rkolsen 1684 Posted October 10, 2018 Share Posted October 10, 2018 Confirmed: All stations in Panama City - radio and TV - are off the air. It gets worse: the iHeart cluster is not only off the air, their staff is trapped and unable to escape due to flooding. This is their chief engineer’s Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10212767408247109 Jesus. Have any other cities experience something like this before. Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/16720-hurricane-michael-coverageoperations/page/2/#findComment-214654 Share on other sites More sharing options...
AaronQ 281 Posted October 10, 2018 Share Posted October 10, 2018 Confirmed: All stations in Panama City - radio and TV - are off the air. It gets worse: the iHeart cluster is not only off the air, their staff is trapped and unable to escape due to flooding. This is their chief engineer’s Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10212767408247109 Yikes. Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/16720-hurricane-michael-coverageoperations/page/2/#findComment-214655 Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoldenShine9 1513 Posted October 11, 2018 Author Share Posted October 11, 2018 Confirmed: All stations in Panama City - radio and TV - are off the air. It gets worse: the iHeart cluster is not only off the air, their staff is trapped and unable to escape due to flooding. This is their chief engineer’s Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10212767408247109 That sounds like poor emergency planning. If that was a danger, why didn't they evacuate? The area is likely 100% without power, but can radio stations from elsewhere reach them? The lack of communication is the worst. Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/16720-hurricane-michael-coverageoperations/page/2/#findComment-214656 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Horn 78 Posted October 11, 2018 Share Posted October 11, 2018 I expect places like Panama City and Tallahassee to be decently fortified for stuff like this They're not. Building codes in this area require the structures to be built to withstand (iirc) category 3 winds. The storm hit as a strong category 4. Jesus. Have any other cities experience something like this before. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Effects_of_Hurricane_Katrina_in_New_Orleans Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/16720-hurricane-michael-coverageoperations/page/2/#findComment-214657 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rusty Muck 4368 Posted October 11, 2018 Share Posted October 11, 2018 Jesus. Have any other cities experience something like this before. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Effects_of_Hurricane_Katrina_in_New_Orleans But at least some TV and radio stations remained on the air in NOLA, along with WWL 870, which multiple competing radio station clusters teamed up with, and pooled resources towards. Everything is offline in Panama City. Everything. Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/16720-hurricane-michael-coverageoperations/page/2/#findComment-214661 Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheRob 937 Posted October 11, 2018 Share Posted October 11, 2018 WTVY is also off-air from what I've been told. Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/16720-hurricane-michael-coverageoperations/page/2/#findComment-214662 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Horn 78 Posted October 11, 2018 Share Posted October 11, 2018 But at least some TV and radio stations remained on the air in NOLA, along with WWL 870, which multiple competing radio station clusters teamed up with, and pooled resources towards. Everything is offline in Panama City. Everything. You got me -- *one* station remained on the air in NOLA. I regret the error. https://www.nola.com/katrina/index.ssf/2005/09/local_tv_stations_scramble_to_keep_signals_up.html Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/16720-hurricane-michael-coverageoperations/page/2/#findComment-214663 Share on other sites More sharing options...
bhratbrat 437 Posted October 11, 2018 Share Posted October 11, 2018 You got me -- *one* station remained on the air in NOLA. I regret the error. https://www.nola.com/katrina/index.ssf/2005/09/local_tv_stations_scramble_to_keep_signals_up.html of course..the article also messed up..they said WBRZ was owned by Tribune when of course..WBRZ is owned by the Manship family..in fact I think them and WVUE (who was in a midst of a sale) had the toughest time after Katrina Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/16720-hurricane-michael-coverageoperations/page/2/#findComment-214664 Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoldenShine9 1513 Posted October 11, 2018 Author Share Posted October 11, 2018 of course..the article also messed up..they said WBRZ was owned by Tribune when of course..WBRZ is owned by the Manship family..in fact I think them and WVUE (who was in a midst of a sale) had the toughest time after Katrina WVUE would have it much easier now, as they could just work with WAFB, but they weren't sister stations in 2005. Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/16720-hurricane-michael-coverageoperations/page/2/#findComment-214665 Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoldenShine9 1513 Posted October 11, 2018 Author Share Posted October 11, 2018 In Tallahassee, I think both WCTV and WTXL are still up and running, correct? Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/16720-hurricane-michael-coverageoperations/page/2/#findComment-214666 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rusty Muck 4368 Posted October 11, 2018 Share Posted October 11, 2018 of course..the article also messed up..they said WBRZ was owned by Tribune when of course..WBRZ is owned by the Manship family..in fact I think them and WVUE (who was in a midst of a sale) had the toughest time after Katrina Yeah, Emmis was going to sell WVUE over to LIN Broadcasting along with the rest of the TV holdings, but Katrina forced them to take the station off the market entirely. WVUE’s studios were badly damaged (as was WYES, IIRC), and Emmis basically released all employees from their contracts if they wanted to pursue work elsewhere. Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/16720-hurricane-michael-coverageoperations/page/2/#findComment-214667 Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheRob 937 Posted October 11, 2018 Share Posted October 11, 2018 As far as I can tell, WCTV and WTXL are fine. Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/16720-hurricane-michael-coverageoperations/page/2/#findComment-214668 Share on other sites More sharing options...
