An Iowa weather station has apologized after a racial slur was aired during a local Weather Channel TV broadcast.
The graphic containing the n-word went viral on Twitter after it “accidentally” aired during the Des Moines-based Weather Channel’s “Local on the 8s” segment Thursday.
“I’ve blurred it, but I’m pretty sure you can figure out what it said,” tweeted journalist Matthew Keys.
The graphic read: “Hello Des Moines, This is your weather my N—-s.”
The Weather Channel confirms this graphic accidentally made it on air in the Des Moines market on Thursday during a "Locals on the 8s" segment. I've blurred it, but I'm pretty sure you can figure out what it said. pic.twitter.com/hDVcomawGp
— Matthew Keys (@MatthewKeysLive) July 22, 2022
"This did not originate with us, and we are in the process of investigating it further," a spokesperson for the Weather Channel said.
It likely originated at the cable head-end, according to a source, though the network is still trying to figure it out.
— Matthew Keys (@MatthewKeysLive) July 22, 2022
The reaction was swift on Twitter. However, the Weather Channel denies that the racial slur originated with the station.
“This did not originate with us, and we are in the process of investigating it further,” a spokesperson told Keys, in a tweet.
One television news expert backed up Matthews that the mistake originated with TWC.
“TWC has computer units at cable headends to produce the local on the 8s, and a rogue cable employee must’ve messed with the files and caused it to say that,” wrote one Twitter user.
TWC has since deleted the slur and apologized for the incident on Facebook.
“A graphic during the Weather Channel cable network’s ‘Local on the 8s’ presentation in Des Moines last evening included a racial slur,” the post read. “We removed this graphic as soon as we learned of it. This did not originate with us, and we are in the process of investigating it further. We apologize to our viewers.”