The document analyzes news coverage before, during, and after Hurricane Katrina across multiple news sources. It finds that coverage before the storm in the New York Times and USA Today was most effective, providing balanced reporting, context, and addressing the risks and need for flood prevention. During the storm, the Times-Picayune and USA Today flight tracker provided the most detailed and factual coverage through photos and updates. After the storm, USA Today and BBC articles best analyzed economic and environmental impacts by providing context and balancing expert opinions with facts.

1. Max Collins, Brent Petrone, Stephanie Steinberg, Ely Twiggs, Lauren Zobl

2. EFFECTIVE Reliable sources government and local officials Balanced reporting Reporting for the average person “ How will I be effected?” INEFFECTIVE Sensationalism Too many personal accounts/ eye witnesses Pointing fingers All facts and no context

3. Before Katrina

4. New York TImes : Nothing's Easy for New Orleans Flood Control published April 30, 2002 Fair and Balanced Addressed imminent danger of hurricanes and a weak levee system Charts/pictures with descriptions to help reader visualize threat more clearly Local experts: Dr. Ivor van Heerden, deputy director of the L.S.U. Hurricane Center Jack C. Caldwell, head of the state's Natural Resources Department Devils advocate/Pros and Cons “ Perhaps the surest protection is building up the coastal marshes that lie between New Orleans and the sea and that have been eroding at high rates. But restoration will require time, a huge effort and prohibitive sums of money, perhaps $14 billion…”

5. USA News & World Report: Big Blow in the Big Easy published July 10, 2005 No Explanations or Solutions Poor use of quotes Addresses problems with no explanations or solutions/advice Negativity and pessimism “… the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is at least a decade away from upgrading to that level of protection.” Why? Excess of opinions rather than facts “ Still, polls show the longer people have lived in New Orleans, the less likely they are to evacuate. "If it's going to happen, it's going to happen…” No attitude calling for prevention.

6. Director of Hurricane Public Health discusses levee problems have not been fixed accordingly to withstand another category 5 hurricane “ Before Katrina we were saying get out with a category 2 or above,” Ivor Van Heerden said. “We haven’t changed that message. Get out.” New Orleans levees improved? 1:35 – 2:40

7. During Katrina

8. Flight tracker USA TODAY: Thousands face delays as Katrina hits Gulf Coast Article is interactive and pertains to actual travels with a link to a Flight Tracker Although there are no official sources, there are lists of the exact cities that are affected so that readers are able to pinpoint their delay

9. The Washington Post: “ Room Guarantees Can get lost in Hurricane ” One of the highway offramps used to launch search and rescue boats in the Lower Ninth Ward after Hurricane Katrina, nicknamed "Bush's boat ramps." Although the article gives sufficient airline delays and information regarding cancelled flights and airport chaos, there is little FACT to the story A woman is featured as missing her flight to Barbados, a menial concern in the wake of Katrina’s destruction There are barely any official sources, just testimonials

10. During Katrina

11. Times-Picayune: Photo slide show Picture from the slideshow Highlights a variety of issues that were occurring during the floods Very detailed captions that provided a broader context to what was happening in the photograph

12. Times-Picayune: Widespread looting hits abandoned businesses Re-reporting facts that have been known . Since this article came out the Tuesday after the storm similar and more in depth stories about looting were already written Did not add any information in how the looting problem was being enforced

13. During and After Katrina

14. Economic consultants give best and worst case scenarios USA Today: Storm worsens oil, gas problems published August 29, 2005 Best: “oil prices of $65 to $70 per barrel for a couple of weeks, and gasoline at about $3 a gallon for a couple of months.” Worst: “Oil rises to $100 a barrel for a month, gas prices are $3.50 a gallon for a few months.” Describes how citizens across the U.S. will be affected High gas prices due to damaged oil pipelines and refineries Will affect heating, cooling and driving prices Describes government emergency plans for energy shortages Ex: Strategic Petroleum Reserve

15. BBC: Lake faces aftermath of city catastrophe published Sept. 8, 2005 Map of Lake Pontchartrain Questions environmental impact of toxins and chemicals that would be dumped in Lake Pontchartrain Puts news in context Before hurricane, the lake was getting cleaner Explains importance of wetlands for reducing flooding

16. USA Today Interactive See where oil ports and pipelines are located and how they were affected Also part of the interactive How many evacuees sought refuge in each state Map of ports along the coast that were impacted

17. After Katrina

18. The Washington Post “Along Gulf, Aiding the Living and Counting the Dead” September 6, 2005 President Bush comforts a Katrina victim Reliable Sources Local police officer President Bush Balanced Reporting Pro and con Bush Blame Bush and blame local government Quotes “ It is good that he came… It seems like he cares” Facts Balanced with quotes

19. The Washington Post: Officials Deal With Political Fallout by Pointing Fingers September 5,2005 Reliable sources Senator Mary Landrieu Spokeswomen for Louisiana Government No quotes from the average person Points fingers at Bush