Hurricane Katrina Coverage

Shannon LozonJames Keith

Daniel IngramAustyn FosterPenelope Filyo

Learning from the Past NBC's Take on the Storm •5 minutes and 20 seconds•A Young Katherine Couric •2 Seconds spent on New Orleans•Bourbon Street Survived•Beginning of network of “dodged the bullet” Hurricane coverage in New Orleans.

Hurricane Andrew 1992

CNN's Coverage of Andrew •Over 10 minutes spent covering the extensive damage throughout the state of Louisiana • Again, approximately two seconds spent discussing the city of New Orleans•“New Orleans missed the full magnitude the storm”•CNN had reporters in the field throughout the state, (Morgan City, and Jeanerette, but no one was stationed in the city of New Orleans because it had avoided large-scale damage

New Orleans’ “Hurricane Problem”

New York Times Article 2003•July 4th, 2003•Print media acknowledged the shortcomings that the television stations largely ignored•“The Big Easy is uniquely vulnerable” •“New Orleans is an environmental disaster waiting to happen”•The city and federal government need to act before the time of disaster

“The Big One” •New York Times Editorial •August 11th, 2002•“If the Big One Hits the Big Easy, the Good Times May Be Over Forever

Effective News Coverage

CNN (8/29/05) – Newsnight Interview with Michael Brown – FEMA

director Knowledgeable of situation and person of

authority Gives clear and honest picture for those

not in or from NOLA Addresses what is being done to solve the

problem and FEMA’s future plans

Ineffective News Coverage

NBC Nightly News (8/30/05) – “The Day After” Portion of the clip describes looting

People are portrayed as robbers and victims instead of people in need.

Reporters location makes it appear water is not covering over 80% of the city

Effective Long-Term Coverage

Rescue and Evacuation Immediate Aftermath

Short-term & Long- Term Aftermath

Warawongs, W.T., Wang, W., & Sims, A. (post 2005). U.S. media covering of natural disasters: a framing analysis of Hurricane Katrina and the Tsunami.

Effective Long-Term Coverage

Active Gatherer

Give Information

Validate Information

Set National Agenda

Warawongs, W.T., Wang, W., & Sims, A. (post 2005). U.S. media covering of natural disasters: a framing analysis of Hurricane Katrina and the Tsunami.

Effective Long-Term Coverage NPR (9/8/05)– Data on Survivors Hard to Find, Collect

Reporter Mandalit del Barco is an active information gatherer

Validates information with volunteers at the Astrodome

Addresses why a lack of national database is an issue and how the lack is effecting those involved

Effective Long-Term Coverage

New York Times (9/8/05) - For Survivors, a Frustrating Search Two reporters – Houston and Louisiana Validated information with ‘official sources’ – Red

Cross, State Workers Reported that Louisiana officials met with IBM and

the company has agreed to help the state compile a national database of evacuees

Network World (10/3/05) Katrina shows why a national registry is sorely nee

ded. Setting the national agenda

Ineffective Long-Term Coverage

NBC (9/8/05) – The Wait Andrea Mitchell is reporting via a voice

over from WashingtonNo field reporting

There is a victim motif No new information is given

Ends with a question: “Why the government can’t respond more quickly?”