The CNN Hurricane

Sometimes I think the only way CNN knows how to get viewers is by terrifying them.

I've been watching the cable news network's wall to wall coverage of Hurricane Sandy since about 3'o'clock and I have noticed they do a few things that seen completely unnecessary to warn people of possible danger. I do think it is a news networks responsibility to keep people informed during a possible crisis by once again it seems like CNN has gone completely over the top.

Drama makes for good television and I obviously CNN knows that because they are doing everything in their power to make sure their hurricane coverage as dramatic as possible. 

The first thing I notice is they have a special "hurricane music." It's the song they always play when reporting on a hurricane and the tune is tense and unsettling. It feels like the network is using the music to strike fear into the viewer.

I also wonder about the reporters that stand in the eye of the hurricane and tell viewers that it is very windy and trees are buildings are being knocked down. Well no kidding. It's a hurricane.

Is it really necessary to put reporters lives in danger just to make the reports about the storm seem more dramatic? I really don't see how this adds anything to the story and people have seen so many live hits of people standing in hurricanes that I really don't think anyone is all that amazed by it anymore. 

CNN has also been obsessing over a crane that may or may not collapse this evening. I understand that the crane collapsing would be a huge disaster but from all I've heard people in the area have been evacuated. They keep showing footage of the crane and are even interviewing construction experts about what should be done. One expert told Piers Morgan that they should get people out of the area. Sounds like common sense to me but hey, he is an expert.

They also seem to start every new update by saying that they have "breaking news." The hurricane has been going on for hours so I don't see how every new update is breaking. If a President gets shot or a terrorist attack happens I think that is breaking news but a day of reporting on the same story stops being breaking after a while unless something very huge happens.

 

I honestly sometimes wonder if CNN reporters get disappointed when a storm doesn't turn out as bad as expected. I really feels like they go far beyond reporting and turn storms into "must-see-T.V." But hey It's working on me because I haven't stopped watching all night.