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Horrible story. Very sad. Were any of the Hank staffers on stage or close to the stage when this happend? I hope they're all okay. Anyone think this is in any way harmful to Hank, as they were the welcoming station for the event?
Oh for the love... How would this be damaging to the radio station?! I can't stand when people ask idiotic questions like that and assume that because something bad happened at an event that a certain radio station just happened to be hosting that the radio station is going to somehow suffer. Give me a break. I doubt anyone even remembers that Hank FM was even there. No one gives a damn about whether or not Hank was involved or not. If you want to blame anyone, blame the fair officials who didn't evacuate the area even though there was a flippin' severe thunderstorm coming through the area.
This might just be a case where someone is obviously over estimating the importance of Hank or any other station for that matter. Sometimes people are so self involved they don't realize how little importance people on the outside place on things like that. A "forest for the trees" kind of thing.
Had they actually put on the show at a venue that they rented etc, etc, etc, then maybe there might be something to that train of thought.
We have been in prayer for those who died and those who are still hospitalized. This didn't need to happen.
What has come out of this is that a severe thunderstorm warning was issued and no one did anything. They always say "go to a place of safety." Someone decided they would send everyone out IF the weather got severe (Severe Thunderstorm Warning was already issued) and at this point the Hank announcer made the statement on stage. All sorts of rumors that this was about to happen (send people to safety) when the high winds took the stage down.
We will eventually hear who made the decision not to send people to safety? Sometimes this is the venue, sometimes a sponsor, we really don't know who decided to ride it out. Someone sat in the audience with a smartphone watching the radar and several minutes between when the warning was issued and when the stage fell. There never was an evacuation order until after the rescue of several people. Even a megaphone could be used and the videos of the rescue have no one telling people to get to safety.
The State Fair is better than most. Even if everything was properly secured the problem boils down to "why were people still out in the open after w warning was issued?" The vertical tarps tied tightly to the supports took the thing down because of the wind. Now the State wants to regulate everything. I suppose paying for a structural study on a temporary anything will be the result? No. Regulate that people use common sense when a warning is issued.
The original question goes to liability. May not matter in the lawsuits that will follow. If the PD of Hank knew a warning had been issued and decided not to tell anyone, we radio people know what the rules are when a warning is issued. Why would Hank tell people they would be asked to move IF weather got severe? Because a warning had been issued. They knew it was headed into downtown. Common sense would indicate you tell people a warning had been issued, now leave. Did Hank not issue a warning on the air? Yes. This is where someone with a communications degree has some requirement to do something. And the "Director Of Emmis" as he was noted afterwards in interviews, Charlie Morgan, was there at the concert. Depending on whom you listened to the Hank announcer's name was left out or downplayed. Most are blaming the State Fair or ISP or IMPD. The importance of the act of warning people would have saved lives. This is how Hank shares some liability.
Was Hank the welcoming station or sponsoring station? Because Hank and WFMS have had a war waging it is probable some consideration got them mentioned in all the Sugarland Concert spots. I like Hank tons better than WFMS.
What about any WFMS Staffers near the stage. im sure they had people at the concert too. Hank FM isnt the only Country Station in the Market. WFMS had people there im sure. I went to High School with Deborah Honeycutt. so im sure i could ask her if WFMS had any staffers at the event. but im not gonna bug her on that issue.
THis should be about the people Injured and Killed in the Event. not What will happen to a radio station out of it
If you want to blame anyone, blame the fair officials who didn't evacuate the area even though there was a flippin' severe thunderstorm coming through the area.
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The news reports are that the fair officials were in conversation with the National Weather Service about the conditions and that at the time the pavilion fell, the Fair Director was standing at the back of the stage informing the crew and the entertainers that she was cancelling the performance. We can assume that in a matter of minutes the crowd would have been informed that there would be no show and they should take cover.
Some of you folks have been pretty quick to jump on badstevie for not having a grasp on reality or something... but some of the other claims in this thread do not rise any higher on the "good sense meter" than did badstevie. :
If the announcement had come when the storm warning for the area was issued there would be nothing to talk about. Common sense.
