Hurricane Katrina

It is rather a case of do what I say, don't do what I do - telling everyone to get out of the city or into a shelter ..... when they're all staying put in their TV studios right in the path of the hurricane

WWL-TV have set up emergency operations at Lousiana State University in Baton Rouge using a studio thats used for student produced news programs.

WDSU-TV have fled to co-owned WAPT-TV in Jackson, Mississppi. Both are co-owned by Heart Argyle Television. They simulcasted a station from Orlando (WESH-TV) for an hour or so...

I imagine that if the Master Controls for each station haven't been absorbed into a hub, those have temporarily been moved to those stations, or other stations. No word on WVUE-TV (FOX) or WGNO-TV (ABC). I imagine they've moved to one of their sister stations that won't be directly hit by the storm.

WWL-AM has apparently gone off the air. Most radio stations are giving news updates, simulcasting television stations or simply off-the-air.

Sky News have decided to cover this hurricane live with Andrew Wilson in Mississippi. 'Landfall' is expected 11.00am BST.

The "reporter" standing in a car park on Fox News has just recorded a gust of 27 miles per hour on his anenometer. The maximum gust he's recorded is 42 miles per hour. It's only just what we would call gale force 8.

Wow.

Meanwhile, Shepard Smith in New Orleans openly contradicts the channel's weather presenters, because he's got a "more accurate" forecast from local radio, apparently.

He's not wearing his shorts this time..

Yes, this is the first time I've watched FOX for a sustained period of time.

I quite like the Miami beach reporter actually (Orlando Salinas).

Quite amusing how Shepard Smith (who has now decided to put a hat on) has kept saying its not going to be all that bad really and the hurricane has speeded up a bit so it'll all be over more quickly...

And how many commercial breaks do Fox take an hour? About half a dozen it seems.

The coverage live on ITV News (from CNN) is very dramatic. Some stupid reporter's on the beach of a massive storm!

Has anybody died?

For a US perspective, MSNBC.com are providing online streaming coverage.

CNN is reporting (from the Associated Press) is reporting 55 people died in the Gulf Coast area...the number could go up.

I must say I have been swept off by my feet with their coverage.

No doubt the pun was intended, but I have to say I agree.
MSNBC was great during the 'Campiagn 2004' election campaign night, and they certainly seem to have the resources to provide a reliable high quality stream.

Their studios look pretty fantastic. There was one point where a presenter was on a 'cherry picker' lighting hoist thing to illustrate how high the water would have been at points. Some of the camera shots were amazing and showed a huge studio - It positively dwarfed any of the rolling news channel studios we have in the UK. No wonder Sky are following a more US model for their studio layout.

Also, the coverage/reports & footage from affiliates were second to none. It certainly never had that 'over the top excited by disasters' feel that you often get on US news networks.

Some footage ITV had was of some jerk 'reporter' clinging on to a rubbish bin in the middle of hurricane swept street. It was completely pointless and looked like he was in one of these 'it shouldn't happen to..' shows. Certainly didn't look professional and didn't enhance the coverage at all.