not to knock this hurricane coverage but

[michigandem2]

isn't it a bit over the top? I mean...everyone evacuated like Thursday...and they have been reporting it NON stop since Friday...is there NO news about the campaign out there???
Sorry if this offends anyone but it seems to be a bit extreme and now they are saying its a category 1 and a tropical storm? it seems to be so much focus on a storm...

[oscar111]

1. not nonstop on antenna tv.. u talking cable?

as to everyone evacuated by now, .. not so. the poor cannot afford, the carless have no way.

lives will be lost among them, and i notice that is never reported.

covrage helps those carless and poor w/ cars, both, to knnow just where it is going...many have no internet. also informs those evacuating still, to find areas with motel rooms still vacant.

the more coverage the better. Lives at stake NOW.. campaign is for later.

Many are in odd situations you cant even imagine... dont think "all evacuated".. life is complicated, and in millions of people, many are in rare traps and cannot evacuate.

[olddem43]

2. I'm sick of it too - Reminds me of when the Soviet Union fell.

There was a hurricane at the same time (hurricane Bob) and the networks spent more time covering that than the biggest event since WWII. Hurricanes should be more or less local news, for those affected. Some cursory national reporting would be O.K. but we don't need all the details to the exclusion of news that is of lasting importance.

[kimchi]

3. I understand completely.

The media has a propensity for covering any story that is sensational and/or devestating. Happiness, hope, and prosperity just don't sell advertising--unless it is a tragedy turned into an inspirational story. As long as the beginning is a disaster; it is okay to have a happy ending.

[Doosh]

4. keep it up, it just squashes the Bush bounce

[freetobegay]

5. Maybe if you were in the thick of things, you wouldn't have said that

God Bless everyone on Florida,

Most hurricanes batter an area for hours, this hurricane has battered the whole State for two days!

[michigandem2]

7. oh I feel awful for the people that live there..

I am not trying to sound insensitive...it just seemed that it was the ONLY thing worth reporting when I know there was more news...sorry I should of not brought it up...

[Renew Deal]

6. It's a good point.

This storm threw them off because it stalled off the Florida coast. This gave them destruction to report while the eye stayed off shore.

[dogtag]

8. They can't stop....

it's how the reporters earn their combat 'stripes'.....until you've been pelted by hail while using a palm frond to hold yourself upright you can't wear the Dan Rather Meritorious Service Medal. This ridiculous rite of passage started in the sixties when the country was treated to the first remote somewhere near Galveston Bay, starring the battle hardened, intrepid Mr. Rather who was being buffeted mightily as a nation hung onto his wind driven yelps.

Obviously, the media in their infinite wisdom, has determined that not much has changed in...oh...35 years or so. They think we're still impressed by their daring in putting their overpaid, precious, pampered little darlings into windbreakers and exposing them to the elements. The people who really need information are listening to battery powered radios...because they don't have POWER. Thus, this is to amaze us, the viewers, safe in our little dens.

What seems a useless and foolhardy exercise, is to them a tradition that cannot be abandoned. To those poor souls in the path of the storm who have unwilling followed orders the evacuate, it sends the strangest of mixed messages. Kind of a... HEY, Schmuck, you coulda stayed...it's safe enough for high priced anchor talent!

Too bad we can't vote ala American Idol on who was the bravest of the brave. At the very least they could show the medal ceremony. Now that would be entertainment! yes, Virginia, that was Dan you saw this morning. The palm hugger emeritus himself. And the crowd swooned.

[salvorhardin]

9. It was almost funny where I live

I live in upstate NY (various locations over the years) and it was almost funny when all the local news outlets suddenly evolved sattelite uplinks overnight sometime in the early '90s. A whole new class of news reporting was born.

"This is Susan Mostly reporting live via sattelite from the corner of Pearl and Steuben. We're in for a real nor'easter tonight. As you can see the snow is really coming down. Let's go live to Bill Luterman, our Skywatch meterologist, hard at work tracking this storm in the WKVT Storm Trakker center ."

[KharmaTrain]

10. This Was/Is Loooooong Storm

The first words about Francis came out two weeks ago...and said it was going to be bad. Initially they were talking Cat 5...150 MPH winds...twice the speed what did, but bad enough. It was a slow torture all week for these people...first making sure the storm was heading toward them (kudos to NHC for nailing this one almost to the backyard) then how bad it would be...then the wait.

I am glad there was wall-to-wall coverge...and I was able to watch local Miami, then West Palm TV coverge (thanks to ABC News Now) that was FAR superior to seeing Anderson Cooper get his hair blown around. Also it showed how people were coping with the storm and how prepared these folks were.

Personally, I was "politicked" out this week. I knew I was gonna be. The combination of the GOOP whorefest, that included nearly 70 million in all sorts of Kerry bashing activities and then the media spin/buzz that will follow. Frances was a relief...as was an overnighter to Wisconsin.

I have talked regularly to my friends and family in Florida and am grateful all is well. Considering the pounding the area took, few serious casaulties and gonna take a few days for things to get back to somewhat normal.

Don't worry...it'll be all politics 24/7 very soon...remember the GOOP has 9/11 to exploit in two weeks...

[catbert836]

11. I think its great

While theyre covering the hurricane theyre not covering politics, which'll give us a chance to come out swinging when its over.

[TheDonkey]

12. It's beyond ridiculous

People in PA, CA, WY, etc. do not need up-to-date nonstop coverage of a storm in Florida. It's good to know about it, but that is a local issue.

The media though can't get enough of this cheap coverage they can easily make dramatic. DUN DUUN DUUUUH!! Look at this palm tree that fell over!!!

***ing ridiculous

[graywarrior]

13. Try being here listening to all that bullshit

I'd give anything to not have to listen to a "blow-by-blow" description of what could happen to me next.

[wellstone dem]

14. My daughter told me I was watching too much hurricaine coverage

when I told her as a storm moved through Central Minnesota, "The eyewall is hitting us."

[Misunderestimator]

15. In the middle of it, I'm grateful to be able to turn on any of the local

networks and find 24/7 coverage. No matter the category, this is dumping a lot more rain and causing flooding across the state.

Frankly, I'm happy that the news has focused on this instead of the RNC convention which has already lost its momentum in the press.

[Protected]

16. If it wasn't this, they'd still be talking about the RNC

so if they want to talk about Frances, that's fine with me. I just won't watch.