WRAL titles this article “State, federal agencies coordinate aid for storm victims.” Why? Consider:
The first part discusses Attorney General Roy Cooper’s second self-serving “storm-related” press release, announcing he will be looking into (read: somebody please make) allegations of price-gouging.
The second part announces that
WRAL will take your calls Wednesday from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. to raise money for three organizations contributing to the cleanup and recovery from Saturday’s storms. Donations will benefit Samaritan’s Purse, American Red Cross Triangle Area Chapter and NC Baptist Men’s Association.
The third part announces that “Federal aid could take weeks” and that “state and federal officials haven’t had to set up tent camps or feeding stations for displaced residents. Most of the aid has been handled by county services.”
Fourth and final parts tells people insurance claims tips from Insurance Commissioner Wayne Goodwin and that NC DOT will pick up debris.
What I don’t understand is, why isn’t WRAL promoting its own fundraising efforts with other, private charities that are already on the ground helping storm victims? Why is that buried four paragraphs down?
Worse, why is WRAL making it seem as if state and federal agencies are helping storm victims when the story itself pretty much says the opposite? Especially when effective coordination of aid to storm victims in the story is being done by … WRAL.
Criminy. It’s as if the media will pimp for government inefficiency even at their own expense.
**Update 12:33 p.m.** WRAL has made a separate, related story for their fundraising benefit — which now includes the Salvation Army — and removed it from the story linked above.
