media narcissism

[write]

Like many people I have watched and listened in horror about the natural disasters in the US Southern states, but one thing struck me over and over again: the behaviour of the reporters in adding to the distress and making irresponsible claims and demands.

Just last night on CNN I heard a reporter complaining that citizens in New Orleans 'still don't have access to telephones'. What?

It is less than a week on from what will almost certainly turn out to be the US worst natural disaster.

If anyone wants to see what the previous holder of this title was, also a Gulf Coast storm surge, read about the Galveston Great Storm of 1900 on http://www.1900storm.com/

We all saw the devastation from the tsunami last winter, which surely must have educated people as to the destructive nature of huge storm surges. No power, no water, no sanitation, no supplies.

Helicopter and rescue people have been working around the clock, huge forces have been mobilised here, yet because inevitably it was hard to save everyone, to reach everyone and the rescuers needed to bring in their own infrastructure what we see in the media is criticism and complaint.

I heard one conversation on public radio which sounded like a spoiled child, a reporter repeatedly asking a national guard leader when supplies would reach the needy, and each time he tried to explain she interrupted with an even louder whine. It was embarrassing but not unusual in the standard of reporting I've witnessed this week.

Every time there is a big event it seems to me the media particularly the US TV networks and UK newspapers exploit it as ruthlessly as possible, turning tragedies into 24 hour info-tainment which is often largely speculation. The news agencies are not content to wait until all the facts are in before they report, and they forget that these are real people whose pictures and stories are exploited.

Picking my son up from daycare I heard a mother say she wasn't going Downtown any more because of the influx of 'out-of-control blacks from New Orleans'...I wonder if the reporters care about the images they portray of people in the media, or the long-lasting impact on their lives.

[jordanspeeps]

write:

Picking my son up from daycare I heard a mother say she wasn't going Downtown any more because of the influx of 'out-of-control blacks from New Orleans'...I wonder if the reporters care about the images they portray of people in the media, or the long-lasting impact on their lives

thank you sooooooo much for that, write.  half of my family is from LA and MS.  they are beutiful, hard-working, respectful, law-abiding citizens.  we haven't been able to establish contact just yet with them, but i pray they are all alive and in relatively decent spirits.  your post relaxes the furrow that's been in my brow for the past week.  i'm praying there are many more thoughtful individuals like yourself and fewer folks like the mom at your daycare. i know they look like third world refugees as far as most can tell, but these displaced black folks really could use the benefit of the doubt right now. 

thanks again for the empathy, write

tiffany

[Plucky]

I'm praying for your family, tif. 

Write, maybe you should say in that woman's earshot that you aren't sure you ought to bring your child to daycare anymore, because there are out of control racist white people there.
Plucky

[Stormchild]

........

Two rants to add to write's exquisite list..........

Rant #1:

black people taking bread and diapers and changes of clothes from stores where these things will otherwise be lost to flood damage are referred to as "looters".

white people taking bread and diapers and changes of clothes from stores where these things will otherwise be lost to flood damage are referred to as "scavengers".

This is bad and wrong on so many levels I don't know where to begin.

Rant #2:

Has anyone else noticed that the major network news shows (I don't have cable so I'm being spared their excesses) all seem to be presenting this story as if it were some kind of entertainment special? Slick logos, hyped-up overproduced graphics, etc. Fortunately there's been some increase in awareness on the part of the reporters on the ground that real people are trapped, hurt, dying... but so help me, in terms of production values it looks like they can't distinguish this tragedy - in our own land, in our own house, these people are fathers, mothers, babies, brothers, sisters, grandparents - from an episode of "Survivor".

........

[amethyst]

All the above is why I don't watch much TV....lol. On the other hand, reporters managed to get into NOLA right away and that is why I can't understand why FEMA couldn't.

Hyatt Regency got food into NOLA for its guests and employees on Wednesday!!!! If one company could feed its people, maybe I can understand the frustration of reporters when the government agencies cannot.

