Where is the coverage?

Is it just me, or are the major broadcasters not paying nearly the mind to Katrina's aftermath as they would if, say, the hurricane had devastated New York City? Or Chicago?

If not for President Bush deciding to hold another press conference this afternoon, I think the networks would have gone blissfully on with their entertainment schedules, not minding at all the fact that at this point during 9/11, or the Iraq War, broadcast TV was overrun with news coverage.

Do I see this correctly -- CBS is airing repeats tonight? With no plans for Katrina coverage?

Where is the urgency? Where is the concern? Where is the social responsibility?

Once again, broadcasters want to have their cake and eat it too. They want special treatment (read: higher ad rates) from sponsors because they have wider reach and greater cultural impact. (The latter is always tricky to measure, but that doesn't stop the networks from claiming they have it.)

And yet, when having a cultural impact really could make a difference -- telling people that this is a big deal and they need to care what's going on down South right now -- they punt.

The good news is that NBC and ABC are again devoting whole hours to Katrina coverage in prime time tonight. Too bad they are overlapping hours (both airing at 10 pm ET).

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To be sure, cable coverage has been unstinting. I've preferred Fox News' coverage to the other two, just because it seems more compelling and urgent. But all look like they're doing their jobs. (Why, though, was CNN using a videophone at the intersection of Orleans and Canal when CNBC was at the same intersection with a live crew? You'd think someone could fly or even drive one in from Atlanta.)

That's not the issue, though. The issue is that when broadcasters shunt coverage of anything off to cable, they are in effect making a comment on that story's newsworthiness.  By shunting Katrina coverage off to cable, they are saying it is not that much of a concern for the rest of America.

By contrast, after 9/11 dozens of broadcast and cable channels aired continuous coverage for three days, some for nearly a week, before returning to regular programming.

As I argued in 2004, it doesn't matter if the coverage can be found somewhere else. When it's offered by broadcast networks, more people are informed and the overall sense of urgency rises. This is what happened in 9/11. It happened in the war. It didn't happen during the Democratic Convention last year -- hence, an estimated 10 million people missed Barack Obama's coming-out party. (I'm sure there are Republican equivalents, but the Obama snub was so striking.)

Coverage = importance. That's what makes broadcasting broadcasting.

In Kansas City, "Nightline" is airing at its regular time period all week. Which is to say, on a 90-minute delay. After "Seinfeld." After "Will & Grace." After (gasp) "Extra."

In Kansas City, KCPT has suspended pledge and will resume normal programming. That includes a rebroadcast Friday night of a story that predicted a major disaster should a hurricane come near New Orleans, and explained why. It'll appear on "NOW," along with an update (check local listings).

"In deference to the other fundraising efforts currently underway surrounding the tragic events unfolding along the Gulf, KCPT will suspend its membership drive until after the Labor Day holiday. The thoughts and prayers of the KCPT staff are with the victims of this tragedy," said KCPT general manager Victor Hogstrom in a statement.

Our public broadcaster is the only broadcaster that has done anything that indicates that somebody there gets it, and is acknowledging the unprecedented tragedy on our home soil.

What exactly is at stake here? Those screamingly high HUT levels during the last week of August?

Broadcasters that air a single repeat this week when the magnitude of this disaster is so painfully clear should be ashamed of themselves.