Viral pic of microphone’s ‘raincoat’ during Ian coverage explained: ‘Can’t get these mics wet’

A Florida reporter broke the cardinal rule of journalism and made the story about her when she pointed out during coverage of Hurricane Ian on Wednesday that reporters use a different kind of raincoat on microphones to keep them from getting wet.

(Video Credit: Fox News)

NBC2 Florida reporter Kyla Galer pointed out she was practicing safe microphoning during the monster storm on Wednesday, defending the use of a condom over her mic while on live TV. It naturally went viral and viewers enjoyed the comic relief as Florida got hammered by Hurricane Ian.

“First up, reporting in a hurricane is hard,” Fox News host Jesse Watters snarked when covering the story Friday. “It’s dangerous work not just for the journalist but for their equipment as well. One NBC2 reporter, Kyla Galer, has a little hack on how to protect your mic.

He then played a clip of Galer explaining that what you see on her microphone is exactly what it looks like. Viewers were evidently wondering if it was plastic wrapping. It was… of a sort.

Watters asserted that in the industry he hears this is done. However, other reporters allegedly use styrofoam sponges instead of condoms.

“Cat 5?” Watters quipped, “I think you need a condom.”

Galer explained on Instagram, “A lot of people are asking what is on my microphone. It is what you think it is. It’s a condom. It helps protect the gear. You can’t get these mics wet. There’s a lot of wind and a lot of rain, so we gotta do what we gotta do and that is put a condom on the microphone.”

“** WE PRACTICE SAFE HURRICANE REPORTING ** Yes, it’s a condom. Nothing better to waterproof a microphone. My Waterman Broadcasting colleague @kylagaler has been fielding lots of questions, haha. Moment of levity in this nasty storm… #HurricaneIan,” fellow Fort Myers hurricane chaser and ABC7 news anchor Jeff Butera noted on Twitter while showing how reporters also use rubberbands to keep the condom from sliding off during mega-wind bursts.

When he was asked about the public response to the protected mic by Yahoo Life, Butera stated that while it certainly was an amusing moment for Fort Myers viewers, the storm’s destruction should be of top concern to everyone.

“Eyes on the ball,” he told Yahoo Life, remarking that the response around the microphone was “before the storm” and that “our focus is on the devastation in our community. It’s awful.”

Hurricane Ian was one of the strongest storms ever to hit the US mainland, flooding Gulf Coast communities, and knocking out power to millions before plowing across the peninsula to the Atlantic Ocean.

While the storm is pretty much gone now, the condom on a microphone segment is forever.

As TMZ put it, “Condoms. They’re not just for banging.”

Some on social media went to town over the hilarious revelation – others thought it was just common sense:

Get the latest BPR news delivered free to your inbox daily. SIGN UP HERE

DONATE TO BIZPAC REVIEW

Please help us! If you are fed up with letting radical big tech execs, phony fact-checkers, tyrannical liberals and a lying mainstream media have unprecedented power over your news please consider making a donation to BPR to help us fight them. Now is the time. Truth has never been more critical!

Success! Thank you for donating. Please share BPR content to help combat the lies.
Terresa Monroe-Hamilton

Comment

We have no tolerance for comments containing violence, racism, profanity, vulgarity, doxing, or discourteous behavior. If a comment is spam, instead of replying to it please click the ∨ icon below and to the right of that comment. Thank you for partnering with us to maintain fruitful conversation.

BPR INSIDER COMMENTS

Scroll down for non-member comments or join our insider conversations by becoming a member. We'd love to have you!

Latest Articles