I just hope this doesn't become all about entertainment and soundbites. I think there are those that get all their news from TV and when the talking heads go off on another topic, they forget all about it. What happened in this tragedy raises alot of issues that should not go away.

Most of the citizens of NOLA were working poor. Put anyone in the Superdome for five days without food, water, adequate toilet facilites and the ability to bathe...and anyone is going to come out looking and smelling terrible. Of course, as a nation, we tend to focus on looks and not as how things really are.

Racism and classism is alive and well in our country.


http://biz.yahoo.com/iw/050902/094479.html

 Guests Evacuated Today From Hyatt Regency New Orleans
Friday September 2, 7:52 pm ET
Global Hyatt Corporation and Strategic Hotel Capital, Inc. Announce Worldwide Hyatt Relief Fund for Employees Affected by Hurricane Katrina


"CHICAGO, IL--(MARKET WIRE)--Sep 2, 2005 -- Hyatt Regency New Orleans and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) today announced the evacuation of hurricane victims -- including both guests and employees -- from the hotel. With the exception of a small group of Hyatt executives, safety experts, city officials and FEMA representatives, all guests have vacated the premises.
 
According to Hyatt Regency General Manager Michael Smith, guests and employees who had operable cars were evacuated and cleared to drive to points north via caravan, and the remainder were evacuated via bus. No guests were suffering from major injury or illness at the time of evacuation, Smith said.

The approximately 900 guests that remained on the premises following Katrina's powerful blow -- primarily hotel staff and their families, officials, and those in emergency-related roles -- were safely relocated to the hotel's well-sheltered ballroom, exhibit hall areas and serviceable guest rooms where they were kept comfortable following the hurricane while city and emergency officials began the difficult process of assessing storm related damage to the hotel and the city.

According to Smith, the heaviest physical damage to the property was caused by significant water and debris being blown into hotel guest rooms and atrium lobby after windows were shattered by severe winds.

A convoy of food and supplies provided by Hyatt hotels in Atlanta and Houston arrived at Hyatt Regency New Orleans on Wednesday of this week.

Those who are concerned about the safety and location of friends or family who were staying at Hyatt Regency New Orleans should call Hyatt's toll-free, Special Assistance Number, (866) 674-8148 or contact a Hyatt crisis representative at crisisleads@hyatt.com.

Hyatt continues to alert its customers who have reservations through March 31, 2006 that the hotel will not be able to accommodate them and that all cancellation fees will be waived. In addition, Hyatt's national sales force is in the process of contacting all meeting planners who have programs scheduled at Hyatt Regency New Orleans between now and March 31, to provide assistance with relocation to other destinations.

Hyatt and Strategic Hotel Capital, Inc. Establish Global Relief Fund to Aid Employees Affected by Hurricane Katrina

Hyatt, in partnership with Strategic Hotel Capital, Inc., also announced today that a Global Hurricane Relief Fund has been established to allow employees of Global Hyatt companies around the world to provide cash donations to aid Hyatt Regency New Orleans employees and their families who have been so severely impacted by Hurricane Katrina.

Hyatt will match every employee donation dollar for dollar and both Global Hyatt Corporation and Strategic Hotel Capital, Inc. -- owners of the Hyatt Regency New Orleans real estate -- will make significant corporate donations to the fund immediately.

According to Chuck Floyd, executive vice president of Hyatt Hotels Corporation, this is the first of several initiatives that the Company and many of its individual hotels are initiating to provide relief for employees' loss of property and personal possessions.

"Hyatt Regency New Orleans is a large hotel and therefore has a large employee base," Floyd said. "We feel that providing cash donations at the onset of the recovery process will have the quickest impact to hurricane victims. Once we establish an inventory of specific items that are needed by these families, we can begin supplementing our relief effort with food, supplies, clothing and other goods."

Prior to the hurricane, Hyatt Regency New Orleans employed approximately 500 people.

