Superstorm Sandy helped turn competitors into teammates to
help keep viewers and listeners informed about the storm.
And although the online tagline for Cablevision's News 12
Long Island regional news net is "Only on Cablevision. Never on FiOS.
Never on satellite," the cable operator made an exception in exceptional
circumstances.
According to the New York State Broadcasters Association (NYSBA),
four radio stations there dropped their formats to simulcast the cable news
channel's storm coverage. A Cablevision spokesperson confirmed the operator had
agreed to the arrangement with station owner Connoisseur Media, adding "it
was very successful."
David Donovan, president of the NYSBA, made the point in a
press release outlining state broadcaster efforts during the storm that while
significant parts of Long Island were without cable after the storm, nearly all
the radio stations remained on the air.
Once again, said Donovan, "local radio and television
broadcasting proved the most secure, robust and important radio service during
a natural disaster, thanks in part to the use of back-up generators. So long as
fuel is provided, studios and transmitters can broadcast life-saving
information," he said.
The FCC said Thursday that it was making access to fuel to
keep communications up and running a key priority for the commission.
