David McNew/Getty ImagesA man has died. A family is grieving his death. A town is tearing itself apart. Cities across America are joining the protest. Our president is begging for peace. But yeah, let's make sure people at home watching TV know that all that nonsense will go away soon so you can watch sitcom star Alfonso Ribeiro dance around in shiny pants!
That's the message people got when ABC affiliate WTVC in Chattanooga, Tenn., posted a tweet to assure viewers that Dancing With the Stars would indeed be airing after the "special news report" of Ferguson protesting the grand jury decision to not indict police officer Darren Wilson for the death of Michael Brown:
Congratulations, @newschannelnine - You're everything that's wrong with everything tonight. #Ferguson pic.twitter.com/lDK9akHGgm
? Peter Shankman (@petershankman) November 25, 2014Yikes. Priorities are definitely not in check with whoever is running the social media over there.
Immediately, people blasted WTVC for its insensitive post and lit it up on Twitter:
@newschannelnine absolutely embarrassing.
? natalie (@nataliedeedah) November 25, 2014. @newschannelnine a tweet exclusively for the racist, ignorant, dancing fanatics?
? jessica (@h_iggins) November 25, 2014Follow @newschannelnine if you want tweets that trivialize the 108 day struggle of #Ferguson protestors
? John McLeod (@jaawnn) November 25, 2014@newschannelnine you clearly have no concept (or heart) NEWS channel 9. How can you even joke about that?!
? Kat Hickey (@kaaaaaaaaat) November 25, 2014@newschannelnine wow I guess dancing with the stars is more important than a young black life! Racist crackers!! #Ferguson
? SuckaFree (@KeepingIt420) November 25, 2014The DWTS tweet was soon deleted, and WCTV then posted these messages apologizing for the "very poorly worded tweet" to its feed:
We've removed our very poorly worded tweet from earlier to stop the bad signal from spreading. Please accept our sincerest apologies.
? WTVC NewsChannel 9 (@newschannelnine) November 25, 2014We did not mean to be insensitive with our previous tweet about DWTS vs. Ferguson. We apologize if it was perceived that way.
? WTVC NewsChannel 9 (@newschannelnine) November 25, 2014The station also spent the evening apologizing individually to people complaining on Twitter, but that just seemed to make things worse, as you'll be able to tell if you spend just two minutes on its replies feed.
Someone claimed that the tweet was all a stunt to drum up controversy, an accusation that WCTV vehemently denied with this little gem:
@TheOneCrystal @MikeKilli @bimmerella no. no stunt. heck no. nope. uh-uh.
? WTVC NewsChannel 9 (@newschannelnine) November 25, 2014Yep. That was a "heck no" you just read.
We've said this before and we'll say it again: Companies, think before you tweet. And once you've thought about your tweet and are 100 percent sure it's not terribly offensive, think about it some more. Then you can tweet.
And if you are looking to do something to help the people of Ferguson, you can donate to the Ferguson public libraries. They are open today while all of the schools remain closed.