People
Disgraced DJ pulls through dark days with family support
by Maggie Yu
With his family support and encouragement, radio show host Sammy Leung Chi-kin climbs out of the low point of his life after he has fallen from grace over an offensive internet poll against women artistes.
¡§Family always provides the greatest support when one faces a setback,¡¨ Mr Leung said.
The 32-year-old popular DJ of Commercial Radio has been under public criticism since June when his programme So Fab held an online poll to ask the audience to name the female artistes whom they would most want to ¡§indecently assault¡¨. The Broadcasting Authority received about 190 complaints from the public on the matter. Commercial Radio was finally fined $140,000 for violating the radio code of practice on programme standards and was forced to broadcast a public apology.
Mr Leung was accused of insulting and discriminating against women. He and the show¡¦s co-host, Kitty Yuen Siu-yee, were suspended from work by the radio station for two months. Mr Leung also stopped hosting a TV game show and teaching part-time at the Chinese University of Hong Kong .
¡§It (the poll incident) was a very serious mistake that should not be allowed to repeat in my life. That¡¦s why I think I am deserved to be criticised by the public and suspended from work,¡¨ said Mr Leung, who has already resumed duty at the radio and television stations.
¡§I must admit that I was very wrong,¡¨ he said. ¡§Nowadays every one of us, whether it is the media or the public, is too casual when we use our language. We just use the words that we want to, without knowing the true meaning of the words.¡¨ The radio entertainer said he was now more sensitive to his wording on the air.
The censure was a blow to him indeed. He was lost and had doubted his own character. ¡§When people were saying bad things about me, I wondered what kind of person actually I am,¡¨ he said.
It was his family¡¦s comfort and reassurance that relieved him from anxiety and confusion. His family also helped him out by cutting down expenditure. ¡§When I asked my family if they agreed to move to a smaller flat or use a cheaper car in case I could not bear the financial burden, they said yes without any hesitation,¡¨ he said.
OTHER STORIES IN OUR COMMUNITY
Information without borders
