cnn ottowa

CNN ridiculed for misspelling name of Canada's capital in live broadcast from Ottawa

One of America's most-watched cable news networks has gravely offended the people of Canada by failing to spell check a location chyron during a broadcast from Ottawa — or, as CNN has dubbed it, Ottowa.

It would appear as though CNN's Canada-based international correspondent Paula Newton, herself a Canadian, was reporting live from the scene of ongoing anti-vaccine mandate protests in Canada's capital late Tuesday morning when the error was spotted.

Whoever at the station was in charge of the location chyron under Newton's panel either made a typo or genuinely thought that Ottawa was spelled "Ottowa."

Whatever the case, viewers north of the border were displeased.

Some found the gaffe kind of funny, holding it up as an example of the differences in education systems between Canada and the U.S.

Or as an example of just how little regard American media lends to Canada at all.

Some were merely pleased that CNN at least got the city right, as opposed to labelling Toronto or Montreal as the capital city of Canada.

While others had fun misspelling the names of major American cities in return.

Others were quick to point out that CNN wasn't alone in its failure.

"NBC Nightly News did the same thing last night," wrote one Twitter user in response to a screenshot of the errant chyron.

Many others took the opportunity to pull up that viral 2020 clips of Fox News host Tucker Carlson pronouncing Ottawa in the weirdest way ever.

At least a few viewers seemed genuinely offended, calling upon CNN for an apology.

But the vast majority of people responding to the error simply made jokes.

"Shh. It will be easier to regain the tourism trade if Ottowa was the place with the trouble," wrote one Twitter user.

"And that's our cultural relevance in a microcosm," wrote another in what may or may not actually be a joke.

Hey, if there's anything Canadians can do well, it's poke fun at ourselves. It's how we've all come to cope with living in 'Murrica's bloated shadow.

Lead photo by

Ming Wu


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