WWL-TV only New Orleans TV station to remain on air
WWL-TV, the CBS affiliate in New Orleans owned by Belo has remained on the air "live" since Hurricane Katrina's arrival, the only New Orleans television station to do so. WWL's news, production and technical teams have overcome tremendous logistical, communications and personal challenges to serve their communities during this crisis. Professionals from Belo's television and newspaper media companies across the nation have stepped in to support their colleagues' extraordinary efforts. Robert, Belo's CEO, said, "The entire Belo organization is extraordinarily proud of the WWL team for overcoming tremendous obstacles to broadcast continuously what is arguably some of the finest disaster news coverage in the history of television journalism. They have demonstrated the highest possible commitment to their communities and profession, setting aside personal needs to provide people in New Orleans, the Gulf Coast region and the world with ongoing updates about what is happening, how those in need can get help, and what others can do to support the mammoth relief efforts underway following one of our nation's worst natural disasters. WWL has been able to broadcast locally without interruption due to advance arrangements made with LSU's School of Mass Communication to use its facilities in Baton Rouge. When WWL's own facilities on Rampart Street in the French Quarter had to be evacuated, WWL personnel continued the station's live coverage using the LSU facilities as well as WWL's emergency broadcast facility at its transmitter site in Gretna, Louisiana. WWL shifted its broadcasts to the WPBL studios on 8/31.
Additionally, WWL's signal is being carried statewide in Louisiana and Mississippi through a network of digital channels, on all public television stations in Louisiana, and on several cable channels in local communities in Louisiana. Several Louisiana radio stations are also broadcasting the audio portion of WWL-TV's signal. Other Belo stations, including WFAA-TV in Dallas/Fort Worth, KHOU-TV in Houston and KVUE-TV in Austin, are also carrying WWL's live coverage. Echostar is making WWL's signal available to evacuation centers in Texas.
Belo is also offering WWL's signal to all broadcasters in non-Belo markets for broadcast on their digital multicast channels. Stations in Chicago; Boston and Springfield/Holyoke, Massachusetts; Syracuse and Albany, New York; Hartford/New Haven, Connecticut; Birmingham, Alabama; and Panama City, Florida are among those providing WWL's hurricane response coverage through this service.WWL has been video streaming its hurricane coverage on the station's website, www.wwltv.com Belo's television stations and newspapers in 17 markets have raised more than 10 million to date to support hurricane relief efforts. To assist its employees at WWL, Belo Corp. and The Belo Foundation have established the WWL-TV Employee Relief Fund. Belo has committed 200,000 to the fund initially and will also match dollar-for-dollar the contributions of employees at Belo companies. The Relief Fund made an initial tax-free distribution of 1,000 to every WWL employee to meet his or her immediate needs.
NASBA launches relief effort
NASBA, the National Alliance of State Broadcasters Associations, has launched a nationwide initiative to assist broadcast radio and TV stations affected by Hurricane Katrina. Funds raised through this initiative will be dedicated to helping smaller and stand-alone stations that don't have resources to mount a full recovery on their own. About 50 radio stations and two TV stations in Mississippi were reported off the air as of Sept. 2. Seven Alabama stations are off the air, with three AM stations in the Gulf Coast area completely out of contact and unaccounted for. Even more Louisiana stations are affected but precise numbers are unavailable due to the difficulty in communicating with stations in New Orleans and the southwestern part of the state.
Several state broadcast trade associations have already stepped forward to begin funding the station recovery and rebuilding initiative.
Donations of broadcast equipment to help affected stations are being coordinated through Jennifer Livengood at the NAB at (202) 429-5447.
Marketron offering help to damaged stations
Marketron is offering free recovery services to any radio or TV station that has been hit by Hurricane Katrina. The company is offering to help broadcasters get their sales, traffic and billing operations functional during this emergency and provide hosting services while they rebuild.
Radio host's website transformed by hurricane
Until a few days ago, Katrina Blankenship used her Internet site, Katrina.com, to promote her computer business and a program she hosts on WRVA-AM Richmond. But as her website drew hundreds of thousands of hits from people looking for Hurricane Katrina information, she converted it to a resource site, with links to hurricane information and relief efforts. The Richmond Times-Dispatch reported that one website broker offered her a half million bucks for the URL, but she isn't selling and won't let herself, or anyone else, make money off of the tragedy.
KCEN-TV partners with CC Radio for fundraising
KCEN-TV/NBC 6, Waco/Temple/Bryan, TX has partnered with Clear Channel Radio and Extraco Banks (thirteen locations throughout the DMA) to set up a Red Cross bank account for donations. They began running a crawl last week that they would be at one of the bank locations from 6-7P for people to come by and make donations. They also went live from a bank location during the 6P News and asked people to come out and donate. With the joint effort they accumulated over $50,000 in the first 24 hours. They will continue the campaign throughout the month, until the need is met.
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