Actually, they did show what happened in those states, before the flooding started in NOLA. All day Monday, August 29, the coverage was split between NOLA having dodged a bullet and Mississippi having been hit hard. In fact, the media seemed pleased that while NOLA had been spared, the Republican state of Mississippi had taken the full brunt of Katrina's wrath. As soon as the flooding started in NOLA on Tuesday, though, the media immediately switched to that, and their focus has been there ever since.
Yes, I think you are right which makes it even worse because they KNEW what happened in Mississippi and ignored it. Has anyone even heard from Alabama? I haven't heard a word. I know there was damage but they didn't say anything about it.