ABC News correspondent, Matt Gutman, who is the network's Chief National Reporter, got suspended for inaccurate reporting as he said live on television that Kobe Bryant along with his four little daughters died in the helicopter crash, which is of course not true. The reporter failed to get all his facts right and blurted out without even knowing who were all on board the chopper as it crashed in the hills.
Gutman later apologized on air for his mistake after it became clear that only one of Kobe Bryant's daughter, Gianna had died along with the NBA star during the crash. ABC News didn't take the matter lightly and suspended him as he failed to meet the editorial standards.
Gutman had won Journalism Awards
"Reporting the facts accurately is the cornerstone of our journalism. As he acknowledged on Sunday, Matt Gutman's initial reporting was not accurate and failed to meet our editorial standards," ABC News released a statement to E! News after suspending the reporter.
Matt Gutman had previously won the Journalism Awards for his reporting during the 2017 mass shooting in Las Vegas and the 2018 rescue mission of 12 boys and their soccer coach from a flooded cave in Thailand.
Matt Gutman apologizes for false reporting
After realizing his mistake, Matt Gutman took to Twitter and apologized for his incorrect reporting which caused lots of distress to many viewers and the Bryant family as a whole. ''Today I inaccurately reported it was believed that four of Kobe Bryant's children were on board that flight. That is incorrect. I apologize to Kobe's family, friends and our viewers,'' he tweeted.
He again apologized to the Bryant family for "any additional anguish" he might have caused due to his false reporting and added that he holds himself responsible for making a terrible mistake. "We are in the business of holding people accountable and I hold myself accountable for a terrible mistake, which I deeply regret."
