A Canadian journalist with CTV has been fired after he joked about the coronavirus in a controversial (to some) tweet.
Peter Akman, who has reported from conflict zones in Afghanistan, Israel, Kuwait, and Libya, was let go from the company where he has worked since 2013 after a tweet shared on Sunday of a photo of himself along with a man wearing a mask and the caption “Hopefully ALL I got today was a haircut.”
This… is a bad tweet, my friends. @PeterAkman pic.twitter.com/WPh6AwDMV6
— Stephanie Ip • 葉可怡 (@stephanie_ip) January 26, 2020
Akman’s profile was removed from the CTV website as Bell Media, the parent company of CTV, confirmed that the senior investigative reporter was no longer employed by the company.
A spokesperson for Bell Media confirms that Peter Akman, one of the presenters of CTV’s investigative news show W5, is no longer with the company. He tweeted this four days ago. pic.twitter.com/DEtb1ONb9I
— Sean Craig ?? (@sdbcraig) January 30, 2020
Akman was slammed on social media after his original tweet and targeted with accusations of anti-Chinese racism for his reference to what the World Health Organization has declared a global health emergency and for including the masked man who appears to be Asian in the photo.
Apparently, the man was a barber in Akman’s city of Toronto and, as explained in his subsequent apology tweets, had offered masks to customers coming in for services.
Hi @peterakman,
Please check your privilege as you walk out of the door of your (former) job. Because @ctvw5 @ctvtoronto @ctv_pr
should fire your ass.Your pig-faced snark is more disgusting than any supervirus in human history.
Sincerely,
-All Chinese-Canadians https://t.co/gd9qxMh2dY— Ronnie ?? (@RonnieNoodles) January 26, 2020
They deleted the tweet. This is a CTV journalist taking a selfie with an Asian hairdresser, tweeting implying they hope they only got a haircut and not the Coronavirus, from them in this Asian establishment. That is just a little bit racist @PeterAkman @CTVToronto @CTV_PR @CTVW5 pic.twitter.com/vkTz7vMejM
— ArcticSkyWolf @ FC (@ArcticSkyWolf) January 26, 2020
The thread did get a number of responses before it got deleted almost 4 hours after its posting. #CoronaOutbreak pic.twitter.com/YwALwm39XK
— ArcticSkyWolf @ FC (@ArcticSkyWolf) January 26, 2020
Akman deleted and apologized for his original tweet.
My tweet earlier today was insensitive.
My barber told me he was offering everyone masks.
I apologize for any offence I may have caused.
— Peter Akman (@PeterAkman) January 26, 2020
But the journalist’s attempts to smooth things over and apologize seemed to fall on deaf social media ears as he was slammed again and accused of not acknowledging the racism of his initial tweet.
Apologize to your barber. A journalist should know better the effect of inflammatory cheap shots at your target/subject/object
— Liz RainbowTravel (@LesbianTravel) January 27, 2020
It wasn’t insensitive. It was racist.
— Star Martin ⭐ (@starnimate) January 26, 2020
Your apology is insincere. Do better please, and address your racism. :)
— Bowserpup the squeaky doggo (@Rootbear_float) January 27, 2020
Amid the firestorm of scathing responses to Akman’s tweets, some called out the cancel culture’s knee-jerk reactions.
He got fired for that?
— Ajay (@RCI_101) January 31, 2020
the joke was funny, to lighten the mood. You just fell victim to the woke culture of the leftist mob mentality of Canada and our msm.
— Stephanie (@carys_unity) January 31, 2020
A- this is funny
B- stop being such a snowflake— Rain (@Rainnapper20) January 31, 2020
This is extreme, inflexible, sanctimonious and vengeful.
Destroying someone’s livelihood, career and smearing their reputation because of a silly joke?
Political Correctness = quasi fascist.
— John Morelli (@JohnMorelli_BC) January 31, 2020
The guy is wearing a mask, implying he’s sick with a communicable disease. There is no racial animus in his joke. I hate Canada.
— Andreas VanKuijk (@AndreasVanKuijk) January 30, 2020
Ridiculous virtue signalling! CTV, another media joke!#ReformNeeded
— moscroprose (@eelmorts) January 31, 2020
He should have been reprimanded, he apologized and it was quite clear that he had no idea about the import of what he was suggesting and I do believe it was inadvertent. There’s gotta be a happy medium between letting him get away with it and firing.
— Univrsle (@univrsle) January 31, 2020
cancel culture at its finest.
— Stephanie (@carys_unity) January 31, 2020
DONATE TO BIZPAC REVIEW
Please help us! If you are fed up with letting radical big tech execs, phony fact-checkers, tyrannical liberals and a lying mainstream media have unprecedented power over your news please consider making a donation to BPR to help us fight them. Now is the time. Truth has never been more critical!
- ‘So satisfying!’ Karma comes potty-mouthed ‘Kayak Karen’ after she berates other boaters - March 28, 2024
- RFK Jr talks media bias, addresses possible Libertarian ticket in wide-ranging interview with Chris Cuomo - March 28, 2024
- ‘Why are you doing this?’ Joy Behar panicked that ‘clown’ RFK Jr will hand the election to Trump - March 28, 2024
Comment
We have no tolerance for comments containing violence, racism, profanity, vulgarity, doxing, or discourteous behavior. If a comment is spam, instead of replying to it please click the ∨ icon below and to the right of that comment. Thank you for partnering with us to maintain fruitful conversation.
BPR INSIDER COMMENTS
Scroll down for non-member comments or join our insider conversations by becoming a member. We'd love to have you!