Coverage of tsunami/earthquake

[BRNout]

Over the weekend, I followed the story via a combination of CNN (on the TV) and TV Asahi (ANN)/NHK/NHK World via the internet. NHK World is great for getting you the latest news; however, it normally is lightly staffed and - as such - can be very redundant at times. I also streamed BBC World via the internet (because Comcast doesn't bother to offer it) and found it to be an excellent source of up to date information.

Of the US news networks, CNN was the best hands down. Their world wide resources definitely shine through during a tragedy such as this. FOX News did better on Saturday than on Sunday, perhaps due to their apparently short attention span. MSNBC was a non-starter and wasn't worth wasting time with. This is not to say that CNN was not without fault. For one thing, I'd see breaking news come across between 10 and 30 minutes earlier via the webstreams of NHK or ANN than on CNN (who was supposedly monitoring these channels). Secondly, some of the nuclear "experts" that CNN paraded across our screens are quickly exposed by a quick Google search as anti-nuke advocates. Bill Nye the Science Guy was probably the worst about letting his personal opinion be paraded on-screen as if it were gospel.

Lastly, it was FUN to see Anderson Cooper wet his pants last night when he heard that there was more nuclear material released. "Do we need to evacuate NOW?" He asked a number of times, despite one of CNN's nuke experts saying "no". I guess you had to be there...... :

Dan, I didn't know about NHK World's app - I'll download that myself a little later. Thanks for the tip!

 

[searadiofreak]

Once again tonight, CNN leads the pack in breaking news. (Fox's O'Reilly had a small bit, but mostly concentrated on other issues).
For all of O'Reilly's ratings, they sure don't perform well with breaking news.

CNN had communication problems during the evening, but I don't blame them because alteast they are putting in the effort.

MSNBC is trying hard, but quick to put their anti-nuke agenda out there.

CNN continues to lead with breaking news coverage. Piers Morgan has become a "newsman", instead of an interviewer. And hasn't been bad at it.

Fox News seems to be the loser here, with moribound coverage of a major world event. Atleast during prime-time.

 

[Triple Fake Jerry]

TWC did a great job covering the tsunami Friday morning.

MSNBC barely acknowledged it even as the tsunami bore down on the West Coast. Morning Joe was still yammering on about Wisconsin.

 

[azumanga]

MSNBC is trying hard, but quick to put their anti-nuke agenda out there.

This despite the fact that GE, which still owns 49% of NBC, makes nuclear reactors, including the one involved in the current disaster in Japan.

 

[BRNout]

CNN had communication problems during the evening, but I don't blame them because alteast they are putting in the effort.

MSNBC is trying hard, but quick to put their anti-nuke agenda out there.

CNN continues to lead with breaking news coverage. Piers Morgan has become a "newsman", instead of an interviewer. And hasn't been bad at it.

Fox News seems to be the loser here, with moribound coverage of a major world event. Atleast during prime-time.

I agree with most of your post, except that I have a different take on Fox News' coverage (and maybe I was watching at different times): FNC was right up there with CNN during the late afternoon and through Shepard Smith's live segment from Tokyo. They occasionally carried NHK World's live feed and for a much longer stretch than what CNN would do (CNN's efforts in this regard were merely done to show off because after 30 seconds they'd go to commercial).

Where Fox goes off the rails on breaking news is when O'Reilly starts. His show simply isn't set up to deal with breaking news and he doesn't keep up with latest developments. He sticks with what he knows (talk/opinion) which is fine 95% of the time, but not right now. As for Hannity, same deal. As of 8:00 EDT, FOX becomes useless and CNN is firmly in charge for the rest of the evening. Even with that dreadful Elliot Spitzer as an ersatz anchor - their reporting team is so strong that they carry the day.

MSNBC? They're totally banging the anti-nuke drum all evening and are basically unwatchable.

I did myself a favor and downloaded that NHK World app last night. Great move - their coverage provides more detail than all three of the aforementioned channels combined.

 

[JeeperOne]

I noted over the weekend that U-Verse opened up the feed to its TV Japan channel for free. Granted, it's Japanese-language NHK right now, but it's still fascinating to watch.

Also got the NHK World app for iPhone, and it's been non-stop English-language information.

