Kori ValentineKori ValentinePeter MartinPeter MartinAmy JosephAmy JosephArielle MellenArielle MellenTerra Neukam Terra Neukam

PRIOR TO KATRINA

Trend #1: Less popular forms of media had stronger media coverage

WHAT WAS EFFECTIVE?

Engineering News Record - September 27, 2004

“Predictions of more frequent big storms hitting the U.S. in the next decades could challenge existing construction techniques, building codes and evacuation procedures”

•Hurricane Ivan and the devastation to Florida•Explores the bigger picture (Louisiana, Mississippi)

WHAT WAS EFFECTIVE? “The city’s levee system is adequate for

90% to 95% of likely storms. ‘It's the other five to 10% that scare me,’ senior project manager”. (on Louisiana)

Infrastructure improvements needed Written by seven prominent journalists

i.e. Tom Sawyer, Richard Korman… • Credibility• Objective information

Variety of sources: Engineers, city officials, etc.

WHAT WAS INEFFECTIVE? HURRICANE ANDREW

; Down to the Basics: Hunting For Food, Water and Shelter

• The New York Times – August 26, 1992

•Focus on Miami’s response only •Does not explore the bigger picture

DURING KATRINA

Trend #2: Coverage from mainstream media was vague immediately before and after Hurricane Katrina first hit; It seemed as if the mainstream media made light of the situation.

•Why?•Reporters were not knowledgeable enough•Miscommunications

WHAT WAS INEFFECTIVE? The Times Picayune

Issues Hurricane Watch - August 27, 2005○ “Southeast Louisiana certainly has a good chance of

landfall or at least feeling the effects of Katrina…There could be some topping of levees”

○ “The storm moved west at about 7 mph and was expected to take a gradual turn west-northwest through the early afternoon. Landfall is expected early Monday.”

CNN News Coverage○ Focuses on the problems, not how people can help

Stories of individuals who cannot communicate with outside world

No mention of programs that have been set up to aid these people

INEFFECTIVE CNN Weather Report - August 29, 2005

Instilling panicMaking light of the situation

"I don't want to alarm anyone that New Orleans is filling up like a bowl.”The New York Times - August 31, 2005

○Treaster, J. & Kleinfield, N. (2005). New Orleans is inundated as 2 levees fail; much of gulf coast is crippled; toll rises. The New York Times, pp.1A.

Incorrect source○Michael Brown (FEMA) vs. David Vitter (LA Senator)

WHAT WAS EFFECTIVE? NPR- August 28, 2005

Joe Suhayda: Potential to be “flooding up until midpoint of second story building in the French Quarter” because New Orleans is below sea level

Why is this effective?○ Expert vs. citizen was on-site reporting○ Brings in outside knowledge

“Levees are only strong enough to withhold a Category 3 storm and this has become a Category 5”

○ Listener realizes what is actually goingNo sugarcoating detailsClear that this is not an average storm

DURING KATRINA

Trend #3: It isn’t until the event actually happens that it becomes news; nobody knows until it is too late.

•Mainstream media started to accurately report on Katrina once it had already hit (August 30th)

WHAT WAS EFFECTIVE City a Woeful Scene,

The Times Picayune - August 30, 2005Reaches out to help every citizen (locally

AND nationally) understand what has happened and the current situation

Examples:○ Why levees failed to protect○ Extent of the damage ○ Looting problem and resulting danger○ Authority response (ex: what are police

officers doing to help)

WHAT WAS EFFECTIVE? New Orleans is Now Off Limits; Pentagon Joins in

Relief Effort, The New York Times - August 31, 2005Detailed overview of situation in New OrleansWhy damage is so badSteps national government has taken

After the Crisis

Trend #4: Most news is effective and extremely informative in the time following the crisis.

AFTER THE CRISIS

Political Storm Brewing Over Katrina Disaster, The Times Picayune - Septemberm 3, 2005Government and FEMA admit they were

unprepared Answers to “What went wrong?”Gives answers that the entire nation needs

to know

WHAT WAS EFFECTIVE? News sources caught onto effective reporting

trends = Effective ReportingWhat happened? How did it all happen? What

went wrong? What is currently happening?Main topics

○ Government response○ Relief efforts○ Prevention measures for future○ How to help

○ Articles more narrowly focused Detail on specific topic vs. overview of

situation- Ex: Local papers focused on means of

survival—where to get food, numbers to call

WHAT WAS INEFFECTIVE? Majority effective, but still some

examples of ineffective Hurricane Dealt Blow to Popularity of

Katrina as Baby Name, The New York Times, May 13, 2007

Katie Couric News ClipIs this credible?

• Based on her opinions• Comments from unknown sources

• “This source said…”

RECAP Prior to Katrina

Non-mainstream sources (i.e. NPR, Engineering and Contracting News) provided more useful information that mainstream media never focused on

During KatrinaMainstream media started to accurately report

on Katrina once it had already hit (August 30th) ○ It isn’t until an event actually happens that it

becomes news After Katrina

Most news seemed to be effective and informative