Home / Funny / Viral / Reporter Goes Viral For Her Uncontainable Boston Accent

REPORTER GOES VIRAL FOR HER UNCONTAINABLE BOSTON ACCENT

Published: 2023-02-06 00:29:26 Last Updated: 2023-02-06 10:58:32

Journalists on camera do their best to keep themselves looking flawless and professional, but sometimes things happen that take them out of the realm. And usually it's downright charming. That's what happened to Ellen Fleming, Massachusetts House Correspondent for NBC News affiliate WWLP-22News. In a short clip of her that she posted on her Twitter, Fleming briefly lets off her Boston accent before stopping and pulling herself together. The mistake didn't happen in real time, but she went viral after Fleming posted a clip of her online.
In the video, Fleming delivers some serious news while standing in the State House. “Parts of this bill are similar to executive orders that have already passed in the City of New Hamp,” she said. She then quickly stops and corrects her own pronunciation to "New Hampshire." The cute moment captivated many and many recalled similar mistakes in the past.
Several reporters shared their experiences of trying to keep her natural accent in check, with one saying after watching a clip of her, "Except for the New York accent, I felt like I was in the spotlight!" Another said the same thing often happened to her on her broadcasts, but she "still likes my accent".

Sometimes that Boston accent slips out when you least expect it pic.twitter.com/urXO2xrQ6E
— Ellen Fleming (@EllenFlem) January 12, 2023

I LOVE that, Ellen! 40 years ago as a young news anchor/reporter at a very small-market television station in southeast Oklahoma my Boston accent would slip out from time to time. So embarrassing. Probably more forgivable in Western Mass, but not certain of that! :-)
— Bob Burg (@BobBurg) January 13, 2023

Sometimes that Boston accent slips out when you least expect it pic.twitter.com/urXO2xrQ6E
— Ellen Fleming (@EllenFlem) January 12, 2023

Fleming's clip has already been viewed millions of times, and most people have supported it. Whether it's sharing her stories, saying she likes her accent, or posting funny memes of her, her people have teased her a lot with her comments. "It was a lot of fun. People obviously have their own opinions about how they feel about Boston accents, but it's mostly positive!" she shared.

So why do news anchors speak with neutral accents rather than using natural voices? It opens up more job opportunities for them. When journalists learn broadcasting, they learn a non-local focus that makes them more attractive when covering any market. Many reporters travel frequently across the country, and finding work is easy if you speak without the local dialect. This is because it has been shown that viewers do not trust the news as much when someone with a non-local accent reports the news. Broadcast reporters will hone their all-American accents to report from anywhere in the country.

Article Tags: Boston Viral Accent Broadcasting Reporter