The media would never have paid so much attention to New Orleans if it hadn't been for the total lack of common sense leadership (Nagin and Blanco). Their actions increased the drama level in NO exponetially. The rest of the coastal residents were decimated much worse by the storm, but, alas, theirs' was an ordinary "storm stikes coast" story. The "chocolate" story made for better press.
It's also a major historical city.