News Media & Katerina

[Terry Schultz]

News (??) on the aftermath of Katerina, I have some oberservations :



The News agency can get there, on site, in a heart beat - did they bring in any help with them ?? ( not massive help, but something to help the first few they see )



On site reporters say they need fresh water -- did they give them some as they pass ????



Are they part of they part of the total effort of helping ( since they are there ) -- or they they there to report " Why is there no help ???? " ????



I have many more questions -- they do a service reporting -- but if they report on one person that needs help, and helps them before moving on, isn't that better ??



I just wonder why the media has flooded the area and TRUE helpers are not. Can the news media mobilize faster then the goverment ?? I hope not. But maybe so.



Terry

 

[Robert Stanton]

True helpers are there, or on their way there. It's not like anyone can go in and lend a helping hand... in fact, the Red Cross has said they need money, not volunteers. They can only use people who have disaster recovery experience and training, as it's too dangerous and too much work to try to organize common folks who just want to help.



Also, reporters get to go where others can't not because they can help, but because they can report on what they see. And by doing that, they are helping. Bringing the horrific images and stories coming out of that area has certainly already helped drum up support and money for the recovery efforts.

 

[Austin Tatious]

I too get annoyed with the media's over reporting of human suffering but...



After watching a news report, I was moved by what I saw and heard and sent a donation to the Red Cross.



A local CA reporter is traveling with the CA National Guard to report on relief efforts.

 

[Josh Langel]

For goodness sake!



Sound like those on TV, asking where everyone is... where's the government. HATE TO BREAK it to everyone, but the government isn't able to handle this in a blink of an eye. People screaming at the news reporters... I bet if we didn't have any news of this event (PICTURES, VIDEO...ECT) Half the country wouldn't know what was going on. Thank the news reporters for helping to get the message out that THERE IS A DISASTER.



Don't rely on the government. Big mistake. Thinking that the government is going to step in over night and fix things is bogus and out of touch with reality. With this large of a catastrophe, the government is trying to just organize what the <b>can do</b>...



We need to realize also that if we <i>expect</i> help and rely on the "others" to give, we're sadly mistaken.



We are dealing with a HUGE DISTASTER, one of the largest in American history. Expecting the government to supply food and water for everyone is insane. We need everyone to care... that’s the key.



It will get worse. People are dieing.



The government can only do so much...



It's going to take each other.

 

[Mike Wilson]

I did see on CNN today where a reporter covering an area where the road was

flooded, jump in the water and rescue an elderly man who had tried to drive

over the road and his car was swept away by the rushing water.

Maybe there are still a few good media people out there.

A'Josh, you are exactly right. We need to help each other. Charity begins at

(or near) home!!!

 

[mike oyler]

The one thing that really bothers me is when there is a distaster anywhere in the world, who is the first country to send billions of dollars to help? The good ol USA! Now that we need a little help, where the hell are all these countries when we need them???



Mike 0

 

[Eric Pennal]

TSSS,



In almost every report I've seen, the reporter has mentioned giving away what water they've had, to anyone who has needed it (as an example). Just because you haven't witnessed it personally, doesn't mean they aren't going beyond reporting the news. As the others have mentioned, reporting on this tragedy is helping the victims on a much larger scale.

 

[Ryan Schaecher]

The most dreaded words I can hear is:



"I'm from the Government and I'm here to help..."



It really upsets me (and that's being mild) to see these people DEMANDING that the government help help them, "they should have been in here yesterday". You should have left yesterday, day before, etc etc etc. It pisses me off to see the looting. It pisses me off to hear about cops being shot by gangs of looters with snipers on the roof tops.



I know that the city is full of relativly poor people, but come on. No power and rising water. What are you going to do with a 52" tv? I understand getting food/water from stores. there is absolutely no excuse for stealing jewelry, guns, XBox's, shoes, etc.:angry::angry::angry:

 

[TomT]

Unfortunately most of the people your seeing in New Orleans on tv have been relying on "Big Government" to take care of them all their lives and have never done anything on their own. These people need to understand that this storm has affected a wide area, not just New Orleans.

 

[Bill V]

mike oyler--Bush went on TV this morning and said he is rejecting all foreign offers to help, that the US will handle this on our own. I don't think you can hold a grudge against countries for not helping when that help has been rejected.



And, let's be clear--Katrina is a hurricane. Katerina is an ice skater. (I say this for my 13 year old niece, who's been enduring a lot of guff because her name--Katerina--is similar to the hurricane, but far too many people (in her opinion) don't realize that they're not the same name.)

 

[Mark S 3]

Mike O - further to what Bill said, at the end of every news cast about New Orleans shown up here in Canada, they are finishing off by listing the number for Red Cross and other agencies that are supporting the hurricane relief effort and asking that people donate.



I can't speak for any other county out there, but as for Canada, the public at large is willing to help however they can.





-Mark

 

[Chuck Lake]

Bill, actually the administration has said they will accept offers of foreign aid.



Bush did say, "I'm not expecting much from foreign nations because we hadn't asked for it. I do expect a lot of sympathy and perhaps some will send cash dollars. But this country's going to rise up and take care of it."



"You know," he said, "we would love help, but we're going to take care of our own business as well, and there's no doubt in my mind we'll succeed. And there's no doubt in my mind, as I sit here talking to you, that New Orleans is going to rise up again as a great city."



Funny how the press can twist words around. I guess the words "accept" and "expect" kind of sound alike :wacko:

 

[Bill V]

Doughboy-- That announcement was a change of position by the Bush administration, since the time I posted my message. Thanks for the update.