After formally apologizing for the recent photo caption that featured in one of their articles, the New Jersey media portal Asbury Park Press fired the journalist who wrote the statement in question.
The caption, which read in part “A f**king hot nurse, a total JAP, loads a dose of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine …,” appeared on the paper’s website over the weekend as part of a series of photos of how the faith community is helping vaccinate people. The description accompanied a photo of a nurse from the CHEMED health center in Lakewood, N.J., home to a large Orthodox Jewish population. “JAP” stands for “Jewish American princess.” This caption enraged the Jewish community and invited strong criticism from lawmakers as well. Following the furor, the media outlet posted a formal apology and later fired the journalist who wrote the derogatory caption.
Source: New Jersey Globe
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy called the caption “completely, utterly unacceptable” and “offensive on so many levels.” He also claimed during a press conference that “I frankly didn’t believe it. I then read it with my own eyes, and it is unfathomable that someone could have written that privately, let alone that it was published. … I think, with all due respect, someone has to pay a price for that. That’s completely incredibly offensive. Even the apology missed the point as I understood the apology.”
Paul D’Ambrosio, the newspaper’s executive editor, said on Monday that the photo ran with “an unapproved and offensive caption. The photo was removed on March 21 as soon as it was brought to our attention. As executive editor of the Asbury Park Press, I apologize deeply to women, the Lakewood Jewish community, all members of the Jewish faith, the Asian American community, and all our readers.” He added that “the words in the caption were totally unacceptable and in no way reflect the principles and practices of the staff of the Press and Gannett,” outlets that have “a long history of fighting for inclusiveness, diversity and women’s rights.”
Source: Shore News Network
D’Ambrosio posted an updated apology on Tuesday, trying to explain how the offensive caption came to appear on the website: “I thought someone had hacked our content management system. In reality, it was a reporter who admitted that he did a ‘stupid, stupid thing.’ ”
He continued, saying “this was an inexcusable act. The objectification of women and religious insults are intentional actions. The reporter in question is no longer with the company.”
JOIN US ON WHAT'SAPP, TO GET INSTANT STATUS UPDATES AND BE IN THE KNOW.
CLICK HERE
