Hurricane Reporters - Brave or Stupid?

Governor Jeb spoke at a press conference this morning regarding the begninng of the end of Hurricane Wilma. Various topics were covered then a reporter asked a question about annoyances or something to that effect. Governor Jeb indicated that there was (at least) one thing that annoyed him and that was reporters standing out in the middle of a storm.

It's been something that has been on my mind a lot over the last 14 months. I'm sure reporters have been standing out in the middle of huricanes for years, I just don't particularly remember it happening until last year. Probably because of the sheer number of storms these past 14 months.

Here they are standing out there telling us the wind is blowing and it's raining. They also tell us about the debris that is flying past them. I don't want it to happen, but a reporter or a camerman is going to be killed or seriously injured by flying debris on camera one of these days. Or maybe they'll step into a puddle that a live power line has fallen into. Won't that do their ratings a lot of good? Well, sure it will. People will be tuning in to see who's next.

And that's what it is, a ratings gimmick. Personally, I don't have to have a reporter telling me that the wind is blowing, or blowing harder than it was. Or that the rain is coming down like needles. I know that. A camera positioned at a window, or even outside will tell me that. If it's happening in my own backyard, I can look out the door or window.

I don't need a news team risking their lives to tell me what a hurricane is. I don't think it's necessary to literally bring it into my living room. Even if I lived in Butte, Montana, I don't think I need someone to tell me how dangerous a hurricane can be. I can see it from news footage both before and after.

Along the same lines, I don't need a news team standing in the middle of Colorado fire telling me how hot it is, or how acrid the smoke is, or that a fire, too, is dangerous. I don't need a news team in Hawaii standing in the middle of a lava flow telling me how hot it is, or how dangerous. I can get the idea from pictures taken from a helicopter.

Ratings are part of it, sure. And then some reporters feel the need to experience the danger of war, weather events, and crime. Some do it so that they can have some leverage when their contracts come due. And, if they "pay their dues" in the field, one day they'll get a job on the anchor desk. There are many reasons, and even though they take precautions, accidents happen.

If something goes wrong, resouces will be used to rescue and/or transport this reporter or camerman or producer or whoever else might be on this news team, to the hospital. Putting the responders into danger that they wouldn't have been in. Causing more cost to the local authorities than would have been necessary. Causing the hospital to take care of a person or persons who were injured who didn't need to be.

Brave or stupid. I can't really doubt the bravery, but I have to believe there is some stupidity there, too.