Fox apologizes to Jews for poll on who murdered Jesus
By Dan Gilgoff, CNN.com Religion Editor
December 30th, 2011
02:01 PM ET
(CNN) - Fox Latin America has pulled and apologized for an online poll that asked who was responsible for Jesus’ death and included Jews as a possible response.
The poll had been posted on a Facebook page for National Geographic Cable TV in Latin America as part of a promotional effort for a Christmas special on the channel, according to the Simon Wiesenthal Center, a Jewish group.
The National Geographic Channel in Latin America is a member of Fox International Channels, part of News Corp.
“Christmas Special is coming to Nat Geo… Who do you think responsible for the death of Jesus?” the Spanish-language poll asked, according to the Wiesenthal Center.
The multiple-choice responses were “Pontius Pilate; The Jewish People; the High Priests.”
On Wednesday, the Wiesenthal Center announced that the National Geographic Channel in Latin America had removed the poll and apologized for it.
"We sincerely apologize for the publication of a poll on our website that might have unintentionally given place to interpretations, opinions or expressions of intolerance that might affect the Jewish community," Fox Latin America’s vice president for corporate communications and PR said in a statement.
“This would contradict the mission and spirit of National Geographic worldwide, which focuses on education for diversity through shows questioning our world,” said the vice president, Guadalupe Lucero.
"We have also taken appropriate measures to prevent such incidents in the future,” he said.
Dan Gilgoff - CNN Belief Blog Co-Editor
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