Fox News apologizes for graphic displaying stock performance after death of George Floyd, MLK

Fox News issued an apology Saturday for a graphic displaying stock market performances in the aftermaths of the deaths and violence against black Americans including George Floyd, Martin Luther King Jr., Michael Brown and Rodney King. 

The graphic aired Friday on the network’s “Special Report with Bret Baier.”

The bar graph showed increases made by the S&P 500 index after King was assassinated in 1968, the police shooting of Michael Brown in 2014 and George Floyd’s death late last month. It also included metrics from the acquittal of Los Angeles Police Officers in the beating of Rodney King in 1991. 

“The infographic used on FOX News Channel’s Special Report to illustrate market reactions to historic periods of civil unrest should have never aired on television without full context. We apologize for the insensitivity of the image and take this issue seriously,” a Fox News spokesperson said in a statement to The Hill. 

CNN’s Andrew Kaczynski shared footage of the graph.  

Here’s the graphic as it aired.https://t.co/h0nP5IoTUy pic.twitter.com/201rNVXeZL

— andrew kaczynski (@KFILE) June 5, 2020

Baier shared the statement from Fox News.

FOX NEWS CHANNEL:
“The infographic used on FOX News Channel’s Special Report to illustrate market reactions to historic periods of civil unrest should have never aired on television without full context.We apologize for the insensitivity of the image & take this issue seriously.”

— Bret Baier (@BretBaier) June 6, 2020

Fox News’s Eric Shawn also addressed the graphic Saturday on air. 

“Last night, Fox News Channel aired an infographic attempting to show the stock market on occasion gained ground in the midst of turmoil, civil unrest and even tragedy,” Shawn said. “In trying to make that point, the program ‘Special Report’ failed to explain the context of the times we are living in and should not have used that graphic.”

Martin Luther King III tweeted the graphic Saturday night, writing “I am appalled by Fox News’ insensitive decision to compare the death of black men to gains in the stock market. This only reinforces the greed and inhumanity that exists in America as it relates to black people. A human life DOES NOT compare to a percentage jump in the S&P 500.”

I am appalled by Fox News’ insensitive decision to compare the death of black men to gains in the stock market. This only reinforces the greed and inhumanity that exists in America as it relates to black people. A human life DOES NOT compare to a percentage jump in the S&P 500. pic.twitter.com/rz3Q8vz34j

— Martin Luther King III (@OfficialMLK3) June 7, 2020

Protests have broken out across the country over the death of Floyd, an unarmed black man who died after a former Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck during an arrest for over 8 minutes.