tyrannical bastard 3948 Posted October 11, 2018 Share Posted October 11, 2018 It appears WMBB is using a makeshift stream on their website produced out of Tampa hosted by JB Biunno (who used to work at WKRG) It seems like reporters are filing their reports there, but who knows how it's getting there, due to the complete lack of ability to communicate.... Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/16720-hurricane-michael-coverageoperations/page/2/#findComment-214669 Share on other sites More sharing options...
broadcastfan9751 140 Posted October 11, 2018 Share Posted October 11, 2018 According to RadioInsight, two of the iHeart stations have returned to the air with storm coverage and NPR station WKGC is doing coverage with WMBB staff. Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/16720-hurricane-michael-coverageoperations/page/2/#findComment-214678 Share on other sites More sharing options...
sctvhound 27 Posted October 11, 2018 Share Posted October 11, 2018 Charleston during Hurricane Hugo was like that. They had one AM station (690 from Jacksonville) stay on the air. 680 from Raleigh also stayed on, along with WBT Charlotte on 1110. At the height of the storm, every local station (and there were probably 15 or so at the time) was off the air. Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/16720-hurricane-michael-coverageoperations/page/2/#findComment-214681 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weeters 1915 Posted October 11, 2018 Share Posted October 11, 2018 It appears WMBB is using a makeshift stream on their website produced out of Tampa hosted by JB Biunno (who used to work at WKRG) It seems like reporters are filing their reports there, but who knows how it's getting there, due to the complete lack of ability to communicate.... I highly doubt there's a complete 100% failure of all communications systems anywhere in the area affected. Cellular backpacks kept working through Harvey, not many reasons they wouldn't keep working here. Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/16720-hurricane-michael-coverageoperations/page/2/#findComment-214682 Share on other sites More sharing options...
rkolsen 1684 Posted October 11, 2018 Share Posted October 11, 2018 I highly doubt there's a complete 100% failure of all communications systems anywhere in the area affected. Cellular backpacks kept working through Harvey, not many reasons they wouldn't keep working here. Yes, it's a lot easier for cellular as there are more towers and building rooftops. They're usually connected via fiber line or satellite backup and have generators on standby. Also if a station has a satellite truck they could feed the packages that way. Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/16720-hurricane-michael-coverageoperations/page/2/#findComment-214684 Share on other sites More sharing options...
tyrannical bastard 3948 Posted October 11, 2018 Share Posted October 11, 2018 WMBB took on some major damage. It wouldn't surprise me to see them relocate further inland. https://www.ftvlive.com/sqsp-test/2018/10/11/hurricane-micheal-knocks-nexstar-station-off-the-air WJHG is still off the air but has reactivated their generator. I believe two of the iHeart stations are on the air again (98.5 & 92.5) and the Gulf Coast State College Station 90.7 is going to be returning to the air as well with emergency information. Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/16720-hurricane-michael-coverageoperations/page/2/#findComment-214685 Share on other sites More sharing options...