After the fact it was reported on every television station "they" were watching the storm but chose to wait for an evacuation. When those who held up the metal to get lifeless and bloodied bodies out left they went to shelter. The storm had passed. This was notably up to 30 minutes after the microburst and collapse. All noted they were about to make the notification, but waited then the stage collapsed.
Other people out of Indiana probably carry a different sensibility than Hoosiers. In the scheme of things some people want to see someone pay for this. There is always that part. Some like me want to know why and make sure it doesn't happen again. Some want this to hang like a shadow over them.
We have what is probably a great State Fair. People make mistakes, sometimes people die as a result. Many see mistakes in not cancelling the event when the warning was issued. In time someone will judge someone for this. Still won't bring back the dead. No one intended for a night of fun to go wrong. Still it stinks.
Some of you are up for a fight over this... I understand the comment about whether HANK could suffer an 'image' type issue as it relates to this terrible tragedy. The culpable parties are the Indiana State Fair and the Indiana State Police who had responsibility for the crowd and the facility. I doubt there will be any backlash against the radio station although it would be wise and appropriate for HANK to raise money for the folks effected.
A listener backlash against the station is unlikely, but Emmis and Bob Richards personally may be included in coming lawsuits. Richards was the person who less than 5 minutes before the collapse told the crowd the show would go on, and some audience members have already said that the tone of his announcement gave them no indication of any serious danger but instead caused them to remain in place for the start of the show. No reasonable person would place ANY blame on Richards for this awful incident as he was just relaying information he was given, but attornies are not always the most reasonable people. If they can't go after the state of Indiana for punitive damages, they'll likely go after any other party that's in any way involved in this. The most likely party would be the company that set up the rig, but in cases involving death and serious injury attornies tend to go after any and all involved in any way.
but my odds are if they try throw Bob Richards and Emmis into any form of a lawsuit in this. my odds are the judge will throw those out of the lawsuit most likely. because they werent the parties invovled in the Stage Collapse. more Likely if Anything the State Fair Commission stands a better chance of being kept in any lawsuit then Emmis Would. because the State fair board. knew there was this possibilty of these storms coming through that night. and they still let the Event go on as Planned.
The needless loss of life is something that those passing the memorial for the dead at the fair last night noted. Our prayers are for the families. The dead: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jnkfHafvADw
HLN just played Bob Richards in a piece entitled "Many Meteorologists Criticize the Loss of Life." The Richards video, captured on someone's phone. is part of the HLN piece and was taken from YouTube. Quality is surprising. The audio quality is good and clearly Bob.
They report that the NWS recorded winds at 72mph (reportedly at the airport) prior to the warning and the reason for the warning. They report the Weather Channel and others indicated there was plenty of time to evacuate if they had wanted.
They then play Richards who fails to note the warning but says " if severe weather takes place" they will clear the stage and then come back later. Their stance is that at that point the stage and audience should have been moved. Waiting until after the collapse then saying they were ready to clear the audience seems to the report to indicate some malfeasance.
The announcement indicates "if severe weather... we will evacuate." Lightning was in the background. Clearly they knew about the severe weather warning and someone decided to go ahead as Richard says "we are hoping it will bypass us." While the announcer was on stage, they report, they had already made the decision to evacuate. News 8 asks if they were acting in good faith.
To answer the OP's question, NO. I don't think the radio station given the honor of "welcoming" the show will be held accountable by any reasonable person/persons. Anyone who has ever had the assignment of emceeing a concert knows that you merely announce what you are told to say. The emcee at this show typed his script on his cell phone. I personally feel awful for him because those who've worked with him know that he's probably the most thoughtful and conscientious programmer in country music. He's also very conservative and anyone who's ever been in a promotions meeting with him can attest that he's very concerned about safety. Fortunately, he has such a great track record and is so well-respected that he won't be remembered as just"that guy" who was emceeing that tragic event.
I think BOTH country stations have done a great job in the aftermath.
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