Saturday, July 13, 2013

News Anchors

We all know many news anchors all over the world are just plain dumb.  All they do is just read what is placed in front of them or what they see in the teleprompter.
 
Remember the Asiana Airlines crash a few days ago here in San Francisco.  A local television station, KTVU, called the NTSB (National Transportation Safety Board) in Washington, D.C. and asked for the names of the 4 pilots who were in that plane.  A summer intern in that office wanted to play a prank with this television station.  So he gave fake funny names to KTVU.  If someone reads those names he/she will immediately realize those names are fake.  But the news anchor read those names with a serious face.  Here it is:
 
 

 
I was ROFL.
 
KTVU and NTSB later issued apologies.
 
This prank skipped the news writer, news director, news producer, and the news anchor.  No one read the names before airing?
 
A small minority thinks that this is a racial slur.  Surprisingly, this does not come from Asians.  They take this as a joke and enjoying.
 
I know we are all sad about this tragic accident.  We should not make fun of it. But these “obvious” prank names and the entire news department at KTVU did not catch it makes me laugh.  This was one of the most hilarious moments in live TV.
 
Captain Sum Ting Wong
Wi Tu Lo
Ho Lee Fuk
Bang Ding Ow
 
I am still laughing.  I feel bad.

PS: Breaking news from SGtv:  The summer intern, we just learned and confirmed by the NTSB, is from the Leipzig University in Germany.  His name is Lou Dei Kruss. Stay tuned for the 11 o’clock news.
 

20 comments:

  1. I don't understand what the practical joke is regarding these names. These names look like real names to me.

    Regards,
    Sum Dum Ho

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  2. Thanks for your comments Sum Dum Ho. You are To Fo Ni.

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  3. News channels should be more careful with names and double check before using them. With foreign-sounding names, it get even more difficult. The problem with TV news channels is, they have very less time to verify these things.

    Destination Infinity

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  4. Thanks for your comments Rajesh. The whole news department in that TV Station is stupid. When they see the third pilot's name (Ho Lee Fuk) they should have realized something is wong, oops, wrong.

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  5. Hi SG

    hahaha! I am ROFL too after reading this post!! what a funny moment it must have been! Channel should have hired some erudite news anchors. After this fiasco they will do the same in future I think! lolz!

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  6. Thanks for your comments AS. I am glad you liked this post and ROFL, like me.

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  7. Thanks for your comments Krishna. I am glad you found this berry berry interesting.

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  8. Oh My God!! This is so funny! How could the news guys not realize this!! :D

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  9. It was indeed a very sad moment to learn about the crash.

    I hope such mistakes are avoided in the future,as it is a sad news!

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  10. People want to finish their work this way or that way.Least bothered about authenticity.The cows follow the cow-herd in front.Interesting post.

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  11. Dumb anchor indeed! The names are rea funny. Not long ago, a prank by Australian RJ's to a London hospital ended in the suicide of an Indian nurse.As long as the prank does not cost any life.

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  12. I agree with you, SG! Most of the news readers are like them here, too! They don't pronounce the names of people of other States within our own country, most of the time!

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  13. Thanks for your comments Shilpa. That was really funny.

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  14. Thanks for your comments Sarala. You are absolutely correct.

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  15. Thanks for your comments Asha. Yes, I read about that London nurse. It is sad. This one is plain dumb. No one in the news department noticed the names are fake.

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  16. Thanks for your comments Sandhdya. I am glad you liked this post.

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  17. and some writer said- what's in the name? :)

    remember me?

    wwww.numerounity.com

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  18. Thanks for your comments Ekta. What's in a name? A lot. 2 people were fired from the job and a huge lawsuit is coming.

    How can I forget you Ekta!

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