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WWL Disaster Coverage

M

markmathis

Although it's really hard to tear away from the tv screen during all this coverage, it's more fascinating to hear WWL during this crisis. It brings back memories of when I intently listened to wall to wall coverage from the Wichita Falls tornado as a 10 year old on KWFT through the next several nights following the damage.
I also had the chance to cover and provide information to a community devastated by a tornado in Arkansas in 99 on local radio. A truly humbling experience, but the best and most gratfiying thing I remembered doing in my on-air career.
It's sad that nowadays the only time you hear really great local radio is in time of trouble. KBEC covers local radio in Waxahachie better than any radio station in DFW covers the metroplex.
 
> Although it's really hard to tear away from the tv screen
> during all this coverage, it's more fascinating to hear WWL
> during this crisis. It brings back memories of when I
> intently listened to wall to wall coverage from the Wichita
> Falls tornado as a 10 year old on KWFT through the next
> several nights following the damage.
> I also had the chance to cover and provide information to a
> community devastated by a tornado in Arkansas in 99 on local
> radio. A truly humbling experience, but the best and most
> gratfiying thing I remembered doing in my on-air career.
> It's sad that nowadays the only time you hear really great
> local radio is in time of trouble. KBEC covers local radio
> in Waxahachie better than any radio station in DFW covers
> the metroplex.
>
Agreed Double M.WWL AM is doing superb coverage. Another post said that everyone at WWL TV lost their homes. This was confirmed by some colleagues at Ch.8
 
> Although it's really hard to tear away from the tv screen
> during all this coverage, it's more fascinating to hear WWL
> during this crisis. It brings back memories of when I
> intently listened to wall to wall coverage from the Wichita
> Falls tornado as a 10 year old on KWFT through the next
> several nights following the damage.
> I also had the chance to cover and provide information to a
> community devastated by a tornado in Arkansas in 99 on local
> radio. A truly humbling experience, but the best and most
> gratfiying thing I remembered doing in my on-air career.
> It's sad that nowadays the only time you hear really great
> local radio is in time of trouble. KBEC covers local radio
> in Waxahachie better than any radio station in DFW covers
> the metroplex.
>
I have to agree with you on that, WWL has had the best coverage of all the local stations in the NOLA market. Its rare(thank god) we see a disaster of this magnitude in our life time. IMHO, WWL has outran and outgunned both its local competitors and the national networks (broadcast and cable). The reason is simple: They know their beat.
 
I know that this is the Dallas radio portion of the board, but you can also check out wwltv.com, and check out the live stream featuring round the clock TV coverage. The TV news coverage from WWL is very good as well. There is something about getting the local perspective on this horrible tragedy, than to listen or watch network coverage.



> Although it's really hard to tear away from the tv screen
> > during all this coverage, it's more fascinating to hear
> WWL
> > during this crisis. It brings back memories of when I
> > intently listened to wall to wall coverage from the
> Wichita
> > Falls tornado as a 10 year old on KWFT through the next
> > several nights following the damage.
> > I also had the chance to cover and provide information to
> a
> > community devastated by a tornado in Arkansas in 99 on
> local
> > radio. A truly humbling experience, but the best and most
> > gratfiying thing I remembered doing in my on-air career.
> > It's sad that nowadays the only time you hear really great
>
> > local radio is in time of trouble. KBEC covers local radio
>
> > in Waxahachie better than any radio station in DFW covers
> > the metroplex.
> >
> Agreed Double M.WWL AM is doing superb coverage. Another
> post said that everyone at WWL TV lost their homes. This was
> confirmed by some colleagues at Ch.8
>
 
> I know that this is the Dallas radio portion of the board,
> but you can also check out wwltv.com, and check out the live
> stream featuring round the clock TV coverage. The TV news
> coverage from WWL is very good as well. There is something
> about getting the local perspective on this horrible
> tragedy, than to listen or watch network coverage.
>
>
>
> > Although it's really hard to tear away from the tv screen
>
> > > during all this coverage, it's more fascinating to hear
> > WWL
> > > during this crisis. It brings back memories of when I
> > > intently listened to wall to wall coverage from the
> > Wichita
> > > Falls tornado as a 10 year old on KWFT through the next
> > > several nights following the damage.
> > > I also had the chance to cover and provide information
> to
> > a
> > > community devastated by a tornado in Arkansas in 99 on
> > local
> > > radio. A truly humbling experience, but the best and
> most
> > > gratfiying thing I remembered doing in my on-air career.
>
> > > It's sad that nowadays the only time you hear really
> great
> >
> > > local radio is in time of trouble. KBEC covers local
> radio
> >
> > > in Waxahachie better than any radio station in DFW
> covers
> > > the metroplex.
> > >
> > Agreed Double M.WWL AM is doing superb coverage. Another
> > post said that everyone at WWL TV lost their homes. This
> was
> > confirmed by some colleagues at Ch.8
> >
>
Agreed. WFAA is also streaming WWL TV coverage on its website. WWL AM evacuated to Baton Rouge, and is sharing reporters,etc with its sister station on the AM and FM side there.
 
