Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

NRaleighLiberal

(59,940 posts)
Mon Oct 29, 2012, 11:00 PM Oct 2012

What worries me most about these types of storms -

Having lived through Hurricane Fran and watched how Katrina and other big weather events are covered, there is this pattern:

Experts use their best judgement for appropriate preparations

Media competes with each other and end up with what often seems to be over the top treatments

Viewers, and even those in the path, become skeptical, which leads to some of them staying (doesn't seem to be as much a problem this time)

The event happens - even in this technological age, it is impossible to know everything that is going on - power is lost, communication is lost - and what is seen gets repeated, and again, viewers start thinking all of the hype is overblown....and you end up with lots of news and weather types competing to see who can get blown around the most - great theater, but isn't nearly what's important...which of course goes unseen.

Bad stuff is happening in places without good communication - and the truth of the disaster only comes out in the coming days and weeks...and by then, attention has moved on - an issue with our split second attention span condition

OR - care is heeded, the weather situation eases, maybe it doesn't end up as bad as expected - and instead of some being thankful, the next disaster isn't taken as seriously because of a belief it has been overhyped.

I just finished watching the CBS special - and although there is some good coverage, those of us on social media and the internet are aware of much more current aspects - maybe recent tweets, or more local news sources. It makes you realize how relatively obsolete newspapers and network news has become these days, in terms of up to the minute, or second, events.

All I know is that these events should bring people all together. I hope everyone is safe, although I know that with even best preparations awful things will happen.

Be safe, everyone......

Latest Discussions»General Discussion»What worries me most abou...