When Hurricane Katrina made landfall 20 years ago, many residents were looking to find their way out of New Orleans, but journalists were descending upon the city looking for a way in. In the days and weeks that followed, the country was overwhelmed with a variety of media narratives, as journalists worked to report honestly on the situation without ignoring the fear and desperation they saw. For many, they had to toe the line between telling the story and getting involved in the story.
Jeré Longman, a longtime New York Times sports reporter now on the Obituaries Desk,
and former WVUE TV anchor, Thanh Truong, tell us about their experiences covering Katrina. They’re joined by poet Shelton Shakespeare Alexander, who brought his camera to the Superdome when he evacuated, and sought to share the story from the inside.
Media coverage in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina has been criticized for amplifying rumors and spreading misinformation. Journalists in and from New Orleans – like some of the ones we heard from – worked to cut through the confusion.
The Gulf States Newsroom’s Drew Hawkins reports on how smaller, local publications also played a role in keeping the city afloat.
This year, Be Loud Studios launched Born After the Storm, an audio storytelling project that brings youth – who were not alive for Hurricane Katrina – into the citywide conversation about the legacy of the storm. The stories will also anchor a new classroom curriculum that allows students to discuss the impacts of Katrina.
Today, we’ll hear from two of those storytellers. 12th graders Joi Metoyer and Mai Smith share how Katrina has impacted their families and their lives.
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Today’s episode of Louisiana Considered was hosted by Adam Vos. Our managing producer is Alana Schreiber. We get production support from Garrett Pittman and our assistant producer Aubry Procell.
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