Top 30 News Reporting Fails

On-the-ground correspondents certainly don’t have it easy. They endure everything from nasty weather to war zones, all while keeping it cool. But for KARK-4[a] reporter, Isiah Carey, that professional front shattered when his segment was interrupted by a very unwelcome guest. While reporting on the death of a high school student in Augusta, Arkansas, Carey had the misfortune of a large insect flying straight into his mouth. He instantly lost his composure. In a heartbeat, that cool, professional newscaster voice morphed into a profane outburst. You could even hear the camera operator cracking up in the background. After all these years though, we’re still curious about what really happened at Augusta High School.

If you’ve ever thought TV needed way more weather reporters, this graphics glitch has definitely got you covered. In 2021, meteorologist Jennifer McDermed[b] of KMSP in Minneapolis, Minnesota was delivering her run-of-the-mill weather report when things got a little funky. A graphics error caused her to multiply on the screen as she pointed to it, which made for a surreal and hilarious sight. McDermed herself was certainly amused, as she played along with the error, making funny movements across the screen, much to the delight of her colleagues. With a sense of humor like hers, we wouldn’t mind seeing a few more McDermeds on air.

There’s nothing quite like an uninvited insect or animal to throw a reporter off their game. This time, it was WAAY anchorman Michael Scott who, in 2002, found himself in a rather scaly situation. In what was supposed to be a routine interview with a snake wrangler, surrounded by massive reptiles, a tiny gecko decided to steal the spotlight. The lizard leapt from a nearby table and clung onto Scott’s jacket, instantly turning him into a flailing mess. His life must have flashed before his eyes as he jerked around like he was being electrocuted and went straight for the floor. We don’t mean to laugh at his misadventure, but his co-workers couldn’t help themselves either.

In 2001, American athlete and adventurer Erik Weihenmayer[c] made history as the first blind person to reach the summit of Mount Everest. Truly, a mind-blowing feat. However, while reporting on the story, Cynthia Izaguirre, a news anchor in Albuquerque, New Mexico, made an on-air blunder that she probably will never live down. Instead of calling Weihenmayer “blind,” Izaguirre confidently described him as “gay.” Now, we’re not entirely sure what was going through her mind, but the emphasis she places on “gay,” a word that sounds nothing like “blind,” makes this moment instant comedy gold. If Weihenmayer wasn’t aware of this new identity before, he certainly is now.

It was the “perfect texture for running,” and apparently, even more perfect for slipping and falling. In 2014, KOIN 6[d] News reporter Lisa Balick was out on the streets of Portland, Oregon during a snowstorm when she stopped joggers Chelsea and Michael to talk about the weather. The pair raved about the snow’s ideal running conditions, describing it as “very low impact.” But mere seconds after their enthusiastic endorsement, Chelsea discovered firsthand that the impact was anything but low when she slipped on a snowy patch and hit the ground hard. Ouch! That definitely looked like it hurt, but if she says she’s fine, who are we to argue?

Most journalists slip up every now and then, but there’s something extra amusing when it happens to one of the pros. Case in point, ABC Senior Correspondent Terry Moran[e]. Back in 2008, Moran, then a “Nightline” co-anchor, was covering the presidential elections and highlighted the historic significance of Barack Obama’s nomination. However, while discussing Obama’s background, he incorrectly described him as being the son of two dads. And the funny thing is he didn’t even catch his own blunder. Sure, Obama having two fathers certainly would’ve been history-making, but we don’t think the history books were ready for such a moment at the time.

You probably wouldn’t expect a sleigh riding race to give you the laugh of a lifetime, but this clip proves to be full of surprises. In 2012, Global News reporter Rob Leth[f] was covering an inner tube toboggan race on a snowy mountain. But instead of playing it safe on the sidelines, Leth decided to stand right in the path of the oncoming sled. You can easily guess what happens next, but somehow, Leth couldn’t. One of the racers plowed into him, launching him into a full flip before he hit the ground. We have to hand it to him though. Despite the tumble, Leth manages to sign off like a pro, before gracefully collapsing into the snow.

