Hurricane Sandy will perhaps go down as one of the most covered news events in 2012. The hurricane, which was described as the biggest Atlantic Hurricane that has ever been recorded, was the tenth hurricane to occur in the Atlantic Ocean this year. Hurricane Sandy had the largest impact in Northeastern United States where it intensity reached the highest classification Category 1. The huge intensity and damage which the hurricane had was the major reason behind its widespread media coverage.
The Cable News Network (CNN) was one of America’s media houses that covered news on the impact that Hurricane Sandy had on various cities and towns. The quality of coverage done by CNN has been described as fine although it was characterized by controversy that was caused by some awkward comments that were made by Piers Morgan who is one of the media house’s reporters. Efforts by CNN to try and reduce the controversy surrounding Morgan’s remarks about Hurricane Sandy caused the media station to increase the amount of time it allocated to the coverage of the hurricane.
However, CNN’s coverage of Hurricane Sandy was comprehensive as the media house gave updates concerning the negative effects that had been caused by the hurricane on the areas it struck. The media house gave a detailed description of the damage that had been caused in various parts of America by the hurricane. For example, CNN offered a detailed description of the destruction that the hurricane had made on various forms of infrastructure such as telephone and electricity supply. CNN also gave coverage on the situation that was existing in hospitals as the hospital personnel tried to deal with the impact of the hurricane as well as treat patients who had been affected by the storm.
CNN also ensured a wide coverage of the news by sending out many of its reporters to many of the areas that had been negatively impacted by the negative effect of the hurricane. For example, CNN’s Soledad O’Brien was in New Jersey to show how the strong winds from the hurricane had made serious destruction and damage in the state. O’Brien seemed pretty shaken by the strong hurricane wind as he reported from an area in which the hurricane winds were very strong. CNN’s reporter Ali Velshi was also another CNN reporter who increased the publicity of the media houses reports on the hurricane. This is because a lot of people sympathized with him as he stood inside water whose level was above his knees for an entire day which was also his birthday.
Q13 which is a media house based in Seattle also offered a lot of coverage on the various areas that had been affected by hurricane Sandy. However, the news station seemed to dwell more on the impact that the hurricane would have on the elections that were only four days away from the day the hurricane struck America. The media house also seemed to concentrate on the number of deaths that had been confirmed from the areas that had been hit by the hurricane. It was evident that the media house paid little attention to inform its viewers on the damage that the hurricane had made in various states. The media house only chose to inform the public on the frantic efforts that were being made to ensure that the upcoming elections would not be disrupted by the hurricane. It could be argued that various individuals tried to gain some political mileage from Q13’s coverage of the hurricane by ensuring that the media house highlighted their names and explained to the general public about the measures they were taking to ensure that electricity supply was back to ensure that the electoral process went on smoothly.
However, it would be prudent to say that the New York Times offered the most comprehensive coverage on all issues surrounding Hurricane Sandy. For example, the media house gave a more frequent update on a variety of issues concerning the effect that the hurricane had in all the areas it had struck. The media house also highlighted some of the indirect negative effects that had resulted from the occurrence of the hurricane. For example, the media house noted that a problem of price gouging had resulted from the occurrence of the drought in items such as gas and the price of hotel rooms.
It is important to note that one of the factors that differentiates the New York Times from other media houses that were reporting about Hurricane Sandy is the fact that it was the only media station that did a comprehensive coverage on the measures that were being taken by various stakeholders to counter the negative effects and loses that had been caused by the occurrence of the hurricane. For example, the media house highlighted that price gouging was to be eliminated and that all sellers were warned not to increase their prices. Some of the other corrective measures that have been highlighted by the media house included informing the public concerning the plans that would be put in place to reduce the impacts of natural calamities on people in future years as well as plans and the cost that would have to incurred to rebuild the houses and other forms of infrastructure
Conclusion:
In conclusion, all the media houses seemed to have covered the Hurricane Sandy as it swept various areas in America. However, all of them did different approached to identify. Media houses should be encourage to increase the variety of aspects they cover in the whenever a natural calamity occurs.
Works Cited
Keene, Allison. "Hurricane Sandy TV: CNN's Hysteria, Weather Channel Cool, Al Roker Flaps in the Wind." 30 October 2012. hollywoodreporter.com. 7 December 2012
New York Times. "Hurricane Sandy: Covering the storm." 6 November 2012. nytimes.com. 7 December 2012
q13 news. "Officials: Sandy-stricken areas will vote Tuesday ‘come hell or high water’." 10 November 2012. q13fox.com. 7 December 2012
Smith, Matt. "Hurricane Sandy TV: CNN's Hysteria, Weather Channel Cool, Al Roker Flaps in the Wind." 29 October 2012. edition.cnn.com. 7 December 2012
