<
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-57946430>
German TV apologizes for smearing mud on clothes at flood site
A German presenter has apologized after being caught smearing mud on
her clothes moments before appearing on television from a town ravaged
by last week's historic floods.
Susanna Ohlen, 39, said she acted after feeling "ashamed" of reporting
from the town in her clean clothes.
The broadcaster RTL said she had been suspended for breaching its
standards after the video went viral.
In a statement, Ms Ohlen said she had made a "serious mistake".
She had been reporting from Bad Munstereifel in North
Rhine-Westphalia, where record rainfall destroyed homes and left
dozens dead last week.
Ms Olen said she had been helping aid efforts in the days before
filming for RTL's Good Morning Germany program on Monday.
But before going on air, she felt "ashamed to stand in front of the
camera in clean clothes", she said.
Without thinking, she said, "I smeared mud on my clothes".
At that point, a video of her bending down to spread dirt on her hands
and clothes was apparently filmed by an onlooker and later posted to
social media.
--
)" .
/ \ (\-./
/ | _/ o. \
| | .-" y)-
| |/ _/ \
\ /j _".\(@)
\ ( | `.'' )
\ _`- | /
" `-._ <_ (
`-.,),)