Full Breakdown
Technical Difficulties Disrupt CBS New Year’s Eve Special
1/1/2026, 10:45:32 AM
Overview of the Incident
CBS's New Year’s Eve Live: Nashville’s Big Bash experienced significant technical difficulties during its live broadcast on December 31, 2022. Approximately 42.5 minutes into the program, a performance by Lainey Wilson was abruptly cut off, leading to a series of promotional interruptions and the unexpected airing of an episode of the legal drama Matlock, starring Kathy Bates.
Sequence of Events
The disruption began when the screen went black for several seconds, followed by promotional content for CBS programs such as Survivor. This was soon replaced by Matlock, which aired mid-scene. The interruption lasted over 12 minutes, during which viewers were informed via a crawl that the network was experiencing technical difficulties. The message evolved to state, “We are experiencing technical difficulties and programming will resume shortly.” After the outage, co-host Bert Kreischer addressed the audience, confirming that power loss in Nashville was the cause of the disruption.
Official Statements & Responses
CBS has not released a detailed statement regarding the incident. However, Kreischer's comments during the broadcast indicated that the power outage was unexpected and affected the live transmission. He humorously reassured viewers that no one on set was responsible for the outage.
Criticism & Opposition
While specific criticisms of CBS's handling of the situation have not been widely reported, the abrupt interruption of a live performance during a highly anticipated event may lead to viewer dissatisfaction. Fans of Lainey Wilson and the New Year’s Eve special could express frustration over the technical issues that marred the experience.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
There are no conflicting reports regarding the cause of the technical difficulties; however, details about the extent of the power outage in Nashville and its impact on the broadcast remain unclear. The lack of immediate editing options for the West Coast airing, due to the late timing of the event, also raises questions about CBS's contingency planning for live broadcasts.
What's Next
Following the incident, CBS may need to review its technical protocols for live events to prevent similar occurrences in the future. Viewers and fans are likely to be attentive to any announcements regarding future programming and potential compensatory measures for those affected by the disruption.
Verbatim Quotes
“We lost power here in Nashville, and we got kicked off the air on CBS,” — Bert Kreischer, Co-host of Nashville’s Big Bash.
