Media Coverage of Hurricane Katrina's Aftermath

Discuss the media's coverage of Hurricane Katrina. Here are some questions to consider--these are just suggestions, so feel free to address any issue that interests you.


1. How are Bush administration officials answering criticism they bungled the rescue and relief efforts in New Orleans? Do you think they have utilized the media to "spin" their response? If so, how?
2. During NBC's A Concert for Hurricane Relief, rapper Kanye West blasted the media's coverage of the victims of the hurricane: "I hate the way they portray us in the media. If you see a black family, it says they're looting. See a white family, it says they're looking for food." Do you think news reports have been biased? In coverage you've seen, have journalists acknowledged the racial and class dimensions of this disaster?
3. Find foreign news reports about the hurricane. How would you describe their characterization of the events in New Orleans?