A Tip of the Hat

...to WWL-AM in New Orleans. The station has long been the dominant news/talk/sports outlet in the Crescent City, though its audience has slipped a bit since Rush Limbaugh moved to a local FM station.

But during hurricane season, the station becomes a veritable lifeline for the entire Gulf South. With a 50,000-watt signal that blankets the coast, WWL becomes a primary source for news and information. The signs along evacuation routes in Louisiana and Mississippi that instruct motorists to "Tune to 870 AM for Information" are a reference--you guessed it--to WWL.

The station has been providing wall-to-wall hurricane coverage for several days, just as it always does. As someone who once slaved over a hot microphone, I can only admire the dedication of the station's staff. If broadcasting (at its best) is a public service, then WWL's storm coverage represents the best of that tradition.

If you want to know what's going on in New Orleans and surrounding areas, turn off the cable news networks and listen to WWL.