The definition of public service broadcasting? America's hurricane season may be nearly over - but mother nature certainly intends to go out with a bang this year. A couple of weeks ago I was glued to the New Orleans tv stations' coverage of Gustav - and as I write, I'm watching streaming coverage of Ike from KHOU in Houston.

It's at times like this that you really come to realise what public service broadcasting is all about. All the local stations (on TV and radio) are broadcasting round-the-clock coverage - not to sensationalise the story, but to tell local people what they need to know in order to stay safe.

During Gustav, a viewer emailed in to one of the New Orleans channels to thank them for their coverage. They said it was a welcome contrast to the way some of the national media were doing the story (focussing on how bad things could get).

I urge you to check out some of this coverage because, quite simply, it's public service broadcasting at its best:

KHOU | KPRC | KTRK | KRIV

Labels: Hurricanes, Public service, TV

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