Martin Luther King Jr.'s 1963 "I Have a Dream" Speech (Credit: US Marines/Wikipedia)

St. Louis Fox-affiliate KTVI pulled anchor Kevin Steincross from air after he said a racial slur on air when trying to say Martin Luther King Jr.’s name.

As iMediaEthics has reported, Steincross said the slur “coon” on air Jan. 17 in the 5 a.m. broadcast. He apologized a few hours later on air.

In a Jan. 25 news story on its website, KTVI noted that Steincross went on air that day to inform viewers he wouldn’t be on TV while he tries “to regain your trust.” KTVI said in a statement it apologized for the “disrespect” and that it has discussed the issue with the NAACP, the Urban League and the Greater St. Louis Association of Black Journalists.

“Rather than reporting the news, I have been the news and a mistake I made has been the topic of conversation throughout of region,” Steincross said in part. He added, “What I should have done then, and what I’m doing now, is apologize for the pain my mistake caused.”

iMediaEthics has written to Steincross and KTVI’s parent company Tribune Broadcasting to ask if Steincross is suspended, if not, if he will continue to work behind the scenes, and how long he will be off-air.

Steincross continued, “For 22 years, I’ve reported and anchored the news on Fox 2. Now my job is to regain the trust of our entire community. Station management and I have agreed that I need to step away from the anchor desk for now. I will begin working to regain your trust. I know the work I need to do will take time, and I will do everything I can to address the pain I caused.”