Hyatt has also initiated a permanent and temporary job placement program for its New Orleans employees in other Hyatt locations, Floyd added. Several Hyatt and AmeriSuites hotels in affected areas are providing shelter for hurricane victims at both complimentary and deeply discounted rates, while other properties are providing bedding, linens and clothing to those who have been relocated to areas of Texas including the Astrodome and Reunion Arena in Houston and Dallas."

[vunil]

In general, I think the mainstream media have been ok-- I also don't have cable and I am sure I wouldn't like how most cable stations have been treating it.  I really just watched Elizabeth Vargas (abc?) and I liked how she looked haggard and was in a t-shirt and jeans and I thought that coverage was respectful.  They sort of hit a lot of the important points, looked at the situation from different angles.  It wasn't slick at all. But I haven't seen much else of the nighttime news on this.

Meet the Press, as I mentioned on the other thread, was excellent.  But in general the Sunday morning shows like Meet the Press are more intellectual and really do try to figure out what's up.  At least on ABC and CBS.  The NY Times today had a lot of really insightful articles, today, too.  I mean, people are asking hard questions, but not in a way that seems unnecessary-- they are trying to ask questions relevant to getting everything fixed now and making sure it doesn't happen this way in the future.

I understand Fox News, which I cannot watch or read about or acknowledge its existence in any way because of my blood pressure has been awful, concentrating on the "looters" and the crime.  Its kind of like "look at all the african americans out of control."  If they are covering things in that way then just the thought of that makes me really sad.  I hope they aren't.

Maybe I should just not find out about it, if they are...

[Stormchild]

Vunil, I'm not sure which channel I saw that strangely dualistic coverage on... I do sample them all, during a crisis;  don't watch much the rest of the time. So it could have been FOX or ABC or NBC or whoever.

Thanks for the vote of confidence in the Times-Picayune, Amethyst... they look like they're giving it to us very straight.

The radio station I listen to here (a CBS affiliate) has picked up some coverage that might have come from WWL, I'm not sure if they have a feeder in to anyone.

Added on edit: oops, that bit about the T-P belongs on another thread. Oh well...

[dogbit]

I think MSNBC has done a pretty good job.  In lieu of actual reporters, they put camera men on to describe what they had seen and their descriptions were pretty graphic. 

Lots of the glitz stuff you see is to allow the crew in the studio to transition...meaning take a drink of water, go to the bathroom, move cameras around, talk to the producer to see what info they have for the next segment etc. etc.  There is an enormous behid the scenes involvement in terms of equipment and technicians to support the on-air product and, in the case of breaking news, no script.   In shows such as Meet the Press, it is a half-hour show carefully prepared beforehand and limited to certain questions and topics so it does have at least the appearance of having more integrity but is actually just more predictable than breaking news. 

And, I know from my days of going to breaking news stories, we often did not eat, sleep or bathe for long periods of time.  It's not very glamorous for the reporter or the crew.  If we were lucky enough to know we were going to be there for a while, it took time to stock up on fuel, batteries, food, water, etc.  just to get going.  And occasionally we needed a police escort. We also needed to be able to deal with dead bodies and still keep working

I guess I'm an apologist for news gathering.  If they didn't get those pictures out, no one would know.   

[amethyst]

I think MSNBC has done a pretty good job.  In lieu of actual reporters, they put camera men on to describe what they had seen and their descriptions were pretty graphic. 

Lots of the glitz stuff you see is to allow the crew in the studio to transition...meaning take a drink of water, go to the bathroom, move cameras around, talk to the producer to see what info they have for the next segment etc. etc.  There is an enormous behid the scenes involvement in terms of equipment and technicians to support the on-air product and, in the case of breaking news, no script.   In shows such as Meet the Press, it is a half-hour show carefully prepared beforehand and limited to certain questions and topics so it does have at least the appearance of having more integrity but is actually just more predictable than breaking news. 

And, I know from my days of going to breaking news stories, we often did not eat, sleep or bathe for long periods of time.  It's not very glamorous for the reporter or the crew.  If we were lucky enough to know we were going to be there for a while, it took time to stock up on fuel, batteries, food, water, etc.  just to get going.  And occasionally we needed a police escort. We also needed to be able to deal with dead bodies and still keep working

I guess I'm an apologist for news gathering.  If they didn't get those pictures out, no one would know.   

