regarding an investigation is released and deeply regret today's incident.

Appropriate actions will be taken to ensure that such a serious error is not repeated.

[anneboleyn]

79. That was definitely a screw-up. To say the least.

[msanthrope]

86. 'Summer Intern?' Where is James O'Keefe? nt

[KharmaTrain]

78. Someone Had It In For The Anchors...

Two probable causes here. First...they didn't have the names prior to air time and some graphics person just pumped in some "funny" names they expected to be corrected before airtime. Kinda like doing a dummy practice application and goofing around...but no one either remembered or bothered to check if the proper names were inserted until too late.

OR...someone did this to make the newspeople look bad. It's the television equivalent of a waiter spitting in their food...pissing off someone who had access to the graphics generator who put in the phony names and was sitting back watching and laughing their butts off. These kind of things are usually done right after a major staff cutback or to punk the people on the air for treating the tech staff poorly.

[AsahinaKimi]

80. The Asian American Journalists Association

"The Asian American Journalists Association also released a statement on the gaffe: "Words cannot adequately express the outrage we ... feel over KTVU’s on-air blunder that made a mockery of the Asiana Airlines tragedy and offended so many loyal viewers of the San Francisco Bay Area station."

I agree with them...

but omg... I laughed so hard at this story.. How stupid could they be at KTVU TV.

[Major Nikon]

81. The funny part is how stupid the news crew was

I also agree with the Asian American Journalists Association. They should be outraged because it was offensive and shouldn't have happened.

[PoliticAverse]

90. Reuters article on the incident...

http://news.yahoo.com/ntsb-apologizes-gaffe-over-derogatory-asiana-pilot-names-041704046.html

[Major Nikon]

91. Blame it on the intern

Brilliant!

[bravenak]

92. I can't believe I laughed a little.

I'm a really bad person. I grew up playing the dozens so I'm insensitive.

[Niceguy1]

94. I laughed, too.

I will have to check and see what my asian gf thinks...one thing I do know is that asians can be really good at nashing each other. Lol.

[bravenak]

97. Now I don't feel so bad.nt

[Loudly]

95. She knew enough to pronounce it "Fook."

That's because she's a professional.