Opinion: Covering Hurricane Rita…
Although completing a last second video project forced me to not blog this weekend, I was able to watch a lot of the coverage from the cable channels. Of my impressions of the coverages of the three networks, the thing that stood out to me the most was how FNC really stepped up this time, to an extent that matched CNN in terms of the A level talent in the field. Smith, Van Susteren, Rivera, Hemmer, and McCallum were all on location throughout the south. Even their meteorology department kicked it up big time with the Titan Nowcasting service. In the past I could fault FNC for not delivering the kind of visual forecast that CNN and MSNBC could deliver. But not this time. Titan may not be NBC Weather Plus’ 3D:Live, but it was good enough.
By contrast MSNBC didn’t field much of its A level talent outside of Rita Cosby. They even pulled Chris Jansing out of New Orleans and back to Secaucus to anchor from there for the last three days. Even the weather forcasts, outside of Bill Karin’s gutsy Thursday precidiction of a Louisiana landfall, weren’t as deep as they were for Katrina. On the other hand, they did run a special edition of Today to cover the hurricane (presumably because NBC Sports was committed to showing a golf tournament). MSNBC is unique in that it not only has its own operation staff but also the staffs of NBC News and NBC’s affiliate service at its disposal. While this does give MSNBC a wider array of talent at its disposal and allows them not to have to send its own staff out, it does cause trouble in terms of establishing an identity for the network because you don’t see a Jansing or a Daniels or a Meier out in the field covering the storm…you see Jay Gray or Michelle Hoffman or someone else. When it became apparent that Rita was fizzling (compared to Katrina) and wouldn’t cause nearly as much damage, MSNBC scaled back its coverage, whereas CNN and FNC did not alter theirs. Arguments can be made on both sides about the wisdom of this move so I won’t judge it.
CNN did what it always does, put as many people in the field as possible. Only this time because the storm wasn’t as powerful, it seemed at times like overkill to me. I don’t think the sheer numbers of people translated into a superior broadcast in this case and FNC was able to match CNN’s quality a lot of the time.
I don’t think there was a clear winner this time. All three networks were preparing for another Katrina and they didn’t get it. Only MSNBC adjusted for that while FNC and CNN left their people and programming in place.
MSNBC’s coverage was lacking IMO, and I don’t think many people would disagree with that. For example, they went to tape last night at 9 or 10pm ET while CNN was on with two of their top anchors (Cooper/Brown) LIVE. That definitely says something about the committment MSNBC had to this story…unless it was another “Katrina”, they weren’t gonna bother. FNC was decent I must say, but CNN also did an awesome job. Heck even HLN was live for a good chunk of Saturday with their star anchors.
Comment by Reader — September 25, 2005 @ 11:23 pm
I’m usually laughing whenever I check out what FNC is dishing out during non-political breaking news, but this time I have to give them credit for actually having what looked like a legit meteorology department and getting rid of those fake-meteorologist “foxcasters.”
But how could anyone beat CNN Chad Myers telling reports in the field what they should expect in their specific locations in the next couple minutes.
Cooper: “That was the strongest winds yet.”
Myers: “Anderson, that was 71mph winds, but take cover because in about 20 minutes, you’ll get winds in excess of 100mph.”
Cooper: “Thanks Chad, we’re going to move to our fall-back position.”
Myers: “And Zarrella needs to stay alert because the 100mph winds will get to him in about 40 minutes.”
Comment by reader — September 26, 2005 @ 2:06 am
Chad is good but, I can’t forget the video of him throwing his papers down in disgust while talking to Carol…. Now, that isn’t very professional is it?
Comment by Terance — September 26, 2005 @ 7:16 am
I don’t think that MSNBC’s committmment was lacking but rather NBC’s committment to MSNBC is lacking and has been for some time. As long are the two are linked, I don’t think you will ever see much strictly MSNBC talent out in the field covering the story. From an economic standpoint, it is a waste of resources when you already have NBC reporters out there who can cover the story for MSNBC. Obviously, the downside to this is that the product suffers and MSNBC has to get the leftovers.
Comment by bravesfan — September 26, 2005 @ 8:44 am
Rita Cosby is “A level talent”?? Huh? Give me a break! The first night I saw her, she looked like she had on an old blue bathrobe. I kept waiting for the camera to pan down and focus on her bunny slippers.
Did you read the piece on her posted a day or two ago that divulged her battle with the truth? And I caught her in another one. When she was covering the horror of Lake Charles, La., she said, (I paraphrase) “I have spent a lot of time there”. There is no way she would have ever gone to Lake Charles. There is nothing there except oil related business and a few gambling boats. If someone knows of an incidence of her reporting from there, please let me know.
Speaking of MSNBC, I enjoyed Joe’s summaries, and Tucker’s wrap-ups. Otherwise, they simply don’t have any daytime achors with gravitas. Chris Matthews is so caustic. I can’t take him.
Comment by Cara — September 26, 2005 @ 10:50 am
Rita Cosby is “C” level talent at best. She is by far the most dishonest person in the news buisness.
Comment by anonymous — September 26, 2005 @ 1:20 pm
Rita Cosby is by far the most dishonest person in the news industry.
Comment by In The Know — September 26, 2005 @ 1:25 pm
Q. What does Rita Cosby call a person standing on the sidewalk on Pennsylvania Avenue across the street from the White House?
A. Her source close to the President.
Comment by Ms. Anonymous — September 26, 2005 @ 1:47 pm
MSNBC, whom I generally stick up for, really did a poor job IMO of covering Katrina. The blame game started right away and what was with that stupid Katrina clock? Tucker Carlson looked like he should be bagging groceries and Chris Matthews was on a witch hunt. FNC seems to always rise to the occasion when there is a serious news story to be told.
Comment by Tom from Virginia Beach — September 26, 2005 @ 1:58 pm
Matthews has become downright unwatchable!
Comment by Terance — September 26, 2005 @ 2:01 pm