“It’s hurtful.” That’s how retired KTVU reporter Lloyd LaCuesta described the firings of three producers from KTVU over the airing of racially insensitive and factually wrong names of the Asiana pilots.
“They’re all friends of mine and they’re all veteran journalists.” said LaCuesta who was with KTVU for 36 years and who was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Asian American Journalists Association. LaCuesta made his comments to the Bay Area News Group.
Lost amidst the firings is a full explanation from KTVU about what happened. In fact, KTVU has declined to comment, citing this as a personnel matter. Word of the firings came from Rich Lieberman’s 415 Media blog, citing unnamed sources.
Lieberman says in his blog that the internal investigation at KTVU is not over and more firings are likely.
One thing you won’t find in Lieberman’s blog, in the San Francisco Chronicle or in most other publication is an Asian American perspective on this whole incident. After all, isn’t the harm done to the Asian American community the reason for all the angst at KTVU and the public lashing the station has been taking?
Emil Guillermo said it best in his blog for AALDEF.
The firings won’t have lasting impact unless KTVU decides to change its news gathering and editorial decision making.
Emil writes, “Every day there are news stories happening in the Asian American community that you see reported in the professional ethnic press, both in-language and in English. Unfortunately, too often those stories aren’t deemed important enough for general coverage.
“But why, when San Francisco itself is about 1/3 Asian American in population?
In media, there’s a general attitude that ethnic audiences that speak English will just come to the mainstream. But here’s an opportunity for KTVU and others.”
Let me add to that. The audience in the Bay Area is changing. But mainstream media remains the same. They think throwing an Asian American reporter is enough to get Asians to watch their channel. They are wrong. With the diversity in staff needs to come a diversity in coverage. So go ahead. Continue to cover the same type of news and ignore what goes on in communities of color. Watch your ratings and your newspaper readership continue to decline.
This isn’t your grandfather’s world anymore. Why produce a newscast or publish a newspaper like it is?
From Darlene Chin Hong via Facebook RE: What's Next for KTVU: Fire 3 – get one that is Asian? Lol
from Venetia Young via Facebook RE: What's Next for KTVU: Tough one….it was a very sad mistake. No one should be fired. Anyways…it was a Korean airlines and they used Chinese names! Obviously, the jerk who thought this was a joke was more an uneducated idiot!
from Michael Lee via Facebook RE: What's Next for KTVU: Nothing. Get over it IMO.
From Dennis Fogg via Facebook : RE: What's next for KTVU: Every day there are news stories happening in the Asian American community that you see reported in the professional ethnic press, both in-language and in English. Unfortunately, too often those stories aren’t deemed important enough for general coverage.
“But why, when San Francisco itself is about 1/3 Asian American in population?
RE: Measuring the impact of the Firings at KTVU: Hear, hear, Randall!
RE: Measuring the impact of firings at KTVU: Thanks, Cheryl.
RE: Measuring the impact of the KTVU firings: More firing to happen? Great!!
From Jonathan Wu via Facebook: RE: Measuring the impact of the KTVU Firings: IMO, they should definitely fire everyone involved in this fiasco, no questions asked. Although I tend to disagree with Guillermo on most things, I think he brings up a good point that the Bay Area, especially, needs more Asian American news and Asian American (especially male) broadcasters.
From Robert Ng via Facebook RE: Measuring the impact of the KTVU firings: In come the yuppie white hipsters who will ultimately displace the local Asian businesses with hip coffee shops and bars. What about the low-income families who depend on these units? I guess with the current trend they won't be able to afford southeast Seattle due to widespread gentrification(north beacon hill, MLK neighborhoods). Our neighborhood isn't the same anymore. The dynamics here have changed so fast over the past 5 years.
from Te-Yee Jonathan Eng via Facebook RE: Measuring the impact of the KTVU firings: As shitty as the Asian pilot name gaffe is, I think people are forgetting that an airline lost a plane and passengers due to what appears to be pilot error. Does that call for racist jokes? Of course not. But it's a stupid distraction.
13 hours ago · Like
RE: meausuring the impact of the KTVU firings: You are right, Jonathan. It is stupid, but \ one that should not be ignored. The NTSB will conduct its investigation into the cause of the crash. But only if Asian Americans speak out and educate, can the "stupid distraction" ,as you call it, turn into a teachable moment
From Te-Yee Jonathan Eng via Facebook RE: Measuring the impact of the KTVU firings: I'm more worried about what caused a plane to crash.
RE: Measuring the impact of the KTVU firings: Of course, that goes without saying. But again, that will be investigated. If our community doesn't speak out, the gaffe doesn't get any attention
From Te-Yee Jonathan Eng via Facebook RE: Measuring the impact of the KTVU firings: It got plenty, mostly for its grade school quality
RE: Measuring the impact of the KTVU firings: I'm sure Lloyd LaCuesta would appreciate your comments as being compared to a grade school kid. Comparing those concerned about the issue to grade school kids is blatantly untrue and frankly, a very weak argument.
RE: Measuring the impact of the KTVU firings: Te-Yee Jonathan Eng I meant the gaffe itself! Non-Asians were as shocked by the outright racism and stupidity as Asians were. What was needed that day was for someone to actually read those names and think, something is not right here.
RE: Measuring the impact of the KTVU firings: OK, thank you.
From Jonathan Wu Te-Yee via Facebook RE: Measuring the impact of the KTVU firings: : If you read some of the comments under articles about the case, you'll see many non-Asians who find the name-reading funny or agreeing that "Asians can't drive."
Also, wanted to add: The interesting thing is how the woman reads out each of the names and then says "we are working to determine exactly what roles each of them played during the landing on Saturday" as if they're criminals.
Like "wi tu low had his slanty eyes on the wrong runway and is responsible for .6 lives lost."
The entire thing is tinged with race, not only the media coverage but the attitude of the NTSB who have no compunctions blaming some Asian cultural issues in cockpit culture when there's any crash involving asians and the leaks in this case calling the pilots "poor guy" etc.
From Te-Yee Jonathan Eng via Facebok RE: Measuring the impact of the KTVU firings: Jonathan Wu, the crew is always investigated in a crash no matter what and pilot is always assumed until ruled out.
From Tyrone Liu via Facebook RE: Measuring the impact of the KTVU firings: TV news broadcasters/anchors are trained to be "neutral" when reporting….. and especially when reading from notes/teleprompters. They just simply & matter-of-factly read whatever words are there without really processing it in any internal filter themselves. They are almost robotic and often times without emotion or any inflection.
…..and in other news, 50 puppies and kittens were found skinned and burned alive. Our football team is 10-0 this season. Now how about the weather report for the long weekend….
From Tyrone Liu via Facebook RE: Measuring the impact of the KTVU firings: The comments are another matter and not only disturbing but shameful.
# nohopefordumbasses