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In coverage reminiscent of “storm watch” when the electronic media has a live reporter standing on most every corner waiting to report the first rain drop, radio and TV stations focused on the I-405 closure and partial Mulholland Bridge demolition this past weekend, devoting untold air time to what turned out to be a non-event regarding traffic congestion.
The media hype was that a weekend closure of this busy freeway stretch would create chaos- dubbed “CARMAGEDDON” – on many of the LA freeways and surface streets. Hours of coverage were set aside so reporters could report live on the anticipated chaos. Program Directors canceled regularly scheduled shows to have hours long specials on the chaos and carnage.
Well, don’t the electronic media look stupid again? Perhaps the most telling comment came from KFI’s Bill Handel on his “Handel on the Law” show Saturday morning when he mentioned that he would be co-hosting a 1 hour segment on Carmageddon starting at 11 AM. His statement was something like “we are going to spend an hour reporting that nothing happened”.
This event will be repeated in about 6 months when the 405 is again closed to demolish the other half of the Mulholland Bridge. We can only hope that this past weekend’s Carmageddon bust will be a lesson learned by the electronic media. Please, when that day comes if there is not really any news we are not interested in hearing talking mouths or talking heads scrambling to fill the time with irrelevant blabber. Play a recording or an old Rush Limbaugh show or a Lucy re-run or something!
I don’t know, I think the fact that the authorities made such a big deal about it, and gave it a catchy fun name, was responsible for the fact that everyone heard about it and stayed off the freeway, and that’s why it was a success.
Let’s see what happens in six months – I bet this time nobody will believe it and there WILL be Carmageddon!
Is it the media’s fault that the traffic didn’t turn out to be as nightmarish as anticipated? They have to plan for what they think MIGHT happen. And many traffic experts predicted that this could have been a huge problem.
Vern is right…and the city really WANTED all the publicity and coverage in hopes of avoiding a problem.
*We liked the table for three dinner table, with candles on the 405 just before sunset. It was a great touch! Was the coverage a little over the top? Well, we would say! But then, when you are forced to watch Indra Peterson do the weather you do have to wonder whether the ‘end of the world’ will be coming at 11.
No, we love Jackie Johnson…..and Dallas Rheins……Ginger Chan is pretty good for traffic too! Hey, no Jon Benet Ramsey? No Callie Anthony? What’dya goin do?
“What’dya goin do?”……. Have more Summer Wine.
*Harry Lime…..is that you? Do not stay up so late at night…you tend to lose your edge!
It’s an asphalt jungle out here you know?
The media did a good job playing up the story and he public took heed. If there were serious problems, you’d complain the media didn’t do their job. They did
Matt, are you back?
Your daughter wants her computer back!
How much economic activity was curtailed by this unnecessay panic?
Bigger picture, dude. We’re gonna have carpool lanes where there were none. MORE economic activity!
Upon reading the responses so far, I guess I would give the electronic media a pat on the back for alerting the public to the freeway closure and planning for the potential of chaos. However, I would give them a kick in the butt for failure to plan about what to do with hours of dead air/screen time if chaos did not happen.
As for the mention of the weather babes, I remember when the likes of Johnny Mountain or Dr. George gave us a 5 minute weather report during an evening half hour or one hour news broadcast that provided a summary of the day’s weather, and a forecast – for both So. Calif. as well as what was happening nationally – all in 5 minutes time.
Now there is no such thing as a complete local weather report and forecast, it is always “tomorrow’s forecast when we come back” or “big changes are coming in our weather, more next hour”. And, nothing is said about the weather in the rest of the nation unless it is major – like the current midwest heat wave – in which case it is part of the regular news report, not the weather report. The t.v. weather report has become a marathon to maximize advertising sales and fill up t.v. time, not a useful tool to assist the viewer. Wish we could bring back the old format (keeping the weather babes, of course).
I agree that it seemed really silly like storm watch 2011, and then we get sprinkles and a tenth of a inch of rain however, I agree with Vern on this one as all the hype kept the traffic and people away. It really worked out for the best I believe.
“I remember when”…..Bravo…Bravo! Right on point….we must say!