The TV news struggled to find pictures of anything actually happening other than a few trees down and reporters breathlessly doing pieces to camera in the wind.
In Auckland where I live most shops were closed and they didn’t need to be.
There is a risk of the boy who cried wolf.
But I also don’t think need to have an existential national conversation about whether this was over-hyped.
The forecasters do their thing. They tell you what is coming. Or their best guess of what's coming. Then it’s up to us to make our own decisions based on the information, our own experience and personal judgement.
The businesses who decided to close yesterday before anything had actually happened lost a day's trade. The one's who didn't, didn't.
Maybe next time they’ll make a different call. After all, Auckland was only under an orange watch.
The media coverage was over the top. It always is. Remember they make money off events like this. Eyeballs on screens. I noticed before every video on the stuff site yesterday showing ocean lapping at sand dune, there was an ad for Tower Insurance playing.
They do what they do.
But you can’t tell MetService to not to report the weather.
They’re damned if they do and damned if they don’t.
We’re all responsible for our own lives. Ultimately we can decide if we’re safe enough to stay home or go to get a flat white from the local Robert Harris.
And if you want to go out kite-surfing or surfin in their storm, all power to ya. You might die, or you might have an awesome Sunday, wither way it'll be your informed choice to do so.
Ryan Bridge is a New Zealand broadcaster who has worked on many current affairs television and radio shows. He currently hosts Newstalk ZB's Early Edition - where this article was sourced.
1 comment:
To be fair the swells did look very ominous driving between Clive and Napier late Saturday afternoon about the same time as the civil defense warning was sent.
If I had a beach front property in the areas that were evacuated, I would have likely not argued about the imminent threat.
If we consider that the cyclone changed path very late and hit Bay of Plenty instead.
And because many Aucklanders consider themselves the center of the universe, I can understand why they think it was hype.
I mean really - how important are places like Te Awanga, Haumoana and Waimarama?
Post a Comment
Thank you for joining the discussion. Breaking Views welcomes respectful contributions that enrich the debate. Please ensure your comments are not defamatory, derogatory or disruptive. We appreciate your cooperation.