Local Media Hype....

[sunnyday]

Local media overhype in SE Fl may have backfired. I've never seen newspeople try so hard to find something to talk about regarding Ernesto. Why were they on around the clock for a weak ts (at best)? It was like a joke to them, it seemed. They kept giggling and laughing and reaching for something to add to the non-story. Buzz is that many people have lost confidence in local media and don't want to listen to them in the future. What if the big one does arrive at our doorstep? Will many people shrug it off because of the overkill the past two days? I hope not but fear so.

[Josephine96]

around the clock for a barely TS? that is overhype.. I would only do round the clock for a hurricane.. not even for a TS..

[sunnyday]

Now, the same newspeople are at the local mall, absolutely amazed that people have "ventured out" after Ernesto.lol Why not? Nothing happened at all here. They are surprised to see people with shopping bags, snacks, etc. This is really sad.

[THead]

Now, the same newspeople are at the local mall, absolutely amazed that people have "ventured out" after Ernesto.lol Why not? Nothing happened at all here. They are surprised to see people with shopping bags, snacks, etc. This is really sad.

Hate to say it but sounds like they are taking advantage of Wilma fear/memories. Hopefully they'll back off..........maybe next year after everyone forgets about Wilma.

[photoguy]

The constant media bashing on this board is way over the top. There is no way to win - too much, too little, don't like that message.

Blame the media is such an easy target because they never fight back. But on this board, it seems to be an obsession. And it is very tiring.

The media responds to what the public demands - much like any other business. But every journalist I know takes their responsibility to inform the public seriously. If they let you down, that would be the real problem.

As a Florida journalist, I can assure you that I didn't giggle, laugh or reach once for this or any other storm. No one wants a major disaster - particularly not journalists - people who, for the most part, get to see the bad stuff in life on far too regular of a basis.

[Ixolib]

Seems that the S2K'ers were guilty of a little overhype too.

212 pages, and that's just in the analysis thread!!
http://www.storm2k.org/phpbb2/viewtopic.php?p=1447901#1447901

[Noah]

This is quite off topic in this forum.

I will add my 2 cents though...

The media or the news get bashed if they have enought coverage or they dont.
If they did not cover it enough and we were ill prepared then they would be bashed.
If they covered it too much and nothing came, they were called Hype.

This is the same with the states and counties. We had FPL fleets prepared here in sarasota county all night, I think it is great, others might think its a waste of time. BUT>>>> If they were not there.... and our power went out, then BAM they would be bashed.. on and on and on.

Its a constant debate here.

My opinion is better prepared then not. I stick to that.

[THead]

Seems that the S2K'ers were guilty of a little overhype too.

212 pages, and that's just in the analysis thread!!
http://www.storm2k.org/phpbb2/viewtopic.php?p=1447901#1447901

Hehe, good point.

[dixiebreeze]

Hey Photoguy, I do agree. Everyone wants to kill the messenger

I've been a journalist for decades, covering everything from city hall to hurricanes to you name it and most of my colleagues do take their jobs seriously.

Can you just imagine the public uproar if the media gave scant notice to what's going on the world? (TWC is getting close to that, though not due to the reporters).

Give me some hype anytime over not enough information.

[ncbird]

<snipped>..... What if the big one does arrive at our doorstep? Will many people shrug it off because of the overkill the past two days? I hope not but fear so.

I think the people of FL are too smart for that to happen. They have been through so much the last couple years and doubt they will forget it any time soon. If the big ones comes they will rise to the occasion and do what they must do for not only their own, but also their neighbors, health welfare and safety.

[photoguy]

Good points, Dixiebreeze.

In saying all that, I'm not saying the media is perfect or completely innocent - far from it. I'm on a few BBs and there is media bashing on all of them - that's fine and often criticism is good to see. But for a board like Storm2K to have so much of it, it is to the point of being smug and ridiculous. This is a storm board and the media and threatening tropical systems are intertwined by necessity - I don't think the NHC would say otherwise.

I'll hit the Rant Off switch after this - there are people on this board (I'm not among them) who are almost as much journalists as they are pro mets. They are freely sharing their time and expertise with the members here - and often at times when they have very little time to give. Are they, too, to be included in the bashing?

If you really want to bash, have the courage to name the company/newspaper/TV station. Maybe a met or other journalist from that organization will be able to respond to your criticism on the board.

[Downdraft]

It was said perfectly... the media only gives the public what they want. Sometimes it does seem silly but we have to remember the media isn't trying to reach "us" they are playing to the lowest common denominator. My philosophy is t.v.'s have a channel selector for a reason and once you've spun the dial the power switch works just fine too.

[CentralFlGal]

[huricanwatcher]

WTC cancels all programing to cover Ernie and Ernie is a bust..

So they make something outta much of nothing..... save face, save $$

[Stormavoider]

I think the media could stay out of the fire if they treated their consumers as intellects. When was the last time you heard the media being bashed for talking over peoples heads?

[SouthFloridawx]

IMO it doesn't matter if they Ernesto was over hyped. I was very happy with that fact that people were overprepared for a storm that "could" have been a Cat 1 coming up the center of the State. This is a good thing.

IMO the next time SE florida has a Hurricane bearing down on them, I don't think we'll see people not paying attention to the TV.

[angelwing]

Media or no media, at least they were out there and didn't ignore this..the reporters have to make a living and answer to bosses like everyone else does and like it was stated somewhere in this thread, there's always the "off" button

[StormySouthFlorida]

I have to add that for new residents especially it can be a great comfort. Although I have lived here for several years and I chose to not watch/ listen to the TV coverage (I've got S2K!), a friend of mine who moved to FL just 2 months ago was glued to the TV. Since she has never experienced a tropical system of any kind, it just made her feel better to know what was going on and what to expect.

[brunota2003]

I do have a question...how can you say it was over or underhyped when the darn thing hasnt made its final landfall yet? Please wait until it is dead to complain about the media...dont forget about the "little" people here in NC/SC/GA/VA etc that still have to deal with Ernesto...ok...my "rant" is over

[Recurve]

Us hyping media types try not to take offense when people forget there's an off switch.

So here's the headline I wrote tonight for page 1 in Tavernier:
DIRECT MISS

We're a weekly, so we can hardly hype a tropical storm moving faster than 1 mph. But when, not if, we get the next Cat 1 or 3 or 5, we'd be killing ourselves to help keep people informed. I promise you journalists feel a devotion to public service, they consider it a profession. I can understand hating the 24/7 coverage on 7 when a storm approaches. Turn it off. Buy some newspapers.