As a news reporter, it’s wise to always assume you’re live on the air. Otherwise, you might end up in the same predicament as NBC News reporter Emery King[g]. King was supposed to be reporting live from the White House about President Ronald Reagan’s trip to Asia. But when Connie Chung threw him a question from the newsroom, King, blissfully unaware that he was live, responded in the most flippant way possible. The look of horror on his face after realizing his blunder was priceless! Ever the pro, King immediately apologized for his error and transitioned smoothly into his reporter persona. Thankfully, this on-air slip-up didn’t put his career in any danger.

The news can sometimes be a snoozefest, especially when it comes to the weather and traffic updates. So in 2006, Jennie Stencel[h], the traffic reporter at WXII-TV in North Carolina decided to spice things up. Rather than the usual commute rundown, Stencel delivered her report as a rap song. Or at least, what she believed to be a rap song. She struggled to catch the beat, delivering a string of awkward lines that only got cringier by the second. But hey, at least she did manage to rhyme “triad yo” with “nah nah nah nah no,” so that’s worth something. Let’s just hope her lyrical disaster didn’t lead to any real-life crashes.

Although touchscreen technology has been around for a while, and is now practically everywhere, it appears some people are still stumbling upon its wonders. Take ABC 7 Chicago meteorologist Greg Dutra[i] for example. In 2022, even after years on the job, Dutra had his mind completely blown when he accidentally brushed the screen and realized it responded to touch. His co-anchor, Terrell Brown, who apparently was also unaware, had to try it out for himself to believe it. Granted, Dutra was shocked to find out it was a touchscreen, but nothing beats his reactions to also learning that it could zoom and tilt. Is this how the first person who discovered fire felt?

Getting tongue-tied during a news report is a pretty common occurrence for newscasters and reporters, but Serene Branson took it to a whole other level. During her news report delivered outside the 2011 Grammy Awards, Branson reportedly suffered a migraine, causing her speech to be garbled and unintelligible. The way she delivers the nonsense words with such conviction tells you that in any other circumstance, Branson is a complete professional, and that there’s more to this error than meets the eye. A VERY heavy bertation, indeed!

Animals can make for unpredictable partners on TV, and though that can make life difficult for their handlers, from a viewer’s perspective, the results are always hilarious. Weatherman John Zeigler learned this the hard way when Griffey, the studio beagle, insisted on a game of fetch during the forecast. Zeigler quickly gives in and engages the dog - which proves to be his undoing. Griffey returns to the weatherman again and again, even hitting the green screen in his excitement. Although Ziegler smiles through it, you can see him becoming progressively worn down as he weathers the playful but sudden storm of energy.

The 5 second rule couldn’t save this newscaster. During a live broadcast, weatherman Scot Haney decided to snack on what he thought were some grape nuts strewn on the floor. As fellow anchors mock him for his odd on-air choice, Haney’s facial expressions soon give away that he too is having second thoughts. But viewers soon got an update that made everything worse. In the “Trending Now” segment, Haney reveals that what he thought were grape nuts was actually cat vomit he tracked into the studio on his shoes. Well… that explains why the so-called grape nuts were “a little soggy”. It was a funny reveal, but also rather revolting.

When it comes to producing video content, editing is crucial. One mistake can throw off an entire segment. Anchor Pat Murphy was updating sports fans about tight end Kevin Everett’s condition after an in-game injury. As Murphy mentions that Everett could move his arms and legs they cut to a video of a completely different man in a wheelchair. The baffling courtroom scene that plays out is horrendously inappropriate for the story. As the newsroom cuts quickly from the ill-timed clip, Murphy manages to keep his composure and finish the report like a professional - but we’re guessing someone behind the scenes got a serious reprimand.

As we were saying about the importance of editing… it applies to the script too. In this clip from CBS 5 Eyewitness news, anchor Ken Bastida announced that his co-worker was out before going into the lead story about a recent homicide. However, there was no clear transition between the two topics and the victim’s name wasn’t mentioned. As a result, it looks and sounds like Bastida had just delivered news of a coworkers’ grizzly death with barely any emotion. The real victim’s name and picture do appear, making it clear that his fellow anchor is alright, but seriously... a simple re-read and we could’ve avoided a whole lot of shock and confusion.

A reporter can’t do their job with a missing microphone, but they should check for one first. During coverage of the Democratic National Convention, we’re sent live to reporter Andy Shaw at the event. He doesn’t say a full word before looking down at his notes and then looking for a mic, despite already having a headset to speak into. Ironically, as Shaw screams for a mic, we can hear his every word. When the feed cuts back to the studio, he’s made such a scene that his fellow anchor can’t not smirk at the humor of it all.

