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Local media not warning the people!

The main reason local broadcasters are not warning people about radiation is because they have analyzed the information and determined the threat of local radiation is currently negligible. You could spend hours on TV and radio warning about what may happen but what would be the point except to make people paranoid about something that they need not be paranoid about. NBC News has a guy on everyday talking about the prevailing winds and the risk of radiation to the US. They are not relying on the Dept of Homeland Security, they are basing it on their own information and analysis.

I have to agree with other posters. You have to be very careful with what you broadcast. You don't want to cause unnecessary panic. Right now, the risk to NEPA is so low, that it's not even worth mentioning. If that were to change in any way, in this day of 24 hour news and internet, you can bet you will hear about it somewhere. I'm very cynical about the government, but I am also a realist. I am not going to lose sleep over radiation from Japan at this point. I have been paying attention to what the analysts and experts (both government and non-government, including those who oppose using nuclear power) and none of them have expressed any concern at this point about a risk to the eastern US. Not one.

Right now, I am more concerned about how Notre Dame will do in the NCAA tournament then about getting radiation sickness. ;D
 
Hmmmm....I think I'll go to a transmitter site with hopes that high concentrations of RF radiation will ward off the nuclear radiation!!! Actually....I could just walk around Lake Scranton....with the sun as intense as it is today...it should suffice as my radiation source.

KF
 
TheBigA said:
So where are you going to go? Is your underground shelter built yet?
Click to expand...

My house is undermined as it is, thanks to our illustrious coal mining heritage.
I figure all I need do is dig about ten feet down, and bingo; I'm home free! ;)
 
Zenith Transoceanic said:
It seems to me that with 4 of the 6 nuclear reactors melting down in Japan;
with at least one having had 20 years worth (!) of spent fuel rods in it,
radiation from Japan WILL be making its way to the skies of Pennsylvania
come Thursday, Friday, or so, as best I can determine.

People here should be told, and advised what they need to do about
Cesium 30, and other radiation that's coming our way, but I have not seen
this threat being addressed by local media people.
Either they don't know, or don't believe that this is a problem.

I would hope that they wake up to their responsibility to the listening (and watching) public.
Click to expand...
Stations can refer their listeners/viewers to station websites and supply some links to level-headed reference sources regarding nuclear energy and fallout. They can also link here and here and inform their consumers of the main point - that no harmful radiation is expected to reach the region, or any of the U.S.

Then they can advise them to stay tuned here. We'll advise you if anything important happens.

Trustworthy media can make relevant information available and provide the proper context as real value added over the unvarnished hysteria of some blogs and opinion websites. (Unless the weather calls for a dusting of snow. Then all bets are off.)
 
TomCarten said:
Watch out for some of those maps. Ref: www.snopes.com/photos/technology/fallout.asp
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Absolutely. This is why it's important to verify the veracity of the source. As a media consumer, I do this through a healthy sense of skepticism and checking known trusted sources for their take on the issue (or lack thereof). Snopes is one the best. They've earned that reputation through an attention to detail, a track record of consistently getting it right over time, and a willingness to admit and update when they got it wrong.

This is also where media can play a role - using their broadcast capabilities, associated websites and the resources of affiliated networks or news services - to establish trust with the consumer. Rather than getting on the air at 10 or 11PM and merely parroting information I can get on-demand from online sources or 24 hour cable news networks, provide context and weigh relevance. This is value added and in many markets would be unique. Then promote your capabilities as superior to your competitors, using examples where you got it right and they went for shock value. "Trusted news source" could actually mean something.

You'll still likely need a charismatic weather clown. Just make sure he or she gets the forecast right inbetween the shtick.
 
So, it would be prudent to avoid collecting 70 years worth of drinking water from the rainwater that's fallen over the past few weeks. Or to just drink from the tap.

Call the governor and tell him to get that breaking news on the EAS ASAP.


Zenith Transoceanic said:
Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Click to expand...
You got that right.
 
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