TV HOSTESS: Susanna Ohlen works for the German TV channel RTL. Photo: Malte Ossowski / SVEN SIMON
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Susanna Ohlen (39) reported from the flood in Germany, but became a little too eager. Now she is suspended.
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The reporter was filmed on Monday – without her being aware of it – from a nearby window when she was to tell viewers of “Guten Morgen Deutschland” about the situation in one of the affected areas, Bad Münstereifel.
The floods in Central Europe has claimed a large number of human lives, and many areas have been completely devastated. German Ohlen has been out in the field in his home country for the major TV channel RTL.
The video, which shows the 39-year-old bending down to pick up mud which she then smears over her clothes, has spread on social media.
Now she’s sorry.
Watch the video here (the article continues below):
In a statement, reproduced both on Instagram and Facebook, Ohlen admits that she has made “a big mistake”.
She explains why she did as she did:
«After helping as a private person in the region the days before, I was ashamed in front of the other helpers that morning to stand in front of the camera wearing a clean top».
Ohlen writes further:
«Then – without thinking twice – I smeared mud on my clothes. As a journalist, I should never have done this. I apologize“, She writes and assures that she cares about the suffering of all those affected by the flood disaster.
RTL believes that the reporter has broken the guidelines, and she is now suspended indefinitely, writes BBC.
What happens next with Ohlen’s employment in the TV channel is uncertain.
This is what it has usually looked like when Ohlen has been on screen:
The reporter is not the only one who has behaved inappropriately and been exposed in connection with the flood. Chancellor Angela Merkel’s successor Armin Laschet (60) was seen laughing in the background during the President’s speech to the flood victims recently.
He too has apologized for this behavior:
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