Each year, Ig Nobel prizes are awarded to strange projects that are funny yet fascinating. But the staff at CTV news couldn’t get past the funny part when talking about one winner. Thomas Thwaites had spent three days living as a goat chewing on grass and wearing artificial limbs. As one anchor discusses his findings, she breaks out into laughter. Although she tries to press on, the visuals prove too much for her to handle. By the end of the segment, three studio anchors are cracking up on air and the goat-man proves himself worthy of his Ig Nobel prize.

This Australian morning show sent a reporter on a mission he couldn’t handle. Up in the sky above the Earth, at the mercy of a pilot who’s used to the rigors of plane tricks, a mild mannered presenter made the mistake of encouraging a man to push him to his limits. The look of just holding back vomit and exhilaration on his face soon gives way to one in which he seems at peace as unconsciousness takes him.

A dedicated reporter doesn’t let anything get in the way of their story. Kent Molgat demonstrated this when he questioned an irritated lawyer trying to walk away. In the middle of his hot pursuit, Molgat walks straight into a metal pole. The hit is so striking that even the annoyed lawyer stops to check up on him. A second camera angle shows that Molgat actually stayed on his feet, but that the impact likely cost him a pair of glasses. We don’t know if his persistence got him any closer to the truth, but talk about a story with impact!

One of the most important aspects of bringing the news to the public is cultivating an ability to get to the truth of any story - and not let lies and deception deter you. How someone in the chain of command of this news station was not able to stop these anchors from treating this TV set as a legitimate crash scene will never cease to amaze us. We can only imagine if the copter camera panned a little bit more to the side that there would have to be cameras, crew and maybe even trailers or catering fully in view!

When you first wake up in the morning and find your way to the nearest TV, one of the last things you’d probably expect to see is a grown man slammed into the sea. Using a water-powered jet pack when you have what we presume is little TV experience may sound like a fun idea at first, but it also may just lead to internet infamy. When the anchors burst out into uncontrollable laughter at your misfortune immediately thereafter, then that fate is virtually ensured. Still looks wicked fun though.

BBC Correspondent Quentin Sommerville got a little too close to this highly exclusive report. Sommerville was taping a segment in the Middle East as a large pile of drugs burned behind him. He manages to record for about five seconds before the fumes get to him, causing uncontrollable laughter. Sommerville tries to get serious, but each of his attempts to start over proves more side-splitting than the last. At times, even the cameraman seems affected by the smoke. Their giggles may have come from being under the influence, but the laughs this report produces are completely genuine.

There are few things in the world more awkward than suddenly finding yourself working under somebody who you were at one time the boss of. Probably the worst case scenario is when you find yourself at odds with him while LIVE on television - but at least you can rest assured that your embarrassment is creating some amazing TV for the rest of the world. We can’t help but love every second of this anchor and reporter engaging in school yard level taunts in what should otherwise be a very serious environment.

At one time, the world of television was dominated by a few networks that had a stranglehold on what you saw on your sets. As a result, only the most seasoned, experienced people got the chance to helm the news. In our modern world where there are seemingly as many stations as there are stars in the sky, there are many more opportunities for unknowns to grace your TV. An example of why that’s not a good thing: A.J. Clemente’s first seconds on air were stained with vulgarity and awkwardness that got him fired, as well as on Letterman talking about his mistakes.

This may be the worst place a rodent has ever popped up. An anchor was providing an update on a disappearance case that had gone unsolved for years. As she names Rodney Stanger as a new suspect, viewers were shown the image of a hamster holding a movie slate. It’s onscreen moments before the camera zooms quickly back to the anchor. She manages to dismiss the picture and move on with her report, with only a faint smile as evidence that it ever happened. We’ll say it once more with feeling, when it comes to live news, proper editing is vital.

Arguably there is nothing more visceral than seeing or hearing someone in extreme pain and knowing exactly what is going through their mind. After trying to trick her opponent from momentarily stopping her grape stomping, the reporter falls face first into the ground. She’s clearly in extreme pain and most of us can relate. In the immediate aftermath of suffering, many of us may try to put up a front that the experience isn’t as bad as it seems; so it would take an all-encompassing pain that our brains wouldn’t be able to ignore to make us drop that façade. The end of this news segment is the incarnation of that effect and we can’t stop listening to it, though we’re also cringing at the same time.

