I have heard and read this comment time and time again – journalists tell people living in the path of a dangerous hurricane to evacuate, yet you see reporters on the air live in the middle of the storm, sometimes hip-deep in water, struggling to stand in high winds.  Why do these news organizations do this?

Tom Jones is Senior Media Writer for the highly respected Poynter Institute, which just happens to be headquartered in Tampa, Florida.  Jones posted a story Wednesday morning as Hurricane Idalia made landfall on the Florida coast.

He addressed the commonly-asked question, why do news organizations, particularly local and cable TV news, have their reporters and live production crews in the middle of a dangerous storm?

Here is part of what Jones wrote, referring to a local reporter/meteorologist:

Perhaps anticipating what viewers might have been thinking, ABC Action News meteorologist Shay Ryan made a smart and timely point on the air. She said, “One of the things to keep in mind is that we have our reporters stationed strategically, and we put a lot of thought and care into where they are positioned and how they are positioned and (we) time out accordingly to how the conditions are going to change. So that is part of what we’re doing and why we ask you to (evacuate and seek shelter); so we can show you the pictures as safely as possible. It’s not always safe, even with all the precautions we take. So, again, we are going show you lots of live pictures and as we continue through this storm, it is best to stay indoors, to hunker down, hang out with the family and we’ll all get through this.” 

Journalists covering a storm like Idalia will tell you their coverage helps save lives by emphasizing the true danger of a storm like Idalia.  The old saying, a picture is worth a thousand words, is true here, particularly with a live TV picture.

Remember, those reporters and their production crews understand the danger they face, even when utilizing every precaution experts tell them to take, while every now and then have people yell “fake news” at them while they work.

I appreciate the news crews out in the field covering Hurricane Idalia.