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BBC News apologizes over errant ticker messages

Officials at BBC News have apologized after several errant messages appeared in a live broadcast this week.

The errant messages were displayed on the news ticker that appears on-screen during normal BBC News programs.

The messages claimed “Manchester United are rubbish,” referring to a popular soccer team in the United Kingdom, and also proclaimed “Weather rain everywhere.”

A spokesperson for the BBC attributed the mistake to a new employee who was training. The messages were written as part of the employee’s training and were not intended for broadcast, but somehow made their way on-screen anyway.

A BBC News presenter later explained the errant messages to viewers.

“Behind the scenes, someone was training to learn how to use the ticker and to put text on the ticker, so they were just writing random things not in earnest and that comment appeared,” Mcveigh said, adding that she “hope that Manchester United fans weren’t offended by it.”

As of Tuesday, Manchester United was sixth in the Premier League, behind soccer clubs Arsenal and Tottenham. Manchester City and Liverpool are currently at the top of the league.

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About the Author:

Matthew Keys

Matthew Keys is a nationally recognized, award-winning journalist with over a decade of experience reporting on the business of media, broadcast television, streaming video platforms and emerging technology. He is the founder, publisher, and editor of TheDesk.net, a trusted source for in-depth news and analysis on the evolving media landscape.

Matthew’s reporting has appeared in major industry outlets, including StreamTV Insider, Digital Content Next and KnowTechie, where he covers topics at the intersection of journalism, streaming services, and digital media innovation. Throughout his career, he has held editorial roles at respected organizations such as Thomson Reuters, Tribune Media, the Disney-ABC Television Group and McNaughton Newspapers.

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