‘He has done this job for over 30 years, and unless he has a history of instances like this, he is otherwise noted as a trustworthy employee whom audiences enjoy listening to’
Gary Hahn, North Carolina State University’s sports broadcaster who’s known as the “Voice of the Wolfpack,” is back on air.
He had been “suspended indefinitely” for using the term “illegal aliens” during NC State’s loss at Duke’s Mayo Bowl on Dec. 30.
Hahn had announced the score of the Sun Bowl, saying “Down among all the illegal aliens in El Paso, it’s UCLA 14 and Pittsburgh 6.”
Hahn was reinstated and returned to the airwaves Jan. 14. In total, his suspension lasted two weeks.
According to WRAL, Hahn apologized before broadcasting the NC State Men’s Basketball game against the University of Miami, stating his comments took attention away from NC State’s athletes and it was not his intention to do so.
“I apologize for any issues that this may have caused,” Hahn said. “I love broadcasting NC State games and it is certainly a privilege for me to be able to continue that.”
The College Fix reached out to Hahn via email Jan. 6. Hahn did not respond.
Here's what got NCSU announcer Gary Hahn immediately and indefinitely suspended after today's broadcast: pic.twitter.com/4qkyQ1jzT2
— Timothy Burke (@bubbaprog) December 30, 2022
Learfield Communications, NC State’s broadcasting partner, reportedly made the decision to suspend Hahn. No company policy showing sufficient reason for Hahn’s temporary suspension can be found on Learfield Communications’ website, according to a review by The Fix.
The College Fix reached out to Learfield Communications and the NC State Athletic Department and asked for specific reasoning behind Hahn’s suspension. Both declined to comment, stating it went against company policy to comment on personnel.
Many NC State students were unaware of the situation entirely. One student said she believed his comment was inappropriate, but did not justify suspension.
Mary Brown, a third-year studying communication at NC State, said regardless of the First Amendment, Hahn’s comment was insensitive to say during a sports broadcast.
But Brown told The College Fix in an email she does not believe the suspension was necessary and a warning would have sufficed instead.
“He has done this job for over 30 years, and unless he has a history of instances like this, he is otherwise noted as a trustworthy employee whom audiences enjoy listening to,” Brown said.
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