http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wium/local-wium-973336.mp3
Macomb, IL – The panelists discuss the role the media played in the days after a devastating tornado tore through Joplin, MO.
It appears many residents relied on radio for information, especially in the hours right after the storm. It's been reported there was no electricity in the city for 24 hours, and land line phones, cell phones, and the Internet were all out of service.
KZRG reportedly ran with wall-to-wall coverage shortly before the tornado struck and continued long afterward. The tornado missed the station's building by just a few blocks.
The city's newspaper - the Joplin Globe - also played an important role. It established a Facebook page that was used by many people as communication services were restored to Joplin. Survivors were able to reach out to family and friends, and vice versa. The page received more than 5,000 "likes."
Volunteers also created a pair of Facebook pages. Each of those recorded more than 3,000 "likes."
Despite the enormity of the disaster, the Joplin Globe did not miss a deadline.