Media chiefs quit over racial slurs

Two directors of Metro International, which publishes free daily tabloids worldwide, quit today after they admitted making racial slurs about blacks.

Steve Nylund has stepped down as Metro USA’s president but will remain with the London-based media company.

Hans-Holger Albrecht, who had been a director since 2002, resigned.

Metro International, which publishes 42 editions in 63 cities in 17 countries, drew criticism after internet site mediachannel.org reported the incidents.

The company said Nylund unwittingly made the remark after a colleague at the April 2003 event in Rome asked him to translate a joke – which included a racial epithet – into English.

Nylund apologised for the comments.

Several months after Nylund’s remark, Albrecht used a racial epithet in remarks before an audience in Stockholm.

“I accept responsibility for my unfortunate statement and its unintended consequences,” Albrecht said, in announcing his resignation.

The company’s directors have formed a committee to focus on diversity within the company and enhance its corporate social responsibility programme.