Norah O’Donnell caught by open mic, apparently muttering about sexual misconduct

By MixDex Article may include affiliate links

“CBS Evening News” anchor Norah O’Donnell forgot an important rule of broadcasting — always treat every mic as if it’s on.

• O’Donnell was caught on a hot mic during a Tuesday, Aug. 13, 2019 report about sexual harassment accusations against opera star Placido Domingo.
• Correspondent Chip Reid’s package concluded with a fullscreen graphic spelling out the statement from Domingo saying he thought the relationships were consensual.
• However, it appears O’Donnell’s mic was activated a bit early and she could be heard saying “sounds like somebody else here.”
• The broadcast then cut back to Reid, who joined O’Donnell at the anchor desk in Washington, D.C. where she was anchoring from.
• It’s likely that both Reid and O’Donnell’s mics were activated in anticipation of the brief exchange between the pair — but the timing meant O’Donnell’s offhand remark went out over the air.
• While it’s not for certain if O’Donnell was actually referring to sexual harassment, CBS has been the target of multiple sexual misconduct scandals, including ones that ousted CEO Les Moonves.
• O’Donnell’s former “CBS This Morning” co-anchor Charlie Rose was also forced out because of allegations made against him.
• It’s worth noting that, assuming O’Donnell was referencing sexual harassment at CBS, that her sarcastic remark appears to imply that whoever she is referring to is still with the network.
• CBS removed the audio from versions of the story it posted online.