CNBC reporter criticized for using “chink” in story about Murdoch divorce

A CNBC reporter is under fire for using the phrase “chink in the armor” during a Tuesday discussion of Wendi Deng’s pending divorce from News Corp. and 21st Century Fox CEO Rupert Murdoch.

Joe Strupp of Media Matters for America writes, “The comments by CNBC’s Robert Frank drew a critical response from the Asian American Journalists Association, which condemned the statements as ‘offensive’ and ‘inappropriate.’

“Discussing whether Deng’s new lawyer might be able to gain her a share of the Murdoch family trusts during the divorce case, Frank stated on CNBC’s Power Lunch: ‘I wonder, you know, Peter, what do you think the chink in the armor here might be? That’s what [Deng’s lawyer] is so good at, is finding a chink in the pre-nups and all these trusts. What do you think they may be looking for to get more out of this divorce?’

“Deng is a Chinese-born American citizen. She and Rubert Murdoch married in 1999 and have two children together. In June, Rupert Murdoch filed for divorce.

“Contacted by Media Matters, Bobby Caina Calvan, media watch chair for the Asian American Journalists Association, said after reviewing the video that Frank used ‘an unfortunate phrasing and people should know better in this day and age that a phrase like that, that I’m not going to repeat, is offensive to many of us.'”

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