The 2017 Atlantic hurricane season has been one of the most destructive and costliest on record. Much of the damage in the U.S. has been caused by two hurricanes in particular – Harvey and Irma. And in the first week of 2018, a “bomb cyclone” plastered the east coast with high winds and double-digit snow accumulation.
TVB engaged research company Research Now to survey news media usage related to all three events. The analysis revealed that local broadcast TV news was overwhelmingly preferred as the go-to source for storm coverage over all other news sources during weather emergencies. Among the highlights:
- Local TV news was the top choice for information during all three events.
- Adults spent the most time with local TV news, compared to just a fraction of that for cable TV.
- When facing dangerous weather, adults felt that local TV news gave them the best information on how to prepare, more than cable news channels.
- Respondents said they trust the news on local TV stations more than any other source, including cable news and social media.
- Among the top reasons to use local TV news websites/apps during dangerous weather were, “the constant updates and latest information,” “I can access it wherever I am,” and “knowing the status of public services e.g school closing, road conditions, public transit, shelters.”
View the Studies