It comes after the Australian Communications and Media Authority called on Channel Nine to issue the on-air apology over the report entitled "All Asian Mall".
The "All Asian Mall" report alleged ethnic Asian shopkeepers were pushing out so-called "Aussie shopkeepers" from a Sydney mall in the north-western suburb of Castle Hill.
But since the report's airing, A Current Affair has been forced into an embarrassing backdown over its content off the back of an investigation by the Australian Communications and Media Authority, ACMA.
A Current Affair host Leila McKinnon issued this statement at the end of the program last Friday.
"Before we go we would like to acknowledge that the ACMA has determined that our segment entitled "All Asian Mall" was found to have breached the code of practice in three areas. The ACMA has made a number of findings in their report. A copy of the report can be found on the ACMA website, which is shown on your screen. A Current Affair apologises for any offence caused by this segment and Nine accepts the report's findings."
ACMA says the report contained inaccurate factual material; placed a gratuitous emphasis on ethnic origin; and was likely to provoke intense dislike and serious contempt on the grounds of ethnic origin.
The report alleged Asian speciality shops would occupy "almost all" of the lower level of the Castle Mall, when in fact the plan was that only four of 16 retailers were to be Asian speciality shops.
The report also alleged "Aussie shopkeepers" had been forced out to make way for new retailers targeting the suburb's Asian population.
In fact, the new retailers were being introduced because other shops had already closed down.
A Current Affair also said the shopping mall had planned to eventually kick out all other retailers in favour of Asian shops, when the plan was actually to relocate them within the mall.
The Communications and Media Authority has welcomed the on-air apology, even though Channel Nine was not legally obliged to do so.
Channel Nine has also removed the story from its website.
ACMA chairman Chris Chapman says it's the first time a commercial broadcaster has issued an on-air apology over a breach of the code.
"I think it sends a message to listeners and viewers that they are empowered. They do have the opportunity to complain and there are consequences to actions. I think it is a very healthy development and I'm quietly confident that it might develop its own momentum. In which case I think it is a very healthy development in the culture of the broadcasting environment."
Chinese community groups say they were happy to hear the on-air apology.
The Australian Chinese Community Association has welcomed the move, whilst the Chinese Australian Forum says Channel Nine should have been more aware of the media code of conduct to start with.
Tony Pang is a spokesman for the Forum, which was set up in response to the rise of Pauline Hanson and her One Nation party.
"There's no place for such comment by reporters, by stations running programs such as the one that appeared. There's no place for it here. It's a modern society. Australia is one of the most successful countries in implementing multiculturalism and we should tap into that strength in diversity. That's where a lot of investment is coming from, creating jobs. That's the direction we're going."
The federal Race Discrimination Commissioner has also welcomed the apology by Channel Nine, but says it was inexcusable for A Current Affair to suggest there was an "Asian invasion" or that suburbs were being swamped by Asians.
Dr Tim Soutphommasane, who is of Chinese and Lao background, says the ACA report was damaging and blatant fear-mongering.
He says perhaps most insulting was the inference by A Current Affair that being Asian and also Australian are incompatible.
"You can have more than one way of expressing your Australian identity. What was disappointing with Channel Nine's report about Asian malls was the suggestion that somehow being Asian was not being Australian. So you had this contrast being drawn between 'Aussie shopkeepers' and 'Asian shopkeepers', but the fact is many of the Asian shopkeepers referred to in that story would have been Australian citizens."
