Rush Limbaugh: Local TV is Overhyping Irma
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FTVLive is one of the millions of people in Florida that is keeping a careful eye on Hurricane Irma.
The storm has grown into a monster and is now the biggest most powerful storm to ever form in the Atlantic.
But, Rush Limbaugh thinks the storm is nothing more than media hype to help stores sell groceries and water.
Limbaugh said this, "There is a symbiotic relationship between retailers and local media, and it's related to money."
He then said, "TV stations begin reporting this and the panic begins to increase" people go to "various stores to stock up."
Limbuagh then drops this gem, "So the media benefits with increased eyeballs, and the retailers benefit from the panic with increased sales, and the TV companies benefit because they're getting advertising dollars from the businesses that are seeing all this attention from customers."
It should be pointed out that when a storm hits, most TV stations go wall to wall with their coverage and blow out all commercials. So a storm costs stations thousands of dollars in lost revenue and a fortune in overtime and expenses.
Large power outages make the rating information basically useless.
Limbaugh is spouting pure crap and he knows it. TV stations are informing viewers and in many instances, it's that information that saves lives. Do some stations rely on hype? Sure. But, many stations know that this is no time to hype and to make sure the information is solid.
If Irma stays as powerful as she is and hits Florida, this will be catastrophic and devastating. Rush Limbaugh knows this and shame on him for attacking the media at a time when the media is most needed.
Now, if you don't mind, I'm going to go buy a few more gallons of water and some Pop Tarts.
