So Kansas has this University based in Lawrence with a Jayhawk as a mascot. The University has educated many people over the years who have contributed to the world in countless ways. This University also fields men's and women's teams which compete successfully in many different sports.
Then there is men's Jayhawk basketball. And now as the people at KWCH know, you cannot separate the KU fan from watching his or her team. On Saturday as KU was playing Texas in a key Big-12 match up, nearby counties are placed in a tornado warning. (Eventually Sedgwick county would be placed in one as well.) The game was close at this point, but they do what a station must do and break in with the information. Unfortunately it was treated as if they were interrupting a nightly edition of Inside Edition, and viewers had no way to watch the game. Personally I think that weather is important and I admit I am not that heavily into basketball so it didn't bother me not to see basketball. But obviously it bothered many people and KWCH heard from them. KWCH addressed the topic during their Sunday newscast in a statement read on the air by anchor Denise Hyntka. It was the typical statement about how weather is important and lives could be at risk so they had to interrupt programming, about what you would expect.
Fortunately after a day of thinking the situation through, KWCH GM Joan Barrett responded with this statement online this afternoon.
I have never met her, but have a lot of respect for her now. Its not often that a GM admits they might have made a mistake. She did and discusses ways in which they could avoid the situation in the future. I must agree that I like her ideas including those getting KWCH on a now digital antenna, might be able to go to one of the digital channels like 12.2 for the weather data. She also writes about using sister station KSCW as a place to put either the special programming or weather information on. She admits they were trying to get a split screen on quickly of both the weather coverage and the basketball game, but had technical issues. I thought her statement came off heartfelt and showed they wish to improve the situation. I was also impressed they even came up with a separate e-mail address to address the complaints and concerns.
What do you think should have happened? Vote in the latest poll question to the right. -Hal
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8 comments:
Read the comment. She didn't apologize for covering severe weather. She apologized for people getting upset over it. Weather in a dangerous situation should always be prioriity one. Live and learn then move on.
Actually Reno, Harper and Barber were in the tornado warning at that point. Sedgwick's warning came later in the evening.
Weather.
This is not even the 1st Round of the NCAA Tourney.
And the majority who attended KState/Wichita St/Anywhere Else/Nowhere Else---don't care. Once you get to the Bracket of 65, Basketball enters the discussion here. Not in early March. Not at a school that judges success by Final 4's.
It's a lose-lose situation. It always has been. I'm just glad it was 12 that had to deal with it. They'll survive. It is true that there are so many alternatives today that we stations should probably step back and analyze the options. Even so, how quickly Kansans forget Greensburg. I guess during basketball season we're not looked on as the life savers we like to think.
KSN's Anthony Powell did a nice job on the fatal El Dorado accident. He had a real emotional story with an interview from the kid who last talked to the victim in her car on the phone. I know KWCH talked to the same boy's father, but Powell's had more feeling to it.
One other thing that a lot of people are overlooking is that Tornadoes were spotted near Hutchinson, which is the official city of license of KWCH, and from which it derives a massive amount of viewership and ad revenue.
Not to mention it's one of the largest cities in the state with a population of 50,000. Little facts like that seem to slip through the cracks.
When peoples lives are in danger, stations need to let their viewers know what is happening & where it is happening. The whole purpose of the media is to inform people.
When Tornadoes are on the ground, it's kind of a big deal, especially if it is near your house. People need to grow up and realize that basketball is just a game. If you miss a chunk of a game, life will go on. Tornadoes can be life or death!!!
P.s. What is up with the Anthony Powell comment??? It has nothing to do with the damn subject.
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