[A Citizen Reporter]

"there are enough media members at the key locations around town so that if they got this information out, people could be informed."

The people who need to hear the info have NO WAY OF HEARING THE PRESS CONFERENCES. They have no electricity, the local radio stations aren't operating or transmitting.

[Arizona Carolyn]

Just listened to Jessie Jackson on Larry King blaming everyone for this but nature. Red Cross said they were told by the State NOT to go in because everyone has to come out and if they go in the people will try to stay there and they cannot stay.

Jackson then said that was bull and the Red cross lady patiently repeated exactly what the job of the Red Cross is and what the STATE told them to do.

[oceanview]

I know, it won't help for isolated people. but for people congregated at locations where there are media people, the word would get out.

[Cboldt]

The people who need to hear the info have NO WAY OF HEARING THE PRESS CONFERENCES. They have no electricity, the local radio stations aren't operating or transmitting.

The media is on the ground in NOLA. They can get word spread in the crowds - instead of fueling their disappointment and anger.

No, it won't reach all of the people - but it'll reach more than doing nothing. Media forgets that it can be the conduit for a two-way flow of information, if it wants to. Instead, it chooses to play to its on-air audience.

I think FEMA pressers would also settle some nerve elsewhere - LOTS of nerves (and not just mine). Honest pressers would be a valuable service. And, FWIW, I think some of the FEMA guys (Brown?) were quite visible early on, but had no useful information to share (in fact, came off as embarrassing), so the provision of information stopped. Now the public is stuck with media hype and it's own imagination.