Posted on 08/30/2006 7:22:32 PM PDT by MikeA
NEW YORK (Hollywood Reporter) - CNN apologized Tuesday after an open mike transmitted an anchor's bathroom conversation with another woman live over the network as it was carrying President Bush's speech in New Orleans.
"Live From" anchor Kyra Phillips had apparently left the set around 12:48 p.m. EDT Tuesday for a bathroom break while the news channel carried Bush's speech marking the one-year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. Phillips' wireless microphone was turned on and picked up about a minute and a half of a muffled conversation she had with an unidentified woman where she apparently talked about her husband, laughed and talked about her brother.
"I've got to be protective of him," she said without being aware that the mic was on. "He's married, three kids, and his wife is just a control freak." CNN anchor Daryn Kagan broke into the telecast immediately afterward updating viewers on what Bush had been saying.
"CNN experienced audio difficulties during the president's speech today in New Orleans," the CNN statement read. "We apologize to our viewers and the president for the disruption."
CNN apologized to the White House on Tuesday afternoon. It wasn't clear whether it was a technical or human malfunction, and CNN, citing corporate policy, said it wouldn't comment on whether anyone would be disciplined. It seemed unlikely that anyone would.
CNN hasn't been immune to technical problems, particularly during political events. In November, a gaffe during a live speech by Vice President Dick Cheney showed an intermittent "X" on the screen. CNN apologized and fired a telephone operator who told a caller who complained that the network was exercising "free speech."
And in July 2004, viewers heard Democratic National Convention producer Don Mischer swear over an open microphone when balloons didn't immediately drop after a speech by Sen. John Kerry, the party's presidential nominee.
But some in the TV business said Tuesday that CNN should have had a system of checks and balances in place to make sure anchor's mikes are off when they're not on the air.
"It's a cardinal rule," one executive said.
Reuters/Hollywood Reporter
It's the first thing your taught in radio/TV broadcasting school.
The MSM is beyond despicable.
Happily, their blind, irrational hatred of President Bush is causing them to sow the seeds of their own destruction.
It's laughable really. This 90-second error demonstrates that no one at CNN bothered to listen to Bush's speech.
It's Reuters. As in the ambulance-missile, dead-stuffed-toy, Green Helmet Guy Reuters. What else can you expect? It's all Bush's fault.
In an objective media, statistics would dictate that the news would fall for fauxtography that is pro-US, conservatives, and/or Israel at roughly the same rate as the Hezb*ll*cks fauxtogs.
Statistics also dictate that gaffes would be equally committed between Republican and Damocratic administrations.
Either statistics is a liar or the DSM is.
I almost don't believe the open mic thing was an accident frankly. I think they just wanted to distract from Bush's speech explaining what the feds. are doing to mitigate the perception that somehow they screwed up on Katrina and are unprepared for future disasters. If it was truly a mistake, I only wish they had caught her bad mouthing Bush or saying something obscene. That would have been a nice wake up call for people still being brainwashed by CNN. Plus it would have been nice payback for the open mic incident when Bush was in Russia in June.
They get copies of the speech and highlights in advance.
Nothing like objectivity, eh?
Am I to understand that you haven't seen the video clip or read the transcript?
Which proved my point, they weren't interested in hearing it after reading it.
For good reason. They already knew what was happening.
Wasn't the "X" over Chaney's face (not once but twice) a technical mistake? Didn't CNN "accidentally" air the President's warm up to a speech a few weeks ago?
From what I've read, the anchor babe bad-mouthed her sister-in-law during the restroom conversation.
If this wasn't an elaborate conspiracy, then CNN has shown it will throw even its own people under the bus in an effort to diminish the President.
I laughed when Lt. Frank Drebin (Leslie Nielsen) had an open mic in the restroom in "The Naked Gun." But I didn't think it would happen in a professional newscast.
Of course, CNN might not be all that professional...
I'm working from Rush's relation of it on his program. Did he misquote?
Well, one things for sure, it's going to be one hell of a Christmas for that family this year. I wish I could hear the audio during that dinner.
I'm glad I won't.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.