Minnesota anchors, wearing coats, report parade from indoors

Brr, it's cold in this heated studio.

News anchors in Duluth, Minnesota donned heavy jackets and sat at a desk decorated with bows and snowflakes on Friday, during coverage of the Christmas City of the North Parade. And while the video behind Michelle Lee, Kevin Jacobsen and Barbara Reyelts did indeed show the parade, these commentators spent at least part of the event warm and cozy in the studio — the image was a green screen.

Local radio station Mix108 was the first to criticize the anchors for ducking out of the cold.

"What was funny is that they were wearing jackets, as if we didn’t notice the few times they referenced "going back outside" or the lack of their breath showing in the cold air," Mix108 wrote.

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However, Reyelts later told Jim Romenesko the anchors weren't trying to trick anyone; they did go outside for part of the parade and they never lied about being indoors. Still, it must have felt stuffy to sit in those heavy jackets throughout the broadcast.

Periodically, media ponders the need for reporters, particularly weather forecasters, to stand outside in harsh conditions while snow piles up on their heads or hurricane-force winds threaten to sweep them away before the camera.

But there was no storm in Duluth last Friday, and many others braved the chilly temperatures to attend the Christmas parade. Presenting live news coverage of a parade from indoors does, if nothing else, seem to lack a certain holiday spirit.

(Photo from MPR News)

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