A recent NBC News report proudly reported that “About 90 million people across the U.S. were under winter weather alerts Tuesday night as a storm threatened to bring rain, snow, sleet and ice from Colorado to Vermont.”
When did the news folks start stating how many millions were under threats? Threats of weather, be it blizzards, tornados or hurricanes? When I was younger I do not remember the number of folks under threats being reported. Does anybody know when it became accepted practice in the media to tell how many millions could be affected? Call me curious…
Roadtirement 
I’ve never heard of it either. But that number is so high — a quarter of the US — that it’s probably considered newsworthy. I also wonder whether the impacts of climate change are motivating some media to change the emphasis of stories like these. Good question!
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Thanks for responding, and the “cashing in” on climate change sounds very reasonable. I appreciate your answer!
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They have to make us feel like they are doing something. Was it the robot on Lost In Space that would say “Alert! Alert!” while flailing his flex tube arms around?
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Yes, I remember the LIS robot in a state of panic. Catastrophes do make better news… Thanks, Tim for chiming in.
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“Danger, Will Robinson! Danger!”
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Yes! That’s it. (Thanks)
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Welcome.
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I stand corrected! Thank you.
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LOL! Welcome.
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“Danger, Will Robinson!” Yes, Robby the Robot made his debut in “Forbidden Planet” and was my favorite character in “Lost in Space”.
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He had the most character of the characters in LIS.
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Yes, I totally agree, with Dr. Smith a far second.
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sometimes (and I do say sometimes) I’m glad in live in Florida. 🙂
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We were looking at a trip down to Florida, but saw a lot of cold there recently. At least there’s still no snow. Thanks!
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it got cold here a few days … very cold. but for a few days. now its just cold. And right now in the upper 70s and lower 80s.
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Dang Art, can we have 10 or 20 of those degrees? 😂😂😂
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yikes.
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😉
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I think the media usually chooses the most sensational way to report anything. 90 million people under alert is far more exciting than saying, “Well folks, get your French toast supplies and get ready to hunker down for a couple days. It’s gonna get snowy out there!”
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I think you are right. I’d still like to know when they started using that technique.
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The new world order big brother is here lol!
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😂😂😂 Can’t really disagree much. Thans for joining the fray.
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My pleasure
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I heard that on the news, too. I don’t know when it started, but they started giving names to winter storms, too. That seems odd to me. 🙂
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Yea, I remember hearing the winter storm names, I think last year. Indeed odd.
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Probably came when the news org decided they could profit more from amping panic.
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Sounds reasonable, and likely! Wonder when they started doing it…. Thanks for sharing.
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Bingo!
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Yup! And just think, I grew up without knowing about the likes of freezing fog mist, bombogenesis, a “severe weather event”, etc,. and lived to tell about it. LOL!
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😂😂😂 Brilliant comment, and so true for so many of us.
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Hysterical news has been around for years. Even as a kid, I remember the nightly Vietnam deaths that Cronkite had to babble on about. Then, I remembered Rather’s constant babbling about the Iran Hostage crisis.
The real screaming sensationalism started with 9/11 & continued to get worse.
Now, what we are dealing with is lockstep “Be afraid. Be very afraid.” Be afraid of convid. Be afraid of snow. Be afraid of regular truck drivers that are standing up to tyranny. “They’re violent! They’re racist! They’re Nazis! You must hide & fear them!” *facepalm*
Couple all that with the weather-guessers & the anchors talking to us like we are all five years old.
I don’t watch news, anymore. I’m too “afraid” I might throw something at the TV. 😠😡🤬
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Disaster draws the eyes like a car crash on the freeway, it compelling, but ultimately tragic. Hugs, C
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You are correct. Viewership is so important to the media outlets. Remember Don Henley’s song “Dirty Laundry”? Says a lot about the news.
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i’ve never heard of them keeping track. It has been rough up here in the northern part of the state. We’ve had about two feet of snow. I hear they had a lot of ice south of us.i hope you are safe and have power.
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We’re at about a half foot so far, more on the way. Streets are very slick and hazardous. We’re not going anywhere. Thanks, you and Rooster stay safe! Luckily we’ve got a generator on board in the RV if we lose power.
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This was a first for me. I get local weather alerts and assume my neighbors and I will share the experience. As to millions?? Surely it can’t be long ago that it started. If anyone pinpoints the time for you, please write a new post so that we will all be in the know.
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Sensationalism garbage, I imagine. They want ratings so they want emergencies everywhere, make something out of nothing. Bunch of hooey, I think.
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You are right on, Tonya. Remember Don Henley’s “Dirty Laundry”? Said it best in song. Thanks for dropping by and joining in. We do appreciate it.
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Rain , snow , sleet , and ice. Well that just about covers all eventualities for weather advisories!
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LOL… One alert covers all this time, huh? How does Biasini like the snow? I had a mare decades ago who loved to roll in the snow.
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We spent last winter at home and I always went out on the forest trails in the snow and Biasini loved it. He would tromp through 2 foot of snow with ease.
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Oh I can picture him enjoying the snow. Takes a deep bank of snow to slow down our equine friends. Thanks for sharing, anne.
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This is new – anything to sensationalize the weather news!
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