‘Camp United’ Formed

Though competitors before the hurricane, Newman and Lewis (see above) have become friends through trying circumstances. With other broadcasters, their employers Entercom and Clear Channel formed a “Camp United” to be able to continue broadcasting when WWL employees had to evacuate their New Orleans studios.
“We talked to Clear Channel. We needed studios. They needed news and the information capabilities of WWL,” said Entercom’s Newman.
Entercom set up a studio for WWL at Clear Channel’s facility in Baton Rouge. “Our engineers, with police escorts, set up satellite receive capability at the Jefferson Emergency Operations Center,” said Newman.
As part of an existing emergency plan, Entercom had microwave facilities to reach its transmitter sites. Louisiana Network let it use a nearby satellite uplink; Clear Channel let WWL simulcast programming on two FMs that remained operational.
Thus, she said, “United Radio broadcasters of New Orleans” was born. She believes dozens of independent stations re-transmitted their signal during the crisis and many still do, including a shortwave station reaching North American listeners.
Lewis said they’re squeezing about 300 employees into a facility meant to hold 60.