7.08.2013

"FRIGHT 214." Seriously, Chicago Sun-Times?



Several folks have drawn my attention to this front page headline of this Chicago Sun-Times headline that ran yesterday in the aftermath of the crash of Asiana Airlines Flight 214 in San Francisco. Seriously -- FRIGHT 214?

One could argue it's merely a pun, but I can't help but note that we happen to be talking about the deadly crash of an Asian-owned airline, in which two of the victims were Chinese, with a Korean pilot in the cockpit. Maybe someone could have used a little more sensitivity instead of trying to get clever with the L/R play on words?

At the very least, it's in extremely poor taste. Huge thumbs down to the Sun-Times.

UPDATE: According to the Asian American Journalists Association's MediaWatch, Sun-Times Publisher and Editor-in-Chief Jim Kirk said it didn't dawn on his editors that the play on words could be construed as offensive: Chicago Sun-Times publisher responds to 'Fright 214' headline.

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