ROSEMARY ABBOTT | National
NO CHANCE
A Newshub reporter has ruffled feathers inside a busy newsroom today.
Alyse Bates, an Auckland news reporter covering Cyclone Gabrielle, arrogantly asked her producer if she could simply do her live cross inside, where she would be sheltered from the severe rain and wind.
The Whakataki Times reporters were inside Newshub’s headquarters and overheard the heated discussion.
“Can’t I just do it from here or at least have some shelter over me? Do I really need the viewer seeing me getting pelted with rain and trying to hold it together as my makeup runs down my face?” Bates pleaded with complete logic and reason to her producer.
“Absolutely not! I need you on scene! I want you to have a windswept look about you and be completely drenched, which shows the cyclone’s fury. The viewers need to see you on the ground in the eye of the storm. Have you not seen how reporters do it in the US?
“They’re out there in blizzards, storms and they’re plonking themselves in the middle of tornados! Get your microphone and get out there!” the unnamed producer ordered, clearly hellbent on seeing his reporters battle through their live cross.
Bates, who is sick and tired of being pointlessly drenched at the end of each day, fired back again.
“But I’m literally shouting down the barrel of the camera to tell people to keep out of danger, stay safe, and keep warm. Yet I’m out here doing the complete opposite of what I’m advising people to do!”
“I really don’t care what you tell them. All I want to see is you looking like you’re shivering and fearing for your life in the middle of the cyclone. Now get your red jacket and get back out there!”
More to come.
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