Anchor delivers news, then baby: Albany journalist goes into labour while on air
CBS6 Albany anchor Olivia Jaquith continued delivering the news even after her water broke earlier this week.
In what can be called an extraordinary display of professionalism, a news anchor in US' Albany continued delivering the top headlines even after her water broke and labour contractions began.
CBS6 Albany anchor Olivia Jaquith continued delivering the news even after her water broke, with her co-anchor Julia Dunn quipping, “We do have some breaking news this morning — literally.”
This happened during Wednesday’s broadcast, according to an Associated Press report.
“Olivia’s water has broke, and she is anchoring the news now in active labour,” Julia Dunn said.
“Early labour, early labour,” Jaquith quickly clarified with a calm smile. The 29-year-old was reportedly two days past her due date but showed no signs of slowing down as she worked through a full three-hour newscast.
The moment was further broadcast to social media followers, with Dunn continuing to film on Facebook Live. “I’m happy to be here, and I’ll stay on the desk for as long as I possibly can,” Jaquith told viewers. “But if I disappear, that’s what’s going on,” she added.
Jaquith told the Times-Union she chose to work instead of “nervously waiting around at the hospital.” The camaraderie of her news team, she added, helped her manage the contractions: “Having the entire morning team alongside me cracking jokes helped me get through contractions much easier.”
On Thursday, Jaquith and her husband announced the birth of their son, Quincy.
This isn’t the first time a broadcaster has gone viral for such resilience. In a recent such incident, a television news anchor in Turkey continued reporting as a powerful earthquake struck mid-broadcast.
CNN Türk anchor Meltem Bozbeyoglu was on air when a 6.2-magnitude earthquake rocked Istanbul on April 23. Footage shared widely on social media shows the studio visibly shaking as Bozbeyoglu tries to maintain her composure while delivering the news.
The journalist paused momentarily, raising her hand for balance as the tremors intensified.
