Listen: Awkward moment US radio host accuses black man of white privilege

A radio host in the US has had an embarrassing gaffe broadcast to the country after she accidently accused a man of "white privilege" before learning he was black.

CNN analyst Areva Martin was hosting a political show on SiriusFM Patriot, a conservative talk station, on Tuesday, and had Fox commentator David Webb on the show.

The pair were debating whether experience was more important than colour when determining whether someone was qualified for a job when the moment occurred.

"I've chosen to cross different parts of the media world, done that work so that I'm qualified to be in each one," said Mr Webb.

"I never considered colour the issue, I considered my qualifications the issue."

Ms Martin responded by saying it was "a whole other long conversation about white privilege".

"The things you have the privilege of doing, that people of colour don't have the privilege of," she continued.

Webb, obviously confused by the statement, then asked Ms Martin what she meant by that, and she replied that he was a recipient of white privilege.

"David, by virtue of being a white male you have white privilege," the host explained.

Mr Webb then had to explain that he was black, and that Ms Martin should have done more research.

"That's actually insulting," Mr Webb said.

"It is and I apologise," replied Ms Martin. "I was given wrong information."

Ms Martin has not responded to the incident, but Mr Webb talked to Fox about it later, saying he was offended by the assumption she'd made.

"Who gives you the wrong information? How do you give someone the wrong information about my skin colour?"

Newshub.