About 24 hours before Hurricane Katrina made landfall in New Orleans, LA., the stations of Entercom Communications were already in full storm coverage, simulcasting the programming of 870 WWL. History notes the horrific damage done when the storm made landfall.
Forecasting these beasts is a challenge, not just for the meteorologists trying to figure out where the thing is going to hit, but for government officials to figure out what resources to provide, Emergency Management personnel and law enforcement to place their people in trying to help citizens cope. The challenge for the media is how best to keep the public informed so that listeners can make the right decisions; whether to evacuate out of harm’s way, what shelter to find or even to stay put so as not to clog the transportation system more than it already is.
In this 18 minute recording of the stations of Entercom New Orleans (all simulcasting WWL), you’ll hear all of the above addressed in the minutes just prior to the station being knocked off the air at 12:44 AM. One of the vital parts of history is for people to be able to hear exactly how a situation unfolded at any one particular time. At this point in the time line of Hurricane Katrina, nobody blamed President Bush, nobody was blaming New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin, or anyone else. There was just last minute preparation as weather conditions rapidly deteriorated.
You have a front row seat to history. Always. At airchexx.com!
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