You’d think that the two segments of the news that seem the most clear cut and easy to handle would be the weather and sports. The latter is oftentimes just spouting stats and scores with a few moments of personal opinions or witticisms thrown in. As such, many couch potatoes who love sports may fancy themselves a good fit for the role. If you happen to know someone with delusions of grandeur about their potential as a sportscaster or reporter and you want to shut them up, then this clip is for you. Sometimes incapable of even stringing a sentence together, this reporter can only spout one memorable line convincingly.

This may be the most hilarious case of mistaken identity ever recorded. Guy Goma went into the BBC News studios to interview for an IT job. But his interview took a turn when a staff member mistook him for tech journalist Guy Kewney and put Goma on live television. As “Guy Kewney” is introduced, we see the look of fear flash on his face. Against all odds, Goma is able to hold it together and answer the reporter’s questions with surprisingly good answers. Unfortunately, Guy’s quick thinking didn’t get him a job in the IT Department. But it did get him future tv appearances, for which he was actually able to prepare.

Unlike some of the other reporters on this list, Bill O’Reilly is a very seasoned television personality. It may be because of that that he feels comfortable acting like this while on set. When the teleprompter doesn’t display what he expects, instead of being a professional and working to rectify the situation, he at first barely holds in his unbridled rage, and then, completely unleashes it on those behind the scenes. The fact that he is aware that he is being filmed by the very people he unleashes on speaks to his pompous belief that they’d never share the footage with others. Luckily for all of us, he was very wrong.

When Asiana Airlines Flight 214 crashed on its final approach to an airport in San Francisco, it had the focus of eyes and ears worldwide. Even in this most grave of circumstances, there are those among us that saw it as an opportunity for jokes and levity. After years of falling for fake names, even Moe from “The Simpsons” may have balked at just how ridiculous a name like Sum Ting Wong sounds when read aloud, but somehow it still made it to live television with the Bay Area’s KTVU Channel 2 news reporting several incorrect pilot names as fact.
Did you catch any of these hilarious news fails live? Let us know in the comments below.
[a]kay ay arr kay four https://youtu.be/0nlihUNAHW4?si=mn8kbqin-JjDSV-k&t=19
https://youtu.be/4eb3ZR3O49A?si=7aEGbACD6Bo8IKIr&t=1
https://youtu.be/sU7S8Hnmv_I?si=sR3n4qbm60kozQYq&t=11
[b]https://youtu.be/6Jz_BHZ6JiM?si=L5rtp4UhbZpoDeTN&t=14
https://youtu.be/NbIG3-NRNOQ?si=WC_SIrrXr3HASDbd&t=198
[c]wine-MAY-ur https://youtu.be/EGZPTtmydkE?si=gUHv4MqwEMGjENqo&t=24
cynthia eesa-GEERrrr-eh https://youtu.be/vJkDzQuIQtc?si=rk8ks57rCJxw8vyO&t=1
[d]KOIN 6 = coin six https://youtu.be/5BZvHHcj5CQ?si=L2q7ypxbgEYe36ne&t=2
Lisa Balick = BAY-lick https://youtu.be/fwdJixnzQl0?si=HlFQXDbyAI7OUU-C&t=14
[e]https://youtu.be/CYGfU-wUL9I?si=PFfpNUB8N3AN1V_n
[f]https://youtu.be/Nwtcr78ydPM?si=Ur-4L1aJYQfXCGGh&t=85
[g]https://youtu.be/mi0DbZDgp8U?si=LJXURPl9TUsPnX0X&t=6
[h]https://youtu.be/T9H7MaWLwmc?si=GawoG1g6AQv6nTcz
double you ex eye eye https://youtu.be/ldjIJZiOE70?si=fTYK-nIrE33SnCcF&t=3 OR https://youtu.be/6dlYCYK8NG4?si=3xD_TmOj85ogJ6kK

[i]DOO-truh https://youtu.be/IiMJfUrzlJs?si=3X_ZDct3sB5Z5a_Y&t=4
tuh-RELL https://youtu.be/emnDYKJA03A?si=5cI2F58eGCjJmXhP&t=2