Filipino among producers fired by KTVU over Asiana reporting fiasco

By Henni Espinosa, ABS-CBN North America Bureau

Aug. 8, 2013

REDWOOD CITY, Calif. – A Filipino-American was among three producers who lost their jobs at a local San Francisco TV station over the airing of racially insensitive and factually erroneous names of pilots of an Asiana jet liner that crash landed at the San Francisco International Airport last month.

On July 12, KTVU identified the pilots of the Boeing 777 airliner as Sum Ting Wong, Wi Tu Low, Ho Lee Fuk, and Band Ding Ow. KTVU has publicly apologized over it. Asiana Airlines initially considered suing KTVU but decided against it.

Three producers were fired following the reporting fiasco: Roland de Wolk, Brad Belstock and Cristina Gastelu.

Gastelu is half-Filipino.

“They could have been suspended or reprimanded. But people don’t have to be fired over it,” said Lloyd LaCuesta, a retired KTVU reporter who’s also Filipino.

Balitang America has reached out to KTVU for comment. The station has yet to respond.

You may contact Henni Espinosa at henni_espinosa@abs-cbn.com for more information.