Back during the ice storm, radio was it. My only link to what was happening and where was a Sony ICF-2010 multi-band radio that I bought during Desert Storm. On the afternoon of December 15th, about 80+ hours into the ordeal at my home in Brookline, NH, I tuned to WTAG in Worcester and it was wonderful. There was a call-in show and we heard from residents and public officials alike. It really was the best medicine for a bad headache.
I called in and gave the audience the lay of the land from our small town bordering Townsend. But before I did, I applauded WTAG for their service to the community. They seemed almost stunned but mighty pleased that their signal reached 'into New Hampshire.' It was a good, strong signal and I kept the radio tuned to WTAG throughout.
It is a somewhat sad commentary that the 'best' moments for a radio station come at 'bad' times. But it is what it is, and WTAG took lemons and made lemonade. I saw newspaper articles that, later, applauded WTAG for their service during the storm. I wasn't alone in my praise, clearly. Worcester County was very hard-hit, and you'd expect that the 'flagship' radio station for the region (even reaching up into our neck of the woods) would come through. But I think they exceeded expectations by managing and structuring the flow of information. By balancing incoming reports from residents and public service/safety officials, and then synthesizing that information in a meaningful and structured way, WTAG came through like a hero.
As a rather somber aside, I have nothing but bad things to say about WBZ. No, Boston didn't get hit particularly hard by the ice storm. But with 50,000 watts and a clear-channel signal, WBZ could have played a more enabling role. Instead, they paid only cursory attention to the communities hit hard by the ice storm...aside from the obligatory closing announcements placed among Xylophone-infused bank and car-dealer commercials.
I called in and gave the audience the lay of the land from our small town bordering Townsend. But before I did, I applauded WTAG for their service to the community. They seemed almost stunned but mighty pleased that their signal reached 'into New Hampshire.' It was a good, strong signal and I kept the radio tuned to WTAG throughout.
It is a somewhat sad commentary that the 'best' moments for a radio station come at 'bad' times. But it is what it is, and WTAG took lemons and made lemonade. I saw newspaper articles that, later, applauded WTAG for their service during the storm. I wasn't alone in my praise, clearly. Worcester County was very hard-hit, and you'd expect that the 'flagship' radio station for the region (even reaching up into our neck of the woods) would come through. But I think they exceeded expectations by managing and structuring the flow of information. By balancing incoming reports from residents and public service/safety officials, and then synthesizing that information in a meaningful and structured way, WTAG came through like a hero.
As a rather somber aside, I have nothing but bad things to say about WBZ. No, Boston didn't get hit particularly hard by the ice storm. But with 50,000 watts and a clear-channel signal, WBZ could have played a more enabling role. Instead, they paid only cursory attention to the communities hit hard by the ice storm...aside from the obligatory closing announcements placed among Xylophone-infused bank and car-dealer commercials.