If you have a PBS affiliate that carries it, you can also get NHK World (And many other foreign news agencies) via Mhz. Networks WorldView as well (Though they tend to take a break from the news every so often by airing foreign dramas & such)

Also WAGA 5 in Atlanta has been simulcasting NHK World on its web stream instead of showing the familiar FOX 5 logo when they aren't doing local news. So far, they're the only ones I've noticed doing this

Domestically, I caught a little bit of Fox News on Friday night with Shep Smith (lots of hyperbole in his coverage), and haven't seen CNN except for snippets on the iPhone app. Noticed MSNBC's website did a lot of big (and I mean HUGE) apocalyptic headlines and big pictures on its main page, but if other posters are correct and the channel itself hasn't done squat, then that's a huge disservice to everyone who cares about the quake and its aftermath.

Actually MSNBC's coverage has been pretty good (They just integrate it within their shows). In fact, it's been comparable to CNN except what they lack in worldwide reach, they make up for with their meterological reach by utilizing the arm of TWC to explain to viewers the scientific & environmental impact this event is having & can have in a manner which the common lay person can understand (Rachel Maddow has proven to be very good at doing this on her own, which is a compliment BTW )

Beyond the basic news reporting & rehashing of "Breaking News" which could easily be downgraded to a "Developing Story" after a short while (Anyone remember THAT term?), all the domestic news ops (Cable & OTA) have done is the following.....

Local stations in DFW have done the predictable rehash of network footage and news wire info, along with the human interest stories of Japanese ex-pats in the area and those Americans with loved ones over there trying to get word (and sometimes succeeding) about their family members.

That's about it

Hands down, I love the NHK World app. Seems like that's where I get most of the up-to-minute info.

If only domestic broadcasters would learn how to stream LIVE video to mobile devices, we wouldn't see more ads pimping website content.

NOTE TO BROADCASTERS - IF I WANT NEWSPAPER STYLE HEADLINES & ARTICLES VIA A WEBSITE, I WOULD GO TO GOOGLE OR YAHOO!!!!! When I turn to a radio station for breaking news, I expect to get it IN AUDIO!!!!! If I turn to a TV station for breaking news, I expect to get it IN VIDEO!!!!! Not newspaper style. That's SO 1990s-ish!!!!! (I just know I pissed Trip off with all the bold & cap text in this paragraph. Sorry dude )

Cheers

 

[vchimpanzee]

I haven't watched the coverage from any of the networks. I've just been following various news sites (including the networks' own sites).

Looks like I haven't missed anything.

I haven't seen any TV coverage. I first heard the story from ABC News with Doug Limerick on my favorite radio station. After "Car Talk" I heard NPR's coverage a couple of times. Eventually I'll read what was in the newspaper.

 

[JeeperOne]

MSNBC is trying hard, but quick to put their anti-nuke agenda out there.

MSNBC? They're totally banging the anti-nuke drum all evening and are basically unwatchable.

I wouldn't neccessarily agree with that. Here's why.....

First, all three nets (CNN, FOX & MSNBC) have banged the anti-nuke tambourine at one time or another (Even the politicians in Washington are wrestiling with this)

Secondly, MSNBC is merely posing questions which the politicians (On both sides of the spectrum) are asking themselves. If that's banging the anti-nuke tambourine in your book, well far be it for me to try to convince you otherwise

What pisses me off is when people like Bill Nye (A scientist!) gets on & starts acting as though he knows what's going on in Japan even though he's well over 1000 miles away in California (On Sunday Night, he stopped short of accusing the Japanese of lying to cover up the mess!). When he does this, HE IS AN IDIOT WHO DOES NOT BELONG ON THE AIRWAVES (FOX & CNN had him on but I believe MSNBC passed on him, probably because of his earlier remarks)

People like Bill Nye need to realize these things about the people in those plants trying to (Now) contain this mess.....

* They don't know if their families survived the disaster
* They don't know where their families are if they did survive
* They don't know if they still have a home to go home to
* They've been working on VERY little sleep since THURSDAY NIGHT Japan Time

Given all these things, it should be a surprise to no one that these people haven't gone TOTALLY INSANE while trying to stop/contain this mess.

In other words, people need to SHOW SOME MERCY & GIVE THESE PEOPLE A BREAK!!!!! They've got enough on their plate. They don't need the whole world hounding them like a bunch of hungry pit bulls

I did myself a favor and downloaded that NHK World app last night. Great move - their coverage provides more detail than all three of the aforementioned channels combined.

You might wanna add the RT app as well (RT is the Russian news service that also broadcasts in English). I say this because if there's a meltdown, radiation could reach Eastern Russia (The Kremlin has been concerned about this). JFYI though ;D

Cheers