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
None of them are, really. They all try too hard creating news instead of reporting it, and when they're not doing that, they're trying to hard to be the one with the most on screen techno-wizardry.
I don't care about any of that. Just gimme the news, without so much as editorializing it or making it up as you go along. Simple request.
A monkey with a microphone could do a better job than a lot of the talent these days.
No. Not at all. I provided a link so you can see and hear for yourself. It's quite a hoot.
but the title makes cnn look stupid for being sorry for something someone else did
That's all fine and good, but what I want to hear is the cat fight between Phillips and her SIL after this was broadcast all over the world. The SIL deserves equal time.
Conspiracy or not, there has to have been a way for someone else to have killed her mike.
Well .. I don't accept their apology. It's as accidental as the 3 big XXX's which appeared across Cheney's face.
Disgusting people!
Perhaps they could, if they wanted to.
Smarmy headline alert for sure.
Someone was listiening to the output and someone was in a position to shut off the extra feed and someone made the decision that it was a good sneer at Bush and left it on or ordered it left on.
. . .their own destruction is not ocurring fast enough. . .meantime; they manipulate public discourse. . .thinking. . .polls. . .elections; and a good President becomes a negataive statistic .
Want this 'reap/sow' to HURRY UP!
how does one pronounce "gaffe"?
guh-FAW?
What do you mean "almost"? I sure don't think it was.
I'm growing impatient, too.
Kyra is gorgeous. She has recently taken a lot of heat from CNN staff for her statements defending Bush.
"Bush made a mistake while giving a speech"
If you actually listen to the speech, you will hear after they cut of the stupid anchor that Pres. Bush does stumble alittle on the speech.
So, I guess, he did a make a small mistake. Big deal. Nobody voted for him because of his speech abilities.
I believe that, if these "mistakes" aren't intentional, they are at least a demonstration of the lack of respect or care that they have for the President and those people who voted for him.
I agree. You mean to tell me there was no news producer or director monitoring the feed?
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