I think they are between a rock and a hard place... if they spend too much time on the story they are accused of exploitation... if they don't spend enough time and bad things happen they'd be accused of poor reporting. And I say this without being a big fan of media and press.

Media is a wicked vain tool that can and does run amok that does little good

Anything to gain attention and sell advertising. The media is intoxicated with their perceived importance.

better to play it up than to be relaxed and get slammed.... there were deaths with this one!!!  not really played up....

They don't. The systems they have now for predicting weather is very sophisticated and we should err on the side of caution.

They have to make themselves feel important somehow; oh and to be able to sell advertising!

Bngo Nina Hollander !

I do believe the media likes to over exaggerate, but in the case of the latest major storm, I think it's needed. 

I think they exaggerate a little bit to get people to evacuate.  Might not be a bad idea.

I totally think weather coverage takes priority.

3 million people without power, 11 deaths, more than 800 deaths in Haiti, so no, I don't think the media is playing it up for advertising sales and rating. In fact, I don't have any problems with the media.Everytime I talk with a person that says they have a problem with the media, they can't give me any specific example. Can any of you guys come up with one?

Media does hype everything and that's their job. But....government officials must do their jobs of protecting the people. I'd vote for being safe and not sorry or much much worse.

Best to be aware and prepared.

I think they want people to prepare for the worst.  

It is a fact that they make BIG news out of it but at the same time people don't tend to listen and heed warnings unless they are told over and over and it is sensationalized.

JM Padron,

My guess is that exaggeration is better than being sorry. Their job is to warn and the potential danger, I am glad it was not worse.

Before real estate, I worked in radio in a resort area that gets extremely hot. We were routinely advised to downplay the temperatures so as not to discourage tourism. Do I think the media can skew reality? Just look at the elections.

Yep they overdo it, but perhaps it's better to overdo it and have it be less of a problem than not and risk people not paying attention or being concerned about safety when they should.

I don't believe they intentionall exaggerate.  I do believe they focus on worst case scenario.  When it comes to storm warnings, I am ok with the side of caution... getting people out!

Nina Hollander nailed this one!

Of course...just like politics.

Eve

They should inform the people and this may be the best way that people listen.

JM Padron, CCIM Nina Hollander has the right answer for this question.

They exaggerate. I usually reduce everything they say by 25-50%. Remotes make it easy to switch channels when they keep repeating the same things over and over.

They grab whatever they can and magnify it to make you glued to the set, causing huge panic. They do it with everything!

Yes, the media can pump things up for more ratings. But then, would if they were totally ignored and things turned out to be worse than they said in the 1st place? It is a double edged sword, for sure.

The media serves to warn us and also create interest in their product.  It is better to be warned to the extreme rather than have something come as a surprise.

They do but soon that they do 

I guess for safety, you never fully know.  Maybe best to be safe than sorry?

Exaggerating? That is quite soft choice of a word for what they do....

Overblown in my area

Irregardless of the 'play-up' media, I'm with Barbara Todaro - just like with this one, it was devastating and so many were brought to safety because of the publicity of it.

JM Padron, CCIM - I'd rather be more 'alarmed' than giving an idea that everything is under control.

They error on the safe side but it makes many people not trust what they say

The media exists now for no purpose other than to sell advertising.  That's why they sensationalize everything.  Out here a freeway was shutdown (granted it was the 405) and we had "Carmeggeddon".  El Nino was supposed to bury the state in water and the news was saying "buy flood insurance before it's too late."  We had MAYBE three days of rain.

That is how we sell

Alarm and exaggeration are part of the formula for gaining ratings, advertising dollars, and facetime for news personalities.

I think of all the dumb video of people standing in wind that drives me nuts!

Better safe than sorry but I think they overplayed this one.

They exaggerate everything. 

Media always exaggerates and spins what they report. I am not a fan of media and how they report.  Do they exaggerate and alarm people when storms approach ... I don't know. 

I'm not a fan of the media anyway, but at least they report it - it's up to us to determine whether we believe their spin or not - usually I do not

Weather is a favourite topic of people in our great land. 

Weather and sports. Too much time and hype.

Perception and reality.   

JM

I agree.  We have watched them making mountains out of molehills forever with fires, mud slides, and floods,  During the big earthquake in Los Angeles, my parents were freaked in San Francisco, because although they knew where we lived and the surrounding areas around, they were concerned we were buried in rubble.  A

It the reporters making a mountain out of a mole hill. Expect no less!

Good question. Shepherd Smith on Fox News told viewers that everyone was going to die if Hurricane Matthews went further inland.  Check it out here.

Excitement equals rating which equals advertising dollars

Thanks for sharing your perspective.