Bodyshamed weather reporter says KTLA was satirising complaint emails by handing her a cardigan
A US TV weather reporter became the centre of an apparent sexism debate as she was asked to cover up live on air.
Footage of reporter Liberte Chan being asked to wear a cardigan did the rounds on Twitter this week with her colleagues at broadcaster KTLA5 accused of bodyshaming her.
Chan, who was wearing a black dress was asked to cover up by an off-screen collague who stated “we’re getting a lot of emails,” implying there were complaints as to how she was dressed.
The station was inundated with complaints afterwards, this time towards the apparent way it seemed to bow to pressure for those displeased by a woman's bare shoulders. The channel addressed complaints live on TV, stating that she was wearing her “little black dress” kept on hand for events as what she wore to work that morning caused issues with the green screen.
The news team said it was all part of the humorous back and forth between the staff, claiming the incident was taken out of context. New York Daily News even ran the headline ‘Reporter told to cover up on live TV showcases America’s problems’.
Addressing the issue, Chan said in her blog: “For the record, I was not ordered by KTLA to put on the sweater. I was simply playing along with my co-anchor’s joke and if you’ve ever watched the Morning Show, you know that we poke fun at each other all the time.
“There is no controversy at KTLA, my bosses did not order me to put on the cardigan. It was a spontaneous moment… I truly love my job.”
She shared just some of the complaints on Facebook.
She was covered up earlier in the year when the green screen was reacting badly to her outfit.