Journalist Suspended After Bystander Video Reveals She Covered Herself in Mud Before Reporting on Devastating Floods

Journalist Susanna Ohlen of the television network RTL has been suspended for putting mud on her clothing and face prior to going on air.

“As a journalist, this should never have happened to me. As a person who takes the suffering of all those affected to heart, it has happened to me. I’m sorry,” she apologized in an Instagram post.

“After I had already helped privately in the region in previous days, I was ashamed to stand in front of the camera in clean clothes, in front of the other relief workers. As a result, without thinking twice, I smeared mud on my clothes.”

A video emerged of the journalist in action before the broadcast, making it obvious she was trying to dramatize her report.

Artikel: "Aufräumarbeiten nach Flut: RTL-Moderatorin Susanna Ohlen packt in Bad Münstereifel mit an"

Was auch geschah:pic.twitter.com/zp1p3XbAaK

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“The actions of our reporter clearly contradicts journalistic principles and our own standards. We therefore suspended her on Monday, after we learned of it,” a spokeswoman for the television network said Thursday, according to DW News.

Floods in Germany killed at least 165 people last week.