Authors
Vasudha noticed the growing problem of mis/disinformation online after studying New Media at ACJ in Chennai and became interested in separating facts from fiction. She is interested in learning how global issues affect individuals on a micro level. Before joining Newschecker’s English team, she was working with Latestly.
Claim
A news anchor in Zimbabwe bursted out laughing while reporting on the African country’s recent win over Pakistan in a T20 Cricket World Cup match.
Archived version of the tweet can be seen here.
Fact
On looking up social media platforms, we found that the video is mostly being circulated as a satire after Pakistan’s 1-run-defeat at the hands of Zimbabwe in a T20 WC match. However, certain social media users are believing it to be true.
To investigate the whereabouts of the video, we began by analysing the video. We noticed the logo of UTV – a Ghana based broadcasting company, in the backdrop behind the news anchor. Taking a clue, we conducted a keyword search for “UTV News,” “anchor” “sports news,” & “laughing” on Google which led us to multiple YouTube videos from 2021 and 2020 featuring keyframes of the viral video.
One such video by Mohamad Mahadi Jamaluddin, dated July 12, 2021, titled ‘sport presenter Akrobeto laugh’ carried a compilation of two clips showing the anchor laughing hysterically. Around 14 seconds into the video, we spotted the clip going viral claiming to show a Zimbabwe news presenter.
Further, a keyword search for “Akrobeto , “UTV Ghana” & “laughing” on YouTube led us to a video by UTV Ghana Online, dated October 31, 2020, titled ‘Akrobeto Massacres Names Of Foreign Clubs As He Gives Fixtures From Bundesliga To Italian Serie A.’
In the beginning, the news anchor can be heard saying “Now sports,” – as seen in the viral video- and then goes on to report on the English Premier League for around 45 seconds before bursting into laughter. Notably, the portion where Akrobeto talks about the football league has been clipped out of the viral video to mislead people into believing that the footage actually shows a reaction to Zimbabwe’s win over Pakistan in the recent T20 World Cup match.
We could thus conclude that the viral post claiming to show a Zimbabwean news anchor hysterical laughter while reporting on Zimbabwe’s historic win over Pakistan in a T20 World Cup match is false. The video is nearly 2-year-old and shows Akrobeto, a Ghanaian actor, comic and TV presenter, reporting on the English Premier League.
Result: False
Sources
YouTube Video By Mohamad Mahadi Jamaluddin, Dated July 12, 2021
YouTube Video By UTV Ghana Online, Dated October 31, 2020
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Authors
Vasudha noticed the growing problem of mis/disinformation online after studying New Media at ACJ in Chennai and became interested in separating facts from fiction. She is interested in learning how global issues affect individuals on a micro level. Before joining Newschecker’s English team, she was working with Latestly.
