Blizzard and Media

[Dega Moo]

I've seen posts in two threads complaining there's been little to no national news about the blizzard and livestock devastation in South Dakota which was puzzling because I'd seen and read news reports. Specifically there have been complaints that very little is found when the event is Google'd. I'd already Google'd for Blizzard Cattle Deaths and gotten quite a few hits(over 4000). When I saw complaints about the national mainstream media I looked to see who had news stories or links showing up on Google and most of the national media as I know it showed up. My results were clearly different from these other posters. I realize we all do things differently, we rely on different resources for our news and maybe that explains the dichotomy.

I think those threads deserve to retain focus so rather than hijack either of those threads, I thought I'd start this thread and get a reading on how CT members get their news and define the media.

-Do you get significant amounts of national news from television? Are the stations national networks, local stations, broadcast or cable/sat?
-Do you get significant national news from the internet using a browser? Which sites do you use and trust the most?
-Do you get significant national news from Sirius/XM. Which stations do you listen to and trust the most.
-Do you get news on a smartphone or other personal device through an app? What app?
-What to you is the mainstream or lamestream media? How do you define it?
-If you Googled for results on the blizzard, what search engine were you using and what actually did you google?

 

[cross_7]

Do you have something positive to bring to the table ?
Something that might help the situation ?

 

[Dega Moo]

-Do you get significant amounts of national news from television? Are the stations national networks, local stations, broadcast or cable/sat?
I don't get news for television at all
-Do you get significant national news from the internet using a browser? Which sites do you use and trust the most?
I use my Chrome browser to follow up on news I get else where. I trust Fox and CNN most.
-Do you get significant national news from Sirius/XM. Which stations do you listen to and trust the most.
I mostly listen to FOX on Satellite radio but switch to CNN if there's to much yelling to understand.
-Do you get news on a smartphone or other personal device through an app? What app?
Yes and I use Fox and USA Today and CNN apps as well as the Pulse reader sometimes.
-What to you is the mainstream or lamestream media? How do you define it?
FOX, CNN, MSNBC, NBC, CBS,ABC.
-If you Googled for results on the blizzard, what search engine were you using and what actually did you google?
http://www.google.com blizzard cattle death - got back 4830 results.

 

[ALACOWMAN]

mostly radio, and i heard nothing about it.......course i'll admit to not being on a complete schedule...

 

[TennesseeTuxedo]

I'll play.

At home in the evenings I watch Fox News as well as The Kudlow Report on CNBC. I start my day with Squawk Box, also on CNBC.

I check The Drudge Report multiple times a day either on my office computer or my phone.

I have the Fox News app on my IPhone.

The reason you're now getting so many results from your Google search on the cattle deaths is because sites like this one have stirred up interest in the topic. It doesn't change the fact that the major networks totally ignored the story from the get-go mainly because a major snow storm in October flies in the face of their global warming agenda and the fact that tragedies and disasters in "fly over" country just don't garner the liberal media's attention.

I'm sure the attention focused on the shutdown has also distracted the media's focus.

 

[M5farm]

cattle today, rush, Hannity, lars Larson, fox online, drudge report and coast to coast

 

[Taurus]

Do you have something positive to bring to the table ?
Something that might help the situation ?

I would agree with you with this one and this thread is asking for some trouble. It don't change the fact that most of us don't know about the cattle deaths in SD till it has stirred up some interests just like TT said. And if it made to national news, it sure don't last longer enough to grab some attention.

 

[Dega Moo]

Do you have something positive to bring to the table ?
Something that might help the situation ?

Cross if you mean the situation in South Dakota then no I'm just as impotent as everyone else right now. But if you mean the news media thing then maybe, depending on what is viewed as positive. I hear on this board a lot of frustration with 'the media' and coverage of various events that does not align with my own experiences. So I hear there's no national media coverage of this blizzard and yet I find quite a bit of coverage clearly by national media. I think there's legitimate frustration that could be reduced by understanding how that dissonance comes to pass. I know I'm interested in understanding the differences in perception.

 

[Dega Moo]

I'll play.

At home in the evenings I watch Fox News as well as The Kudlow Report on CNBC. I start my day with Squawk Box, also on CNBC.

I check The Drudge Report multiple times a day either on my office computer or my phone.

I have the Fox News app on my IPhone.

The reason you're now getting so many results from your Google search on the cattle deaths is because sites like this one have stirred up interest in the topic. It doesn't change the fact that the major networks totally ignored the story from the get-go mainly because a major snow storm in October flies in the face of their global warming agenda and the fact that tragedies and disasters in "fly over" country just don't garner the liberal media's attention.

I'm sure the attention focused on the shutdown has also distracted the media's focus.

So the blizzard was Friday the 4th and my first pickup on the destruction was Monday the 7th. Looking at the various links I see reporting by the Wall St. Journal and Chicago Tribune on the 7th, the Washington Post and San Francisco Chronicle the 8th, CNBC the 9th and CNN the 10th. I didn't chase all the links down that's just for the first few pages. Clearly area papers and outlets were atop the news faster than the national media.

