WNBC-TV
New York, N.Y.
Executive Producer Phil O'Brien tells their story...
Warning: Video may contain disturbing images related to the events of |
The enormous challenge of covering the worst attack on the United States in its history was compounded for television stations by the destruction of New York's principal transmitter, a 360 foot-high antenna atop the north tower of the World Trade Center. The same outage occurred in the first attack against the Twin Towers on Feb 26, 1993. In both instances, television signals were still accessible on cable systems.
Nonetheless, the challenge, the responsibility, for WNBC-TV to provide vital information to millions of people was threatened by the enormity of the attack.
The world's most important city was in shock and its most essential services and resources were seriously wounded. Tens of thousands were trying to flee a small area at the base of the island of Manhattan. But transportation lines, including subways, buses, streets, bridges and tunnels were shut down . People were forced to walk, to run, to escape the collapsing towers and the clouds of debris.
Concern for the safety of those thousands included our own field crews and reporters covering the story at ground zero.
When a semblance of order began to be restored, our crews and reporters were then hampered by officials who demanded we position ourselves only in certain spots and who restricted our ability to cover the attack completely. We were ordered to provide multiple identifications and our live trucks were threatened with being towed.
Within this chaos, we managed to produce hours of coverage from various remote sites and to provide needed information about evacuation routes, shelters, hospital facilities, schools, transportation lines, government statements, news conferences and much more.
By the second day -Sept 12 - ground zero was effectively off-limits to all media. Only the Federal Emergency Management Administration was allowed to videotape at the pile. News stations were forced to rely on footage shot and edited by the government.
Over the next several months, restrictions at ground zero continued, except for specific "chosen" news outlets. Local stations were left in the dark.
At times such as these, it is the news media, acting professionally and responsibly, that becomes the main chord to help the community help itself to pull through. And without cooperation and trust from both the media and officialdom, that community will suffer.