FCC Chairman Kevin Martin thanked newspapers for their coverage of Hurricane Katrina during an appearance before the annual convention of the Newspaper Association of America.
He cited the Times Picayune in New Orleans in prepared remarks: “Before the hurricane struck, 240 employees and their relatives gathered at their office to wait out the storm. Even during the storm, they were able to publish an on-line version of that newspaper using a generator.”
The paper continued to publish from Baton Rouge and with the help of a small paper in Houma, La., he said.
In Mississippi, the Biloxi Sun Herald continued to print after the hurricane with help from the Columbus Ledger-Enquirer, he noted.
The commission is looking at how to ensure that the media continues to operate in times of crisis, including whether news outlets should be given higher priority in terms of access to the supplies needed to continue their operations, noted the chairman. He mentioned the 70 STAs and more than 100 emergency authorizations granted to broadcast stations to restore service in the areas affected by the hurricane.
Martin Salutes Newspapers …
Martin Salutes Newspapers ...
