ABC News Suspends Chief National Correspondent

Matt Gutman

ABC News has suspended Matt Gutman, the chief national correspondent for the network, after he erroneously reported that all of Kobe Bryant’s children were involved in the fatal crash that took his life and that of his 13-year-old daughter Gianna, The NYPost reports.

Before Gianna’s death was confirmed, Gutman said during a live report that Bryant’s other daughters — Natalia, 17; Bianka, 3 and Capri, 7 months — were on the helicopter as well. He later corrected the error and apologized, writing on Twitter, “Today I inaccurately reported it was believed that four of Kobe Bryant’s children were on board that flight. That is incorrect. I apologize to Kobe’s family, friends and our viewers.”

An ABC News representative confirmed his suspension to The LATimes, telling the paper, “Reporting the facts accurately is the cornerstone of our journalism. As he acknowledged on Sunday, Matt Gutman’s initial reporting was not accurate and failed to meet our editorial standards.”

Today I inaccurately reported it was believed that four of Kobe Bryant’s children were on board that flight. That is incorrect. I apologize to Kobe’s family, friends and our viewers. pic.twitter.com/yYwuB9vpZl

— Matt Gutman (@mattgutmanABC) January 27, 2020

The ABC rep did not reveal the length of Gutman’s suspension.