Florida Radio Ready For Irma
Radio stations across the state of Florida are already in emergency mode as Hurricane Irma relentlessly bears down on the soon-to-be-former Sunshine State.
• All of iHeartMedia’s local markets have stocked up on generator fuel, food, water, emergency supplies, extra batteries and chargers. Employee safety is a priority, and all markets are prepared to support any staffers who stay to help the community during the storm. All stations have also completed standard operating procedures for hurricane prep by checking on generators, fuel, transmitters, and by backing up systems and servers. They will also continue to work directly with local county Public Information Officers for LEO’s and EMA’s for relief information, shelters and traffic updates. The company’s disaster assets have been moved to a staging area in Jacksonville, and supplemental engineering staff has arrived in Orlando to assist local markets throughout the storm.
• CBS Radio’s Miami VP of Programming Rob Morris says his crew is already in full-on information mode from now until Irma arrives — and after the storm as well, via on-air, online and social media. “We have been on the air with Irma tracking information and updates,” he says. “This morning we should start to get a sense of how it will move. We are also giving out updates regarding shelters and evacuation orders. We have plans to have our engineering team and some on-air talent remain on-site. We will stay with our programming until WFOR-TV goes “wall-to-wall,” and then we will switch to them. Coming out of the storm we will need to determine how many employees can get to the station(s), beyond those who have already stayed here, as long as our studios and connectivity stay intact. CBS Radio New York is also offering us coverage if we lose connectivity from the studios.”
Morris added, “It’s a very stressful time for all of us in South Florida. The message right now is to be prepared, not scared. Everyone must monitor Irma’s track and be ready to shelter safely or evacuate.”
• Beasley Media Group released its Hurricane Action Plans for its Florida stations — its Tampa cluster is doing regular updates with weather partner, ABC Action News. The jocks are giving updates on weather, shelters, sand bag stations, and directing everyone to station websites for updates. The Ft. Myers cluster — WXKB (B103.9), WRXK (96KRock), WJPT (Sunny 106.3), WRXK-HD2 (Playa 98.1), WWCN (99.3ESPN) and WJBX will be teaming up with NBC affiliate WBBH-TV and ABC affiliate WZVN-TV. Beasley’s Boca Raton stations, WWNN-AM 1470, WSBR-AM 740 and WHSR-AM 980 plan to simulcast CBS 12 from West Palm Beach.
• CBS Radio Baltimore, in cooperation with The Salvation Army of Central Maryland, is still looking out for the victims of Hurricane Harvey by hosting a daylong fundraising Radiothon today from 6am-6pm today on WLIF (Today’s 101.9), WJZ-FM (105.7 The Fan) and WWMX (Mix 106.5). Listeners can make credit card donations to The Salvation Army at 410-296-4975 or 410-296-4862. The phones will be manned by volunteers from the Salvation Army and CBS Radio Baltimore. It’s important to note that, should Hurricane Irma hit the United States, as is expected, funds raised during today’s broadcast will also be used toward that relief effort.
