My guess is that it was not only planned, the people involved got a kick out of their own cleverness. Add to that the satisfaction of accomplishing a task set for them by whoever is ultimately responsible for coordinating the outrage, and the "fired producer" - a journalistic equivalent of the so-called "lone gunman"* - probably wouldn't change a thing. Good foot soldiers of the proletariat know that rewards eventually follow such sacrifices.
Mr. niteowl77
*Any others involved were no doubt only following orders.
Where did the orders come from?
From on high, from Comcast
As Hitler would have said, had he lived and been brought to trial: "I neffer killed avyvun; I vas only giffing orders"!