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Radio Feeds From Jamaica As Catastrophic Storm Hits Are Surprising
I found a website that lists nearly 50 radio stations from Jamaica, a lifeline as Hurricane Melissa - being called the strongest storm to ever hit the island - slams ashore with full force. Forecasters and officials are warning of "catastrophic" damage, with winds as high as 175 miles per hour and up to 4 feet or more of rain.
Tens of thousands have been evacuated and there are warnings of landslides and massive destruction as the slow moving storm sits over the country.
There's nothing quite like listening to what their local media is up to during a crisis, so I tuned into several of the stations to listen. To my shocked surprise - after a few forced spots from the provider - all of them were airing music. Not one of them seemed to be airing warnings, information or news about what's coming. Maybe they've all gone on automation and there's no one there. Or maybe there's some other explanation.
But to resort to music when your entire homeland is under attack from a monster storm seems unfathomable to me.
Good luck to those who live there. From the sounds of things, they're going to need it.
You can check out Jamaican radio here.
- RayDeeOh
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Re: Radio Feeds From Jamaica As Catastrophic Storm Hits Are Surprising
You're correct that they're all playing music. One station is just repeating it's name and frequency over and over. I use radio.garden...
- BowmanvilleBob
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Re: Radio Feeds From Jamaica As Catastrophic Storm Hits Are Surprising
Radio Jamaica is carrying live updates of government news conferences , taking calls and reading texts from listeners in the most affected areas. You can listen here at
- RadioActive
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Re: Radio Feeds From Jamaica As Catastrophic Storm Hits Are Surprising
Not what I found this morning, but I'm glad to hear it. When power is out and phones no longer work, radio proves its worth.
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Thread Starter- ED1
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Re: Radio Feeds From Jamaica As Catastrophic Storm Hits Are Surprising
I recall when the last hurricane hit Newfoundland (Larry?), I tried to listen to CBC and VOCM the morning it was about to land. VOCM had recorded programming and CBC Radio One was having a kitchen party.
- RadioActive
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Re: Radio Feeds From Jamaica As Catastrophic Storm Hits Are Surprising
I've always been curious about where the journalists covering these disasters stay when they're not out reporting on it. Obviously, a hotel of some kind, but if this storm is as fierce and damaging as predicted, how do they get where they need to be and how do they keep themselves safe?
There are no guarantees their rooms at the inn will survive nature's fury, and if there's no power, how do they keep the cameras going and get the reports back to the U.S. for the 6:30 PM news?
I suppose they come prepared but in a situation like this, you can't possibly plan for everything. Amazingly, I can't recall any of them ever getting hurt or killed during a disaster, which is a good thing. But given the danger they face by openly braving the fierce winds and rain, you'd think the odds are it would happen eventually.
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Thread Starter- The Weed
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Re: Radio Feeds From Jamaica As Catastrophic Storm Hits Are Surprising
I feel more for the camera operators - unless the reporters are just setting up a camera by themselves. I have to assume the reporter is making more money than a camera operator that would be sent.
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Re: Radio Feeds From Jamaica As Catastrophic Storm Hits Are Surprising
I had to laugh slightly as I watched NBC's Nightly News on Tuesday. They had a reporter in Jamaica standing in the midst of a huge gale force wind with sheets of rain coming down on him, doing a stand-up with the storm raging around him.
He was wearing a baseball cap over his head and grabbed it once during the on camera appearance to tug it down on his head. I've worn baseball caps for decades. Sometimes the slightest breeze will pick up the bill of the hat and send it flying off your head.
But no, the thing just sat there as hurricane winds of up to 200-300 km/h blew into him. He covered a lot in that story, except the one thing I really wanted to know most - how the hell did that hat stay on his head?
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