I know there are so many more problems at stake in the world than first-day coverage of major natural disasters ... but as large swathes of the East Coast tuned in last night for information on Hurricane Sandy, I had to ask (aloud ... to a roomful of husband and dog ... kids had already gone to bed) if it's finally time for major news organizations (like CNN) to get rid of (or at least diminish the presence of) people reporting live and on-camera from the storm surge.
I mean ...
!!!!
Every time they cut to someone in a raincoat screaming against the wind about how eerily dark the city is or how high the waves are (or were, as the case may be), I was almost angry.
These guys were clinging to road signs and fighting gusts for the microphone, while telling viewers why no one should be traveling around (like they were). I was slack-jawed as one reporter recounted how many injuries his crew had suffered -- the result of blowing signs and debris -- even though they were "taking precautions" and being "safe" (while standing amid flood waters in hurricane-force winds).
And the news they delivered seemed ... well ... mighty unoriginal.
"What about the hospitals?"
"What about the fires?"
"What about climate change?"
"Why are we wasting time with some guy in front of a casino on a mostly deserted street?"
"Do people REALLY want to see this person swept away?"
My husband just shook his head ...
In abject disagreement ...
And chuckled:
"I'll tell you what I want to see. I want to see an alligator from the sewer swallow him up."
"Or a shark ... washed in from the river?" I offered in jest.
"Better yet."
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