http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wium/local-wium-909138.mp3
Macomb, IL – The panelists talk about coverage of the severe storms that rumbled through the region on June 21.
It appears a lightning strike knocked Tri States Public Radio off the air just before 7:00pm. The station was about to go live with a report from Alex Degman, who was watching a wall cloud just west of Macomb.
The panelists laud WGEM-TV for its wall-to-wall coverage. The station performed a public service by dropping its regular programming in favor of providing a constant stream of updated information about the storms.
Local broadcasters are supposed to provide a public service benefit to the communities they serve. This has not always been the case in recent years as staff sizes have continued to shrink. The coverage by some broadcast outlets on June 21 was a good demonstration of the type of service they should be providing.