Thank God they have gotten the pictures out. A picture is often worth much more than 1000 words.

[Stormchild]

Thanks, dogbit. It does help to know what goes on behind the scenes. It just bothers me that anyone anywhere would think that it is appropriate to have a logo!!! for this coverage...

I grew up with Walter Cronkite and the Huntley-Brinkley team, and I guess that's where my ideas of how solemn sad things 'should' be handled originates. What we grow up with really influences us.

You're right, there's been a lot of humanity and caring coming out in these reports. I guess I can close my eyes and hold my nose at the 'marketing'-type stuff, and be grateful for the caring, which is far more important.

[Marta]

Write, excellent post.

Yes, I think this catastrophe is also going to bring plight of African Americans again to center stage politics, thanggod for that.

Among the jounrnos, yeah, Elizabeth Vargas  and Tim Russert are my favorites. I haaaaaaaate Maureen Dowd. I am utterly disappointed with Krugman. As an economist, he has an excellent platform in NYT to expose policy decisions that are based on shaky and fuzzy2+2=7 type economic thinking. Instead, as far as I can tell, he spends 90% of his print ranting about Bush.

Sometime ago I had seen an excellent documentary, War Photographer, which shows behind the scenes stress and competition between journalists in war and catastrophe coverage.

JS:
 i know they look like third world refugees as far as most can tell, but these displaced black folks really could use the benefit of the doubt right now. 

TIfany, what is THAT supposed to mean? It reads to me like "third world refugees" are bad but "displaced black folks" are good and are incidentally being mistaken for them. I am from third world and I find the analogy completely uncalled for and kinda offensive....How would you like it if, in discussion of poor white people, someone commented "I know they look like black slum dwellers, but they could use benefit of doubt."

[onlyrenting]

Current E-News Alert
Action Needed to Preserve Medicaid Funding for ACT Programs
In response to the tragedy unfolding in the Gulf States following the destruction wrought by Hurricane Katrina, NAMI has created a resource center on our Web site and established a fund to aid victims of the hurricane with serious mental illnesses and their families.  To find information and to learn more about how you can help, visit www.nami.org.

September 2, 2005
On September 6, Congress returns from its month-long summer recess and will begin work on a massive budget measure that includes a requirement to limit future Medicaid spending by $10 billion over the next 5 years. Among the proposals under consideration is a significant restriction on the ability of state Medicaid programs to support intensive case management for children and adults with severe mental illness. In recent years, many states have begun using available options under Medicaid (targeted case management and rehabilitation) to finance intensive case management as part of assertive community treatment (ACT) programs.

Despite the fact that a Medicaid Reform Commission rejected this proposal, it is still expected to receive serious consideration in Congress. As early as next week, both the Senate Finance Committee and the House Energy & Commerce Committee will consider a proposal initiated by the Bush Administration to modify the definitions of both targeted case management and rehabilitation to exclude ACT programs that are run by public mental health agencies and CMHCs.

Action Required
Advocates are strongly encouraged to forward the attached letter to members of Congress urging them to:

oppose restrictions to the definition of rehabilitation and case management services recommended by the Bush Administration,
oppose increases in co-payments for non-preferred prescription drugs covered under Medicaid, and
oppose efforts to restrict access to medications to treat mental illness through prior authorization, step therapy and mandatory therapeutic substitution requirements implemented as part of state supplemental rebate programs.
Because of current delays related to screening of all U.S. mail going into congressional offices, it is highly recommended that advocates forward letters to their state's congressional delegation by using fax machines and e-mails (please identify your home address in all e-mail messages). Given the urgency, advocates are also urged to contact congressional offices by phone.

Enter your zip code below to access a sample letter on this issue and a list of your representatives to contact now.  If you do not see the box for entering your zip code, click here.