> website. WWL AM evacuated to Baton Rouge, and is sharing
> reporters,etc with its sister station on the AM and FM side
> there.
>
Just about all the TV's went to Baton Rouge. And WWL-TV is only connected to WWL radio in call letters only.

I listened to WWL-870 the other evening around midnight. They are very experienced in covering this kind of thing and handled the coverage calmly and professionally. They took phone calls on the air from people who rode the thing out, from folks who fled, from the Tulane football coach as they were enroute to Dallas from Jackson Ms. They didn't "play the callers like a record." So instead of 30 seconds to make your point, the real victims of the tragedy got to vent....the hosts were accommodating....it was very compelling radio.

Check out some of the comments on the Louisiana board.

I wonder how the big AM's in this area would fare if the mother of all disasters were to hit North Texas?
 
> > website. WWL AM evacuated to Baton Rouge, and is sharing
> > reporters,etc with its sister station on the AM and FM
> side
> > there.
> >
> Just about all the TV's went to Baton Rouge. And WWL-TV is
> only connected to WWL radio in call letters only.
>
> I listened to WWL-870 the other evening around midnight.
> They are very experienced in covering this kind of thing and
> handled the coverage calmly and professionally. They took
> phone calls on the air from people who rode the thing out,
> from folks who fled, from the Tulane football coach as they
> were enroute to Dallas from Jackson Ms. They didn't "play
> the callers like a record." So instead of 30 seconds to
> make your point, the real victims of the tragedy got to
> vent....the hosts were accommodating....it was very
> compelling radio.
>
> Check out some of the comments on the Louisiana board.
>
> I wonder how the big AM's in this area would fare if the
> mother of all disasters were to hit North Texas?
>
I agree WWL AM 870 reminds me when I was living in S. Central Texas when Camille hit Mississippi in 1969. Their signal was coming in loud then. They provided round the clock coverage and out did the networks.It is refreshing to see that hasn't changed despite being owned by CC.WWL should get recognized as station of the year by the NAB, and other broadcast organizations.They report just the facts not dramatize and embellish them like FOX .
 
> I agree WWL AM 870 reminds me when I was living in S.
> Central Texas when Camille hit Mississippi in 1969. Their
> signal was coming in loud then. They provided round the
> clock coverage and out did the networks.It is refreshing to
> see that hasn't changed despite being owned by CC.

When Loyola sold them, they may have been under CCU ownership
for a while but the current owner is Entercom.

That aside...

> WWL should get recognized as station of the year by the
> NAB, and other broadcast organizations.They report just
> the facts not dramatize and embellish them like FOX.

100% agreement. The coverage on WWL has been compelling
listening for those of us far removed from the damage and
a real service for those in the midst of the catastrophe.

From listening, the hosts on WWL seem to have real roots in
the New Orleans community and genuinely share the grief. As
you alluded to, they have been a calming, much-needed
reassuring voice.
 
When Loyola sold them, they may have been under CCU
> ownership
> for a while but the current owner is Entercom.
>
The reason I said CC owned them is because not once but three times overnight they said they were in Baton Rouge "working with their Clear channel sister stations' I am not desputing what you said,but why would they say that?
 
> > When Loyola sold them, they may have been under CCU
> > ownership for a while but the current owner is Entercom.
> >
> The reason I said CC owned them is because not once but
> three times overnight they said they were in Baton Rouge
> "working with their Clear channel sister stations' I am not
> desputing what you said,but why would they say that?

In a rare move dictated by the extraordinary circumstances,
all of the Clear Channel facilities in New Orleans started
simulcastting with WWL on Monday night. I happened to be
listening when the announcement was made (circa 9:00 PM).

The host on WWL mentioned CCU's WQUE and WYLD specifically
as joining with the Entercom cluster in providing this
service. There may be other CCU stations that are now part
of the simulcast.
 
> > > When Loyola sold them, they may have been under CCU
> > > ownership for a while but the current owner is Entercom.
>
> > >
> > The reason I said CC owned them is because not once but
> > three times overnight they said they were in Baton Rouge
> > "working with their Clear channel sister stations' I am
> not
> > desputing what you said,but why would they say that?
>
> In a rare move dictated by the extraordinary circumstances,
> all of the Clear Channel facilities in New Orleans started
> simulcastting with WWL on Monday night. I happened to be
> listening when the announcement was made (circa 9:00 PM).
>
> The host on WWL mentioned CCU's WQUE and WYLD specifically
> as joining with the Entercom cluster in providing this
> service. There may be other CCU stations that are now part
> of the simulcast.
>
Yes I finally heard it correctly too. It is called The "Louisiana Brotherhood of broadcasters" one announcer said and another said the "Louisiana Emergency Broadcasters group in cooperation with Clear Channel and Entercom. So I stand corrected . WWL broadcasted the entire interview with the Mayor of New Orleans last night and again this morning. The language flew from him. He was brutally honest and right on target.
 
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