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Radio Helped Listeners Prepare for Sandy
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An image from the National Weather
Service's National Hurricane Center
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Storms
like Sandy, which made landfall Monday event, are when radio stations with a commitment to local service can
really shine.
FEMA urged people in
East Coast states to take steps to prepare. Local
officials asked residents to stay off roads and indoors to avoid expected
dangerous
winds and heavy rain. News
reports said the storm could affect as many as 60 million people and leave many
without power – an emergency situation in which radio is particularly
well
suited to help.
Programmers adjusted.
In Washington, Hubbard news outlet
WTOP(FM) said it would start simulcasting on its sister frequencies 1500 and
820 kHz starting Monday evening, supplanting its usual Federal News Radio
content. “The addition
of both AM signals will provide broader coverage, reaching residents in areas
including Annapolis, Baltimore and the Eastern Shore,” it
stated.
WTOP also noted,“In the past weekend, the station added nearly 1500
followers on Twitter
@WTOP and on Sunday alone WTOP.com logged 2 million page-views, with 280,000
unique users.” The station has embraced online and
mobile media; for instance, its listeners can receive breaking news alerts and
texts, and can receive all local power company phone numbers by texting the
word “power” to the station.
Non-news stations also reacted.
In New York, sports stations
ESPN NY 98.7 and ESPN Deportes Nueva York on 1050 AM gave up most of
their
sports content in favor of weather, simulcasting local
ABC television
Channel 7 “while conditions warrant,” with
“SportsCenter” updates inserted
hourly.
The FCC’s Disaster Information Reporting System for communications providers was activated, according
to the commission’s John Healy, for areas in Connecticut, the District of
Columbia, Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania
and Rhode Island.
Earlier, the FCC released an Advisory Tip Sheet (PDF)
for consumers about staying in touch in natural disasters. After eight tips related to phone
calls, text messaging and power problems, it ended with this ninth succinct tip: “Tune-in to broadcast and radio news for important news
alerts.”
National Association of Broadcasters President/CEO Gordon Smith issued a statement saluting
“the remarkable work of our radio and TV station colleagues now putting
themselves in harm's way to keep millions of people safe and informed on the devastation
of this deadly storm.”
He also quoted FEMA Administrator
Craig Fugate on CBS News saying, “Probably one of the things you don’t really
think about anymore is having a battery powered radio or a hand-cranked radio
to get news from your local broadcasters … Cellphones may be congested. Radio is
oftentimes the way to get those important messages about what’s going on in the
local community.”
Radio World wants to hear from station
engineers and programmers about their storm prep and experiences. Share your
news
and photos. Email radioworld@nbmedia.com.
Related:
Radio Steps Up as Sandy Pounds East Coast
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