WCBS Reporter Out Over F-Word

CBS confirms that WCBS-TV New York reporter Arthur Chi'en was fired Thursday after his f-word response to hecklers made it on to the air during a 6 a.m. broadcast.

"WCBS-TV apologizes for the use of inappropriate language during our 6 a.m. broadcast. We deeply regret the incident," the station said in a statement..

The company has a zero tolerance policy on so-called broadcast indecency post Janet Jackson--stations cannot air sexual content or profanity between 6 a.m. nd 10 p.m. per FCC rules, but Viacom is one of several companies to also pledge to self-police.

Chi'en was reporting from a subway station, according to a New York Post story, when two men began chanting Opie & Anthony and shot the finger to the camera.

Ironically, Opie & Anthony were the shock jocks employed by CBS parent Viacom who were fired for indecency violations after a "Sex in St. Patrick's Cathedral" on-air contest drew flack from Washington and elsewhere.

As his report ended, Chi'en shouted at the men: "What the f---- is your problem," according to the Post, The comment made it onto the air.

Chi'en had been with the station since December 2003, when he joined from WFXT Boston.

John Eggerton

Contributing editor John Eggerton has been an editor and/or writer on media regulation, legislation and policy for over four decades, including covering the FCC, FTC, Congress, the major media trade associations, and the federal courts. In addition to Multichannel News and Broadcasting + Cable, his work has appeared in Radio World, TV Technology, TV Fax, This Week in Consumer Electronics, Variety and the Encyclopedia Britannica.