TV3 reporter describes Laneway Festival live cross as 'the worst'

THESTORYNZ/Facebook
Kim Vinnell has issued a video response to her Laneway live cross.

TV3's Kim Vinnell has spoken out about her uncomfortable Story live-cross that aired on Monday night.

"My live-cross and the F-bomb seems to have got a bit of traction online," the TV3 reporter said in a video statement shared on Story's official Facebook page.

The reporter, who found herself the victim of a rowdy festival goer's vulgar taunts at the Laneway Festival on Monday evening, said she wasn't "terrified" despite using that word in a post.

Kim Vinnell abused live on air.
TV3/STORY
Kim Vinnell abused live on air.

"It was more unsettling and unexpected," she said.

READ MORE:
Departed 3News reporter Jeff Hampton says MediaWorks 'devaluing' 6pm news
TV3's 3News replacement Newshub premieres
David Farrier excited about Newshub
TV3: 'Newshub reflects what our audience is wanting'

 

"I think it's important to point out that anyone should be able to go to their place of work and not be accosted. It's kind of a right, I think."

"I know this phrase that this guy used has been popular on the internet and stuff, but it still doesn't make it ok," she said.

Vinnell said she didn't want to "dramatise" the situation, however noted it's important not to "condone that sort of behaviour".

Earlier on Tuesday afternoon, Vinnell tweeted that she wanted to try and find and "reconcile" with the festival goer that yelled vulgar abuse at her during a Laneways' festival live-cross.

Vinnell thanked the public for their feedback following her uncomfortable live encounter with a rowdy Laneways' punter.

"Appreciating the feedback from last nights live cross f bomb #fail on #livetv - @hdpa and I thinking we find the guy for reconciliation?" she tweeted.

Story host Heather du Plessis-Allan soon followed up Vinnell's tweet, sharing: "I want to know who the guy is."

On Monday night, during a live-cross for Story on TV3, Vinnell had abuse screamed at her during an interview at Auckland's Laneway festival.

Vinnell, who described the attack as "terrifying", was covering the festival live at Auckland's Silo Park for Story, interviewing punters and performers, when the verbal attack came. 

Do you know those involved? Email newstips@stuff.co.nz

As Vinnell began her cross back to Story hosts Duncan Garner and Heather du Plessis-Allan, one festival goer leapt in front of the camera, barging past the reporter and yelled words too revolting to include here.

The phrase used is well known as on the internet after a series of compilation videos on YouTube showed distressed reporters being interrupted with it during live crosses.

Vinnell later detailed her experience on social media, describing the ordeal as "terrifying" and "unsettling".

"Just had the worst (or best depending on your view) live cross bomb in my 10 yr career. Wow. Just wow," she tweeted.

Vinnell was interviewing the artist Lontalius, one of the acts scheduled to perform at the festival, when the disorderly punter leapt in front of the camera and began yelling.

A clearly rattled Vinnell then moved away from the man in a bid to continue her live cross elsewhere, however the punter continued to interrupt her.

Back in the studio, host Duncan Garner tried to cover for the language used.

"It's live television, anything can happen," said host Garner, before cutting Vinnell's Laneway cross-short.

On Tuesday, Story's executive producer Fiona MacMillan told Stuff, "sadly, you sometimes do get that sort of behaviour when you go live."

"We had sent a producer down with Kim to try and keep any troublesome characters at bay, but one managed to slip through." she said.  "Happily, the whole team handled it professionally and moved on as quickly as possible."
 
When asked how TV3 handled reporter safety on Monday, a TV3 spokesperson said "in this instance, there were security staff at the event and a police presence around us to keep Kim safe from any real harm."

Stuff