 


OR

[jordanspeeps]

marta:

TIfany, what is THAT supposed to mean? It reads to me like "third world refugees" are bad but "displaced black folks" are good and are incidentally being mistaken for them. I am from third world and I find the analogy completely uncalled for and kinda offensive....How would you like it if, in discussion of poor white people, someone commented "I know they look like black slum dwellers, but they could use benefit of doubt."

imo,in america, there is general apathy to black third world countries, (it is not uncommon for brief blips of haggard haitain refugee families packed on a little dinghy or swollen-bellied african children experiencing drought to conjure comments like, "turn the tv to something less depressing" in our public halls).  i've witnessed this innumerable times in my own as well as the white community.  i apologize that this comment is offensive to you in its grittiness.  i was trying to drive home the point that we should not look at these media images the way we normally do when we see citiizens of other countries in peril.  i was attempting to tickle that honest, visceral impression that comes to mind when we (apathetic americans) think of black/brown third world refugees, and am challenging that we remember these images are of our own countrymen and deserve more than the typical sympathetic shrug. 

also marta, if someone said the comment you mentioned, i would be neither shocked or upset. unfortunately, i'm used to FAR WORSE than that here in Virginia, in the newsmedia and in daily life.

again, to marta and other citizens of third world countries, i apologize.

tif. 

[vunil]

We are having a really interesting thing happen here in Texas.  We have received tons of refugees and they are starting to get acclimated to the town.  I haven't seen them (there are thousands, so it's noticable downtown that there are all these new people) but my friends who dropped off stuff for them said that it is so interesting to see the diversity-- we don't have that kind of diversity here, usually. Not sure why, but this isn't an area where african americans have settled very much and most of the folks who have come here are african ameican.  Since many of them may not have anything to go back to, they may stay.  I think that is really sociologically notable-- this may be a time historians look back on certain communities and note that the community changed because of the refugees from NO.  It's too early to know how it will play out-- the real estate here is expensive which may mean people don't settle here as much, and I have no idea what the job situation is like-- I'm assuming it's like the rest of the country (just ok).  Still-- in some ways when the media lose interest is when the really notable stuff may start happening-- the real ramifications of the storm.  I sort of have been bugged by the idea of how segregated NO (and the country in many ways) was and there is something cool about thinking of that getting broken up a bit. 

[onlyrenting]

Vunil, I love to work on my family geneology, what a story this will be for the families affected.


Here is the informaion about the area  my BIL lives in, their town was not hit as hard as some.
This is an example of the thoughts to continue to rebuild the surrounding areas and the time expected to reopen, looks like no sooner than January 19th 2006





Jefferson Parish School System - Press Release
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
September 4, 2005

 

The Jefferson Parish Public School System has set up an auxiliary site at the State Department of Education office in Baton Rouge. Coordination of efforts to assess, rebuild, and re-open the school system will be housed in Baton Rouge until further notice. Financial operations are also being transferred to Baton Rouge. An initial core of central office administrators and clerical support has reported. Additional staff will be reporting as circumstances allow. Please be assured that we are moving as expeditiously as
we can in conjunction with parish, state and federal entity. The administration, in partnership, with the Jefferson Federation of Teachers is ensuring that employees will be paid in a timely manner via direct deposit until other financial decisions can be made. We will not be able to re-open most schools until the second semester on January 19, 2006. Our goal is to re-open some of our schools, as many as we can, in the first semester. Parents and guardians should enroll their children in schools where their families are
currently housed.


The following are steps that will be taken by the Jefferson Parish School System:

The personnel and payroll records are being secured and transported.
As soon as clearance is given by parish government, teams headed by David Taylor, Assistant Superintendent for Facilities, will assess damage to facilities, equipment and supplies.
Schools most easily repaired will be opened first. Those schools will be utilized for as many as two shifts of students in a split schedule arrangement.
School populations may change in the interim to facilitate re-openings.
A telephone line for questions will be set up and advertised in the near future.
Information will be posted on the State Department of Education website - www.louisianaschools.net.
Diane Roussel, Ph.D
Superintendent