Hurricane Journalism

September 10, 2004 10:04 AM

"Conditions are deteriorating, Dwight!"Herald writer's comprehensive guide to Hurricane Journalism. Very important reading for storm-chasing reporters, especially now, as Ivan the Terrible sets its eye on Jamaica, Cuba, and Florida. Found via CapitalWeather. Also check out CaribPundit for Ivan updates and reminiscences of island hurricanes. (Ivan the Terrible? Eye? Get it? Eh? Eh? Yeah, I didn't think it was funny on Fox News either.)
posted by brownpau (13 comments total)

This cracked me up! Conditions are deteriorating indeed! Thanks for sharing!
posted by headspace at 10:19 AM on September 10, 2004

I was perversely pleased to see one of the Fox correspondents (hey, it's the only channel I get on my primitive TV) get beaned by some debris. Alas, he survived and that clip was aired ad nauseam in testament to his perseverance in deteriorating conditions.

What's so damned irritating for me as a native is that the correspondents' inane chatter and news clips makes me want to shut off the TV... when I really need it on for tornado warnings (yes, I need to find a way to amp my weather radio better, instead). There were times when I'd rather be flattened than listen to one more interview with an idiot who thinks he's more stubborn than a hurricane.
posted by Sangre Azul at 10:27 AM on September 10, 2004

[This is true.]

Hurricanes are pretty boring as far as natural disasters go -- they're not very newsworthy so they've got to be gussied up, especially with the obligatory palm-trees-blowing-in-a-casual-summer's-day-breeze shot. Gah.
posted by zpousman at 10:44 AM on September 10, 2004

Dwight Lauderdale of Miami's Channel 10. I've watched reporters tell him that conditions are deteriorating through many a'storm.
posted by 4easypayments at 11:28 AM on September 10, 2004

Hurricanes are pretty boring as far as natural disasters go

What are the more exciting natural disasters?
posted by yoga at 12:46 PM on September 10, 2004

Raining frogs.
Black snow.
Underground fires.
Balloon spider swarms.
posted by sonofsamiam at 1:01 PM on September 10, 2004

Hurricaines merit reporting way more than "snow storms" of the lame, unhistoric genre that hit New York.

Insight: Weather reporting is the biggest scam going. Predictions are usually exaggerated to secure the highest viewership possible. And then, when things aren't as bad as predicted, people feel happy.
posted by ParisParamus at 1:17 PM on September 10, 2004

paris is correct, I'm a thousand miles away from that hideous hurricane and I feel safer already as it's not going to hit anybody but a bunch of people I don't really know.

In related news, the current homeland security terror alert level is



ELEVATED

Forecaster elpapa
posted by elpapacito at 2:21 PM on September 10, 2004

Regarding the mandatory opening shot of bending palm trees, here in Japan we are in typhoon season, and there seems to be an order from the news show producer that the crew can't return to the studio without getting the signature typhoon shot, some knucklehead struggling with a collapsed umbrella. Seriously, it's in EVERY typhoon report.
posted by planetkyoto at 4:02 PM on September 10, 2004

it's not going to hit anybody but a bunch of people I don't really know

That would be me. Sigh.
posted by piskycritter at 5:25 PM on September 10, 2004

Ok, yes the local television stationsprovideausefulserviceetc....

They had reporters standing beside puddles - PUDDLES! - not big enough to drown a cockroach, and talking about flooding.

[Camera pans to paper cup blowing across a nearby yard.]

And howling winds.

(Ah well. At least the local guys know that a palm tree has FRONDS, not BRANCHES, unlike the better-dressed ignorami on the Weather Channel. Gonzo Meteorology at its finest.)
posted by groundhog at 5:26 PM on September 10, 2004

What Ivan did to Grenada(html slideshow).

Wow, that looks like tornado like damage only on a wider scale. The isle looks like a battlefield to me.
posted by elpapacito at 6:39 PM on September 10, 2004

That would be me. Sigh.

Me too, piskycritter. And fool that I am, I left the (relative) safety of Miami to attend a conference this week in the (relative) danger of Orlando.

Oh, and Carl Hiaasen rocks three ways to Friday.
posted by mkhall at 7:41 PM on September 10, 2004