 

[ALACOWMAN]

what id like to have heard was....we interupt this worthless broadcast to bring you news from SD... for all you that believe in God, and the power of prayer, these people need it right this moment

 

[TennesseeTuxedo]

what id like to have heard was....we interupt this worthless broadcast to bring you news from SD... for all you that believe in God, and the power of prayer, these people need it right this moment

Amen brother.

 

[M5farm]

just pulled up fox news and its top story on fox.com

 

[greybeard]

No one claims news of the storm and and it's effect aren't out there if you SEARCH for it--what's got people somewhat upset, is that it is not very high on the "importance" ladder in major news gathering organizations.
IF, you go to Google News and type in the search box "Blizzard" you will get a link to a list leading to this:
https://news.google.com/news?ncl=dejZfM ... lish&hl=en

But, if you look at the Google News page, under "US News" you will not see mention of this event or it's effects. I even expanded the US News section 5 times (clicked 'more US news stories') and got the following:

http://www.cnn.com/2013/10/11/us/utah-parks-reopen/

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nati ... n/2965585/

http://nation.time.com/2013/10/11/dad-o ... lp-needed/

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/10/ ... NB20131011

http://www.npr.org/2013/10/11/230916150 ... r-coverage

(There were about 8 more, but posting software won't allow more than 6 URLs within a single post)


In other words, in the major news gathering organizations, this storm and the hardships being endured is not being presented as a major or important news story, nor is seen as such by the general public. Unlike other news stories of the recent past, the News has opted against presenting this in the normal "Tail wags dog" method that things like a Miley Cyrus lewd dance would invoke.
Why? Could it be....
Because ranchers are mostly conservative and are seen as such by new gatherers?
Because SD is a red state?
Because MSM stays true to colors and sticks it on the back burner?

 

[greybeard]

The others:

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2013/10/11/vi ... r-alleged/

http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainmen ... -1.1482352

http://www1.whdh.com/news/articles/loca ... entencing/

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nati ... t/2966141/

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nati ... h/2964911/

http://www.freep.com/article/20131011/N ... er-resigns

 

[greybeard]

and the remaining 2:
http://www.foxreno.com/template/inews_w ... .com.shtml

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-201_162-576 ... er-run-in/

 

[Dega Moo]

I was a bit flabbergasted. I was in conversation with a state ag official and mentioned that the livestock loss in the Dakota blizzard along with the southwest herd depletion would put a crimp on herd rebuild. This person hadn't heard of the blizzard and livestock loss. I didn't get a chance to ask what news sources kept this official informed.

 

[Nesikep]

I found out through here and facebook.. if there's something *really* important, someone will phone me eventually... like on 9-11, my grandmother in Switzerland called us to make sure we were OK (we're on the west coast)... At that point I turned on the radio and kept up with the story

 

[Ozhorse]

I am in Australia so this is not a local story here.
I heard about the blizzard and the cattle deaths (with photos) on the 7th October because I follow a website that reports cold weather conditions around the globe
http://iceagenow.info

I came to Cattle Today a few days ago to get more news and was surprised there was so little mentioned at the time. I am very surprised there is so little mention in the US media.

Could I be cynical and suggest that perhaps this blizzard and massive cattle death does not make the MSN because it does not fit in with the global warming story? This may or may not be the case, who knows? Did stories of drought and cattle deaths in heat waves make it to the MSM USA?

I avoid the MSM because it annoys me. I get most news from sceptical sites . There have been severe cold weather stock losses all over the planet, in Sth America and Mongolia and China particularly in the last 3 years when Europe, the Americas and Asia have had severe winters. These stories hardly get a mention on the MSM.

 

[Dega Moo]

Just wondering: who in South Dakota, what group, what agency or what ever is taking a lead providing information and organization around collecting data and telling this story to the outside world? I've read statements that are clearly in conflict about the number of cattle lost. I've read anywhere from as low as 20,000 to over 150,000 with 75K being the most quoted number. I saw a number of 5% of cattle lost but no of XXX number.

I'm personally surprised that this story looks to have had a pretty short half-life. Little is being reported now. I did see a Lincoln NE site put up a recent story but it doesn't look like it is getting much play major or minor media.

So this thing started Friday sometime and lasted for some amount of time but it was Monday before I heard anything. And I don't see much news even local to South Dakota until Monday. Does that make sense? How does that delay get explained?

I was disappointed, irritable even, that a lot of the news stories placed the whole event in context with the government shutdown and/or the lack of a farm bill. I'm sure there's a story there but the story of the binding between a rancher, his cattle, his place is first personal and emotional well before it is financial. A man has an obligation to his herd and the impotence to secure that obligation can hollow a man out. The financial story will get an accounting I'm sure but it was that personal and emotional story that I think needed to be told.

 

[john250]

Ozhorse. Among the folk who work in media (TV, radio, newspapers) in the US there is a blissful ignorance of anything which happens in what we call "flyover country".
Most media organizations don't hire anyone who could be called the "farm reporter", unless they have someone who reports on the evils of industrial food and the virtues of heirloom tomatoes. This will be an attractive young woman with a degree in Sociology.