TWC Coverage of Joplin MO Tornado

[Frank2]

TWC was the only news outlet in the immediate area to be there minutes after the tornado struck - this apparently caught even the local stations off-guard, considering it was a Sunday afternoon.

Even CNN could only provide coverage based at least partially on what they were seeing on TWC, per what they were saying, so one of the very few times that of the network/cable media outlets, TWC was truly on it's own when covering a story - a very rare occurrence in that business...

Mike Betts coverage was as professional as it could be, considering the terrible situation of having not only injured but deceased individuals only feet away from him - no one can blame him for becoming overcome for a few seconds at one point...

Still, in my years of watching TWC this had to be the most difficult situation they've ever covered, next to Jim Cantore's coverage of Katrina, when the facility he was in became surrounded by storm surge...

What was even more difficult was the fact that Mike Betts and crew were probably already exhausted from many hours of tornado chasing, only to encounter a situation that took every ounce of energy to endure, so as Al Roker told Mike this morning, he did a very good job...

Also amazing how NBC was able to get Al to this rural city within hours of this happening - not an easy task from New York City...

As a person who worked in weather many years ago, what's significant are the intensity and frequency of this year's tornados - as Dr. Forbes said, he can't recall this level of severity happening so frequently...

Frank2

[CrazyC83]

TWC was the only news outlet in the immediate area to be there minutes after the tornado struck - this apparently caught even the local stations off-guard, considering it was a Sunday afternoon.

Even CNN could only provide coverage based at least partially on what they were seeing on TWC, per what they were saying, so one of the very few times that of the network/cable media outlets, TWC was truly on it's own when covering a story - a very rare occurrence in that business...

Mike Betts coverage was as professional as it could be, considering the terrible situation of having not only injured but deceased individuals only feet away from him - no one can blame him for becoming overcome for a few seconds at one point...

Still, in my years of watching TWC this had to be the most difficult situation they've ever covered, next to Jim Cantore's coverage of Katrina, when the facility he was in became surrounded by storm surge...

What was even more difficult was the fact that Mike Betts and crew were probably already exhausted from many hours of tornado chasing, only to encounter a situation that took every ounce of energy to endure, so as Al Roker told Mike this morning, he did a very good job...

Also amazing how NBC was able to get Al to this rural city within hours of this happening - not an easy task from New York City...

As a person who worked in weather many years ago, what's significant are the intensity and frequency of this year's tornados - as Dr. Forbes said, he can't recall this level of severity happening so frequently...

Frank2

Joplin is also a pretty small market, so they probably don't have the resources to do the coverage like in the bigger TV markets in terms of local coverage. Also being a Sunday afternoon means they would have a lot less staff on duty.

[Tstormwatcher]

TWC will be doing a special on this tornado at 8pm est tonite. Such a horrible disaster.

[Terry]

Mike Bettes did a superb job yesterday and today. It is my understanding that they were chasing the storm and had it not been rain-wrapped, they would have moved into Joplin and been hit by the thing. As is, they were minutes behind it.

And now a police officer was hit by lightning there.

[CrazyC83]

Will that special stream live online?

[Tstormwatcher]

Will that special stream live online?

I cannot find anything on the TWC site that says it will. But you never know.

[Stephanie]

Right now Jim Cantore is live with NBC's Brian Williams in Joplin.

I saw the video today of Mike Bettis breaking down after just seeing the devastation for the first time. I hope Vortex is now done for the year and Mike can take a few days off. He did an excellent job and he broke my heart.

[snoopj]

Mike Bettes did a fantastic job, considering the circumstances. He was out to report some more academic sides to storm chasing, but instead he became the first national correspondent on the scene (even before the local authorities, it appears).

You could tell he was not prepared for what he was about to see. I really feel for him. He just wanted to report on chasing tornadoes, not report on the dead he saw when he arrived. The poor guy is seriously going to need some vacation time when this is all said and done.

[wx247]

I agree. I have done my fair share of bemoaning TWC over the last few years, but they really have done a superb job covering this tornado in my backyard.

[PTPatrick]

I haven't been a watcher of the weather channel in a long time, as I feel they sensationalize too much. But when something bad like this happens they always have the best coverage. While not a fan of mike bettes, I gotta give it to him. It's hard to hold it together and not cry in the situations like this, where you literally have people all around you shell shocked, looking for dead loved ones. I haven't seen coverage like this since Jennifer Mayerle interviewed Hardy jackson on the afternoon of Katrina after it swept his family away. She broke down and just started hugging him. I myself had quite a few teary moments in the aftermath of Katrina. Im not emplying that a reporter must cry to do good work, but more the fact that hekept going and got the story out. Good work Mike.

[Brent]

I had one big complaint about TWC last night...

The endless commercial breaks every 5 minutes. CNN, FNC and the like when there's massive breaking news do not go to commercial, it drove me crazy.

Bettes was amazing and they kept cutting him off. Sure they shined as a network, but they could have stood out more if they stayed with his feed even during when the commercials were on.

[Frank2]

I had one big complaint about TWC last night...

The endless commercial breaks every 5 minutes. CNN, FNC and the like when there's massive breaking news do not go to commercial, it drove me crazy.

Bettes was amazing and they kept cutting him off. Sure they shined as a network, but they could have stood out more if they stayed with his feed even during when the commercials were on.

Thanks to all for your kind comments, and I agree that TWC should not worry about paying the bills at times like that - they did the same during the MS/AL tornado outbreak live coverage, and it made me so angry that I left a message on their viewer comment line at (770)226-0000, just to let them know that selling toothpaste should not come before breaking news that involves hundreds of fatalities...

Other than that, as all said, Mike did a great job, and so to did all news media on hand - a very tough story for them to cover, that's for sure...

Frank2

[Stephanie]

I'm also glad that they are continuing to not go to "Storm Stories" or whatever was previously scheduled when an event such as Joplin occurs.

[Frank2]

To show what kind of event this was, last evening another TWC OCM was seen crying after the interview seen on NBC nightly news was rebroadcast:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3032619/ns/nightly_news/

it's been a very long Spring for many people, myself included...

Frank

[WeatherGuesser]

But I'm sure Al Roker will take credit for the whole bit. Until he's gone, I have no use for TWC.

The endless commercial breaks every 5 minutes.

and I agree that TWC should not worry about paying the bills at times like that - they did the same during the MS/AL tornado outbreak live coverage,

Clearly they have their priorities straight and are oh so worthy of the adulation of so many.