CNN anchor Erin Burnett had to reveal her reporting from Tel Aviv, Israel, on a high-tension moment in a live broadcast. She and her team dove to the ground just as Iranian missiles began to strike. The incident unfolded as Burnett was reporting on the ongoing situation in the region, highlighting the escalating tensions that have disrupted life for Israeli citizens.
The terrifying experience started when Burnett first heard the familiar tone of public danger sirens warning residents of the danger. Recognizing the urgency of the situation, she advised her team, including a colleague named Diker, to “move pretty quickly” to a safe location. The team immediately dived into their go-bag, sprinting to the building’s designated concrete fortified stairwell, a common ‘safe room’ for such buildings. There, they found shelter from the constant shelling assault.
As it all unfolded, Burnett didn’t flinch and delivered the news with calm professionalism, broadcasting live on-location with a mobile shot and handheld microphone. An eyewitness to the missiles’ deadly impact, she told viewers that she had just witnessed the missiles strike their targets. She guessed that the attacks were probably coming from Iran-based ballistic missiles. Her cool-headed, pragmatic approach reassured fearful Americans and guided them through that terrible, horrifying, darkening storm of crises ahead.
“This has completely disrupted life here,” Burnett said, emphasizing the impact the missile strikes have had on the everyday lives of those in Tel Aviv. The original alert Burnett and her team received was approximately five to six minutes long. This short window of opportunity required fast thinking and action from each player to maximize impact.
Throughout the broadcast, Burnett switched cameras to document her team’s move to shelter, providing real-time updates to viewers about their safety and the ongoing threats in the area. At the same time, her professionalism under pressure highlighted the perils that journalists covering active frontlines and war face.
