Ever since the invention of live TV, there have been so many truly groundbreaking moments that have kept viewers glued to the screen and unable to move. Some are tragic, some are beautiful, but all are captivating in their own way. There were some incredible events on live TV in 2017, but if we look into the past, it’s plain to see that there are countless remarkable moments caught on film that can never be forgotten.
Unfortunately, the rise of fake news and Photoshopped images — especially the more recent trend of deepfakes — has made trusting what we see and read online incredibly hard to do. However, despite one hoax appearing on the list (and another which has kept people divided for decades), live TV is often the most real form of news we can get, as it is so raw, emotional, and visceral, that you simply can’t look away when something monumental happens.
Balloon Boy – Date: October 15, 2009
In a bizarre sequence of events, Richard and Mayumi Heene called the police to report that their son, six-year-old Falcon, had climbed into a large homemade gas balloon which was now floating across Colorado, USA. Naturally, military and law enforcement were sent out to rescue the poor boy in the balloon and a media circus instantly began. However… it was quickly revealed that Falcon was safe and sound in the attic of the family home and that the balloon was completely empty the whole time. The family later admitted it was a hoax and, as a result, Richard and Mayumi served jail time and were forced to pay restitution for the whacky stunt.
Miracle on the Hudson – Date: January 15, 2009
During a routine passenger voyage from New York to Charlotte, US Airways Flight 1549 reportedly encountered a bird-strike and consequently lost engine power and started to decline. Pilot Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger radioed air traffic control and was ordered to land the plane back at LaGuardia airport, New York, but the experienced flyer of 40 years could already tell that the plane wouldn’t make it to the runway. Having no other option, Sully crash-landed the plane into the Hudson River, right in the middle of New York City.
Amazingly, all 155 passengers and crew members survived and were relatively unharmed, and Sully was hailed as a national hero. Although the crash itself wasn’t caught on film, the rescue mission was seen live by millions across the world and remains to this day one of the most incredible landings ever made.
Fall of the Berlin Wall – Date: November 9, 1989
For 28 years, the magnificent city of Berlin was split into two parts: East and West. This was due to the fact that after World War II, Berlin was controlled half by the Soviet Union, and half by USA, England, and France. The two sides could never agree on anything, but no one could have expected that in 1961, during the Cold War, the infamous wall began construction and would change the lives of Berliners for nearly 30 years.
Thankfully, the moment that East and West Berlin started to become one again was beamed across the world and the celebrations held in the city rang long into the night. Many regard Günter Schabowski as the man who made this happen, as due to an error in his speech regarding the border, it was reported that the gates to both sides were now open, and the wall fell much sooner than it was perhaps intended to.
Man on the Moon – Date: July 20, 1969
Despite many conspiracy theorists claiming that the moon landing was fake, it’s likely that astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin would strongly disagree. The event was captured on live TV and it’s said that over 600 million people tuned in to watch man walk on the surface of the moon. As the first person to step on the moon, Armstrong’s famous words will forever be immortalized with the achievement: “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.” There are some who think the Apollo 11 mission was staged in order for the USA to win the “Space Race” against the Soviet Union, yet an overwhelming amount of evidence can reassure the public that the event took place and man conquered the moon.
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