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Monday, August 29, 2005
Hurricane Briefs: WLOX latest; stranded with pols
 WLOX-13 reported Monday evening that all staff was safe "despite serious damage to the physical facilities." On Ch. 13's website, webmaster Renee Johnson described Monday morning: "We are now moving into the older section of the building. A huge chunk of our roof just ripped off the newsroom. Ironically, it's right over most of our computer systems." One reporter who stayed behind in the New Orleans area, WDSU-6's Heath Allen, was reported trapped on the roof of a government building in Chalmette on Monday afternoon along with photographer Tom Fitzgerald. Flooding left a number of residents in that area stranded on rooftops. Although NBC anchor Brian Williams predicted a possible "seat-of-the-pants" edition of "Nightly News" on Monday afternoon, things were alright by broadcast time. "We have no power, no working computers, and one satellite path...," Williams wrote online Monday before broadcasting from outside the Superdome in New Orleans. Bob Schieffer of CBS stayed in New York. Anchors from Florida appeared on WDSU-6 for part of Sunday night as Katrina approached. WESH-2 in Orlando, which along with Ch. 6 is owned by Hearst-Argyle, pinch-hitted as some Ch. 6 staffers left for a third Hearst station in Mississippi. The Times Picayune building in New Orleans had some damage Monday, its website reported. Windows were blown out in the newspaper's executive offices on the third floor, water was leaking into the commissary Chez Picayune, and there was no air conditioning, according to online columnist Jon Donley. Meanwhile, WWL-AM was off the air for at least part of Monday. The National Association of Broadcasters is helping the American Red Cross distribute a public service announcement to raise money for its Disaster Relief Fund in association with Hurricane Katrina. The TV and radio spots feature the song "Bridge Over Troubled Water" in encouraging donations to the Red Cross.Posted by ECTVN on 8/29/2005 - 1 comments  Katrina damage forces station off the air  Hurricane Katrina damaged the roof of the WLOX-13 studios, allowing water inside and forcing the ABC affiliate off the air Monday afternoon, according to the station website. Though Ch. 13 is located only a few thousand feet from the Gulf of Mexico, it was not storm surge but wind and rain that appeared to cause trouble at the Biloxi, Miss., station."Some parts of the building have one foot of standing water due to the leaking roof," a posting on Ch. 13's website read. "Updates of storm coverage are being supplied from WLOX's sister stations." Ch. 13 had been broadcasting earlier on Monday. The station had reported winds of 86 miles per hour at their building at 208 DeBuys Rd., according to the Sun Herald, which is located at 205 DeBuys Rd. across the line in Gulport. The newspaper also reported numerous leaks and no electricity, and moved printing operations to a sister property in Georgia. "The worst is over. Water didn't get anywhere near the building," Sun Herald manager Marlene Kler told another paper staffer. Posted by ECTVN on 8/29/2005 - 0 comments New Orleans stations in high gear for Katrina  Staffers at New Orleans station WWL-4 were among the thousands of people who hit the road Sunday as Hurricane Katrina beared down on the southeast. The CBS affiliate left studios in the historic French Quarter neighborhood of the low-lying city for Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge as the massive storm swirled with Category 5 ferocity in the Gulf of Mexico.Two other stations aired combination newscasts with affiliates in neighboring markets. NBC affiliate WDSU-6 shifted operations to fellow Hearst-Argyle station WAPT-16 in Jackson, Miss., where staffers from both stations appeared on a simulcast. WGNO-26 left its new third-floor studios in downtown New Orleans to team with sister ABC affiliate WBRZ-2 in Baton Rouge. Early Monday morning, anchors on local mainstay Ch. 4 were debriefing reporters who had been out and about in the Baton Rouge area, with almost no graphics or outside video available. Anchor Sally Ann Roberts warned against too much speculation about Katrina's aftermath. "We can go into all kinds of what-ifs...let's just take it one step at a time," said Roberts. WVUE-8 planned Sunday to move to WALA-10 in Mobile, Ala., according to the Baltimore Sun; both are Emmis-owned Fox stations. Back in New Orleans, Ch. 6's Travers Mackel reported by phone from the Superdome, a "shelter of last resort" for tens of thousands with a field he said was comfortable enough for him to catch a nap on. CNN was planning to join Ch. 4 in broadcasting from LSU, according to a reporter's blog. "Lots of time spent on where to park the truck and how to back it up if the wind starts rattling our satellite dish," Miles O'Brien wrote early Monday. "We think we have a good set up, and I am exhausted after a long, long day of travel and trepidation over how to best cover Katrina." Posted by ECTVN on 8/29/2005 - 0 comments
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Quote of the Day "Mother Nature reclaimed the Mississippi Delta. If she wants to move the delta, or the city for that matter, then she will." -- WCNC-36 Charlotte weatherman Brad Panovich, working at sister station WWL-4, shared his thoughts on the state of New Orleans (WWLTV.com) Tomorrow Part 2 of a Special Edition The roof may have blown off its newsroom, but WLOX-13 is still fighting to provide information to viewers in the hard-hit Biloxi/Gulfport area. How other stations are helping out, plus a check on other media outlets affected by Hurricane Katrina. Previous Coverage Hurricane not good for TV trucks Mobile station also damaged WLOX update; reporter on roof Hurricane hits WLOX building New Orleans stations in high gear Quick Clicks Back to the home page TV news audio clips E-Mail East Coast TV News
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