Non-stop Television Storm Coverage?

I can't pinpoint exactly when this started --- a number of years to be sure --- but whenever we have a storm (especially a large snowstorm) all of the local TV stations go into 24/7 storm coverage mode. They pre-empt all other programming for 24hrs or more alternating between the same useless prattle from reporters abandoned in the worst locales during the storm and the meteorologists who are clearly unnaturally excited by their sudden stardom. Does this happen where you live as well? Why do they do this? Do they actually think they are serving some 'public safety' mission? It's inane drivel. Sure, break-in if something actually happens but how many shots of snow piling up on someone's deck do we need? How does that help in any way? Wouldn't allowing us access to entertainment when we're all home-bound make more sense?

a reply to: jtma508

No, this does not happen where I live, although storm damage tends to top the local news stories.

a reply to: jtma508

I live north of Edmonton, and I've been watching the storm being covered on CNN. I've never seen anything like it. We get between 4 or 6 months of snow here, and about the same across Saskatchewan and Manitoba.
It's not news worthy, except for the info that more snow is coming. That takes about 5 minutes.
Occasionally they'll shut down the highways if they're too icy, that's either an alert on our phones, or we find out when we get to a road that's closed.

Don Lemon in his "blizzardmobile" stated there was 6000 miles of road to plow and that there is 1800 snow plows out.
That's a lot of plows unless he got the miles of roads wrong....

a reply to: jtma508

I live in Michigan. I think its economy based. Stimulates purchases of gas, food, road salt, fast food for the kids etc....

Seems so to me here in the "D"....

They only do that for severe, tornadic weather where I live. I don't understand the point during a snowstorm, they could just interrupt when something actually happens. I do understand it during a tornado outbreak situation though, as it's always important to track and know where the storm is in relation to wherever you are. But when snow is falling, it's always falling.

a reply to: jtma508

The stations have researched what people want to watch on local situations. It's all about keeping or gaining market share.

The research shows that disasters of all types top the list for focus "if it bleeds, it leads"
The viewers crave sensationalism and the producers give it to em even if it's sometimes fabricated.

The movie "Nightcrawler" is very accurate and Jake Gyllenhaal was brilliant.

My camera is always with me to video anything newsworthy.

originally posted by: olaru12


oops

edit on 27-1-2015 by olaru12 because: (no reason given)

a reply to: jtma508

Because nothing else more interesting is going on.

Definitely happening here, and I feel bad for those employees they stick out in it. Was just watching the weather network to get updates because this storm is nowhere near so far what it was predicted to be. Barely any snow in our area and just freezing rain. No huffing and puffing wind threatening to blow my house down either.
I think the agenda is to cry wolf enough times so that when the big one does threaten, we won't believe a word of it. Mind you, be a meteorologist...the only job where you get paid to be wrong 90% of the time, can lie through your teeth with a smile on your face, and not get fired.
I caught on to their little marketing tactics too..
After showing storm footage from all around the east coast, they proceeded to show the weather in Florida. Just Florida. I live in Nova Scotia..I don't care what it's like in Florida..nice bit of subliminal messaging in the hopes of prompting me to book a spring fling in Miami. PFFFFT.

It's stupid.

Every year when winter comes and there is a blizzard somewhere everyone acts like it's the first time they have ever experienced a winter storm.

I grew up in Michigan and EVERY winter it snowed......and snowed..... and sometimes it snowed again...a lot.

a reply to: jtma508

Interesting observation however I do enjoy it when the weather jockey's try and report from the leading edge of a hurricane while standing on a sand bar 300 feet out with 50 foot swells about how dangerous the weather is.

My other guess would be it has something to do with their eventual marathon coverage of global warming. They are going to need lots of B roll for that marathon.

I don't watch TV but I noticed nearly all the internet chatter in my area is suddenly all about the storm. I can't understand it. It's weather, sure it impacts millions but they act like it never happens...

How about those hurricane force winds??/ Were they really 74 MPH??

a reply to: mikell

No idea but my gf's staying 4 blocks from the ocean in Brooklyn and said the winds are fierce. Of course she's a city person so anything above 20 mph is fierce

a reply to: mikell

Yea, the coastal towns south of Boston (what we call the South Shore) is getting hammered. Lots of flooding, breached sea walls, etc. Same towns that were walloped in the Storm of '78. Only saving grace is that we were not in a full moon cycle so the tidal surges aren't as bad. Nasty-ass storm though. Just don't need the non-stop repetitive drivel on TV. We get it. It's snowing.

originally posted by: mysterioustranger
a reply to: jtma508

I live in Michigan. I think its economy based. Stimulates purchases of gas, food, road salt, fast food for the kids etc....

Seems so to me here in the "D"....

MI here, too. I'm from FL, and relatively new to MI, but the time that sticks out clearly when people went a little bonkers on the storm prep buying was back in November when it dumped snow for, what, 10 days or so. Mostly, the news just yammered about snow totals in the UP & at the lakeshore, though. I didn't think it was particularly bad, to be honest, even the blips on national weren't too overdone. It wasn't horrible on the boob tube like it was when they had the Sandy Meltdown & acted like the world was ending on every conceivable channel, kwim?

originally posted by: mwood
It's stupid.

Every year when winter comes and there is a blizzard somewhere everyone acts like it's the first time they have ever experienced a winter storm.

I grew up in Michigan and EVERY winter it snowed......and snowed..... and sometimes it snowed again...a lot.

Exactly.

I had to go to Indianapolis last month and on the way there were four trucks jacknifed and 12 cars in ditches. I was like "come on people, it's not like we didn't have last winter, the winter before or ever a winter in our whole lives". Why do the same people who get snow every year forget how to drive the next winter?

originally posted by: Yeahkeepwatchingme
I don't watch TV but I noticed nearly all the internet chatter in my area is suddenly all about the storm. I can't understand it. It's weather, sure it impacts millions but they act like it never happens...

There were times when the news failed to tell us what to expect.

In 2008 Ohio was hit by the winds of the hurricane, we know that hurricanes tend to dissipate over land, but this particular one, we were hit by 8 hours of hurricane force winds that was very hot.

The second time in 2012 was the Super Derecha that went across Indiana and Ohio. There was no warning for that one. All I know was the sky suddenly turned black and this massive wind swept through, but here in Indiana we were like "What the heck?" When it hit Ohio, they were like "Oh those Hoosiers are overreacting" until it hit them.

I've been in tornadoes that had no warnings and when I worked at a local radio station in North Carolina, our National Weather Service feed had broken so we had to use a weather radio and broadcast the path of the storm. When it does become an issue of public safety then we can't make that decision for someone else about life threatening weather.

It is an FCC requirement, that's why you get so much about it. Yes, we know that it snows up north, but it is a matter of public safety. The reason to show it so much, because the next state over will know what to expect and make preparations for said event.

Being in seven tornadoes that had no warnings, I prefer warnings. And if it means showing the weather all day to emphasize that point, then maybe public safety is an issue. Think about no warnings.

Its to programme you with more FEAR so you can SPEND SPEND SPEND! YEEEEHAW!!!!.

a reply to: Dabrazzo

I'd buy this argument in the run-up before the storm. But once the storm hits and there is no way for us to drive or even get our of our homes why must we be subjected to the same, repetitive storm coverage non-stop for almost 2 days? And on all major local affiliates: ABC, NBC, CBS and FOX? It has no value and provides no useful information from a 'serving the public' perspective. It's infuriating actually.