Chinese American Citizens Alliance

National Board

KTVU, NTSB Apologize Over Fake, Racist Asian Names

Chinese American Citizens Alliance commends the swift response and apology offered by both San Francisco/Oakland TV Station KTVU and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) over the insensitive and racially offensive broadcasting of fake names of the Asiana Airlines pilots responsible for the ill-fated flight 214 which crashed last week in San Francisco. “These contrived names were clearly aimed to poke fun at Chinese names at a time just when three lives perished and scores are still recovering from the crash,” said National President Carolyn H. Chan.

Continued Chan, “Both organizations have a public responsibility to ensure that these types of situations do not occur again by reviewing their procedures.” KTVU, which broadcasts in the San Francisco Bay area where the population approaches 30% Asian, has a great journalistic responsibility to confirm and verify their information. While KTVU hasn’t determined what steps they intend to take to correct this situation, the NTSB has deeply regretted the incident and vowed to take appropriate action to ensure that such an error is not repeated

This incident sadly and tragically shows the woeful mentality of those who would continue attempts at racist humor in a time of sorrow and grief. The Chinese American Citizens Alliance offers its deepest condolences to the three families who lost their young children and wishes a successful and complete recovery for all the injured passengers and crew.