But the ability of those media outlets to quickly collect and disseminate information is, behind the scenes, heavily dependent upon phone, fax and the Internet. Frequent complaints were mouthed that commercial stations did a woeful job of keeping residents updated with information. But few if any of these stations remain in a position for adequate reaction. The national consolidations of ownership and programming, along with other forces of economics and value systems, have seriously hamstrung investigative journalism at local commercial media outlets. Crack news teams cannot respond if they no longer exist, or don't have the resources necessary to respond.
Emergencies are decidedly non-partisan in their effects on lives.
The ability of organizations like JPR to respond effectively to a crisis is because of their existence as a true community entity, locally created and supported. The price of membership never seemed so cheap as in times like these. These are surely but a few of the teachings that the flood, great wise guru that it is, has for us. As much as with any other intimacy, we need to be highly conscious in processing the difficulties with the relationship, or risk repeating the patterns in future days. We need to create the beautiful by fully facing our role in the creation of our pain.