Choppergate: Nine Queensland in on air apology to viewers over faked helicopter crosses

Tim Burrowes

August 25, 2011 9:22

Nine News has broadcast an on air apology to its Queensland viewers over its faked news chopper live crosses.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uPmZBESN_RE

Weeknight presenter Melissa Downes, who was not on air during the weekend when the incidents took place, read the apology during last night’s bulletin.

The first faked live cross came to light when footage emerged of the Nine News chopper on its helipad on Sunday night at the same time viewers were given the impression it was hovering near the search for Daniel Morcombe’s body and the caption said “near Beerwah”.

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Tim Burrowes

Tim Burrowes is the publisher of Mumbrella and Unmade. He co-founded Mumbrella in 2008 and sister title Unmade in 2021. He's worked in the UK, Middle East, Asia & Australia and has specialised in writing about the communications world for the last 25 years. He wrote the book Media Unmade, published in 2021, and became the presenter of MediaLand on ABC Radio National in 2025.

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1 COMMENTS

Al 25 Aug 11

Would be very unfair if reporters get the blame for something the producer on duty told them to do. Let’s hope the “investigation” does not have a predetermined outcome to protect a network boss’s golden haired boy!

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