T.L. Hughes 889 Posted October 11, 2018 Share Posted October 11, 2018 I assume WPGX got knocked off the air as well... because if WMBB, WECP and WJHG were knocked offline due to power failures and transmitter tower collapses, WPGX's transmitter probably got thrashed, too. There were also other radio stations in Panama City whose operational statuses weren't mentioned in the Radio Insight article. Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/16720-hurricane-michael-coverageoperations/page/2/#findComment-214688 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Payton39 25 Posted October 11, 2018 Share Posted October 11, 2018 I'm watching WECP (CBS 18) on WJHG (NBC 7) Panama City/eastern panhandle. I had watched this station a few months ago while researching Highway 30A, a big tourist area in that DMA. New graphics for both 7 and 18. New staff, too? Anybody live in the eastern panhandle? It's actually pretty good to watch. https://www.wjhg.com/livestream3 Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/16720-hurricane-michael-coverageoperations/page/2/#findComment-214689 Share on other sites More sharing options...
tyrannical bastard 3948 Posted October 11, 2018 Share Posted October 11, 2018 WJHG is now streaming live from their studio on Facebook. WMBB and WDHN are still off the air and WMBB may be unable to use their facility on Harrison Avenue I don't know the status of the stations' transmitters, but the widespread power outages and crippled facilities may have made getting a signal to the transmitter impossible. At least with WPGX, they have limited technical facilities in Panama City now (they used to be across from WMBB, but now only has a sales office on 23rd Street). it would make sense to relay WTXL or or even WSFA is to provide any broadcasting for the Panhandle residents. As for WECP, it's basically carved out of WJHG and all their resources. They do a noon and 5:30 show, and leave the rest to WJHG on their main channel. Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/16720-hurricane-michael-coverageoperations/page/2/#findComment-214699 Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoldenShine9 1513 Posted October 11, 2018 Author Share Posted October 11, 2018 I would think WMBB will work out of WKRG until things are settled? I'm not sure if WDHN has a big enough studio to manage two stations, and finding a temporary place in Panama City will be nearly impossible. It does seem WJHG's damage is not catastrophic and their studio is workable, even if they don't have a transmitter. I think WTVY is back on though (they were only off for a couple hours I believe?). I'm sure Gray is sending more people to help them though. Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/16720-hurricane-michael-coverageoperations/page/2/#findComment-214701 Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoldenShine9 1513 Posted October 12, 2018 Author Share Posted October 12, 2018 WMBB seems to be working outside their station, with the help of WFLA, WKRG and WDHN. Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/16720-hurricane-michael-coverageoperations/page/2/#findComment-214726 Share on other sites More sharing options...
tyrannical bastard 3948 Posted October 12, 2018 Share Posted October 12, 2018 WMBB seems to be working outside their station, with the help of WFLA, WKRG and WDHN. They were able to put together a makeshift newscast outside their building. The backdrop was metal roofing that was torn off from the First Baptist Church complex that completely surrounds their station. https://www.mypanhandle.com/news/florida/news-13-hosts-newscast-online-after-losing-power-sustaining-damage-during-hurricane-michael/1517939437 Meanwhile, over at WJHG, crews from their station were able to make it across the bridge into Panama City (since they're based in PCB). You have to feel for them since they (station employees) have literally been cut off from the outside world and even their colleagues trying to cover this disaster. Needless to say, the crew was overcome seeing the damage in the city itself firsthand. https://www.wjhg.com/content/news/WJHG-tours-damage-in-Panama-City-496975951.html Even Megan Gannon, formerly of WMBB (and now with WPMI in Mobile) recalled her upbringing in Port St. Joe and was able to see the damage in her hometown through the coverage. https://mynbc15.com/news/local/nbc-15s-megan-gannon-reacts-to-hometown-storm-devastation Aside from the eastern part of the beach, (mainly the Thomas Drive area), PCB's damage is minimal as you head westward. The Pier Park area is as if nothing happened. It was Panama City itself, Lynn Haven, going eastward to Mexico Beach & Port St. Joe that got decimated. Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/16720-hurricane-michael-coverageoperations/page/2/#findComment-214730 Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheMassMediaGeek 98 Posted October 12, 2018 Share Posted October 12, 2018 I’m OK guys, I rode out the storm, power flickered a bit. I believe Michael was worse than Florence. Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/16720-hurricane-michael-coverageoperations/page/2/#findComment-214736 Share on other sites More sharing options...
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