About a year ago it was said that NBC Nightly News was doing the best job of the Big Three networks at covering Katrina's aftermath.
But this has changed. Like much of the rest of the mainstream media, Brian Williams, owned and operated by GE, the world's largest defense contractor, has been maintaining a news blackout on New Orleans. Last night was the 72nd newscast since Williams last aired a full report out of New Orleans.
More below the fold including how we can call for improved New Orleans and other post-Katrina coverage on NBC Nightly News.
And the stories Williams has missed are far more newsworthy than many he's been covering in detail. Here's my letter to Williams that I e-mailed Thursday afternoon:
Dear Brian,
Your newscast last night was the 72nd since you last aired a full report out of New Orleans.
And when I saw Miklasewski's (sp?) piece on the veterans afflicted with PTSD, I could not help but think that "Nightly" has aired very many reports this year alone on the mental and physical ills afflicting our troops and vets.
However, I can count on the fingers of one hand the reports "Nightly" has aired this year on mental and physical health problems torturing Katrina survivors. Those who are still in a world of hurt in Katrina's wake deserve better than to have their agony ignored.
Children in Louisiana are suffering from the same symptons as war vets. And depression, anxiety, behavior problems, and problems in school have been tormenting children in Louisiana and Mississippi. Were these instead children in New York, this would be a big headline on your newscast--but since it's Louisiana and Mississippi you don't seem to care.
On another neglected topic, New Orleans' levees, here's a news tip from a member of Daily Kos:
Don't let corps "blame it on the rain"
Great editorial by Joe Bruno in TP today. This lawyer has taken on the ACOE for which an old complaint by the Office of Discinplinary Council was dug up to taint him.
Per the Corp:
"Despite language in the 1990 Water Resource Development act, we believe we do not have the authority to deviate from the MOST ECONOMICAL plan for hurricane protection".
Per Joe:
"The facts are simple. The ACOE OVERRODE Congress in determining how much money should be spent on flood protection in NOLA".
"The greatest engineering failure in the history of the country".
http://www.nola.com/...
Devilstopper has a front page diary up about engineering failures in the mines hidden as an act of God. Basically, these are the same stories.
Calling Brian Williams, this is still a big story.
by chigh on Wed Dec 12, 2007 at 12:01:15 PM PST
Levees may not be sexy, but they're an important issue in New Orleans' recovery--and the ACOE should not be allowed to blame their failure on the rain. They're part of this nation's infrastructure and are a real issue that affects real people.
And here's more about New Orleans' homeless situation, which I'm still harping on because the writer on the ground there confirms what I've said about there being many homeless vets in New Orleans. And it's shameful how you, with your soft spot for vets, have dissed New Orleans' homeless vets by not covering their plight. So read the following:
Merry Xmas from HUD
"This Holiday Season, It's Bulldozers for the Poor, Huge Tax Credits for the Wealthy Developers"
http://www.bestofneworleans.com/...
Diary contains twisted misinformation.
I stumbled on the homeless situation in the city one Sunday on my way to Tipitinas with my kid. I was just appalled and did not know how to explain how this could happen in America to my child. I saw a man stretched out on church steps and did not know if he was dead or alive. Meanwhile, blocks away a football game was being played in the Dome. A lot of the homeless are veterans.
According to Michael Moore's website, there are protests today at public housing across the country as well as Alphonse Jackson's HUD office in DC.
Where is the national media, Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton? The only presidential candidate to weigh in on this subject is John Edwards. Of course, no mention in the national media and NOLA WWL radio is putting out Edwards contact info to rabble rouse the bigots into harrassing his campaign.
Bitter Vitter was extremely resentful of the media staking out his house during his hooker escapade, I wonder how he feels if housing advocates protest in his neighborhood?
by chigh on Thu Dec 13, 2007 at 09:13:08 AM PST
Brian, please start airing full reports out of New Orleans, reopen NBC's New Orleans bureau, and work towards a 2008 presidential debate hosted by New Orleans.
Louisiana 1976
Now here's how we can let Brian Williams and NBC Nightly News know we're not happy with their lack of New Orleans coverage. Here's a link to Daily Nightly. Write as often as you can--and don't be discouraged if your e-mail isn't posted. Because the fact that it's being censored means that someone must be reading it in order to decide to censor it.
We need to call for more frequent and regular full reports out of New Orleans and for NBC to reopen its New Orleans bureau. The situation there--especially what's going on with homelessness and the demolition of perfectly good housing---is far too important to be kept out of the national consciousness by means of censorship.