WWL-TV Stays online during Katrina
Posted on September 6, 2005
Filed Under Media Leave a Comment
Rarely do I ever “toot my own horn”. And, although this really isn’t, it feels awefully close.
However, during the entire storm, one television station stayed online and operational and continued to provide coverage. Only one station in the city of New Orleans. Although this is remarkable and sure deserves the praise of station managers and employees who continued working during dangerous conditions, this kind of thing ordinarily wouldn’t cause me to blog about it. Except…this television station happens to be owned by Belo Corporation and is a sister company of my place of employment, The Dallas Morning News. Because of the relationship, I felt compelled to relay a news story that won’t get much press coverage. See below.
DALLAS – WWL-TV, the market-leading CBS affiliate in New Orleans owned by Belo Corp. (NYSE: BLC), has remained on the air “live” since Hurricane Katrina’s arrival and disastrous aftermath, the only New Orleans television station to do so. WWL’s news, production and technical teams have overcome tremendous logistical, communications and personal challenges to serve their communities during this crisis. Professionals from Belo’s television and newspaper media companies across the nation have stepped in to support their colleagues’ extraordinary efforts.
Robert W. Decherd, Belo’s chairman, president and chief executive officer, said, “The entire Belo organization is extraordinarily proud of the WWL team for overcoming tremendous obstacles to broadcast continuously what is arguably some of the finest disaster news coverage in the history of television journalism. They have demonstrated the highest possible commitment to their communities and profession, setting aside personal needs to provide people in New Orleans, the Gulf Coast region and the world with ongoing updates about what is happening, how those in need can get help, and what others can do to support the mammoth relief efforts underway following one of our nation’s worst natural disasters.
As a fellow Belo employee, all I can say is bravo and thank you for staying at your posts!!! This is a testament to an incredible staff working under overwhelmingly adverse conditions doing the unimaginable during a catagory 4/5 Hurrican and having to deal with the unforgiving fury of the bowels of Lake Ponchartrain!
The entire press release is here. Be sure to go and read it.
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