Katrina: NBC News Hires Private Security For New Orleans Crews;

[Pirate Smile]

Katrina: NBC News Hires Private Security For New Orleans Crews; "We've Never Been In A Situation Domestically Like This"
"NBC News has sent private security personnel to the increasingly dicey Gulf Coast region to help keep its employees safe while covering the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina," THR's Paul Gough reports.

"The private security officers, usually former soldiers or police, are licensed to carry firearms and are trained to keep the situation under control so that journalists can do their jobs safely."

NBC News is the first to publicly acknowledge that it had taken such a step. "Other networks either declined to discuss security or said the situation hadn't risen to that level yet."

"We've never been in a situation domestically like this, where the populace has been cut off from the rest of the world and there's no food and water," NBC News VP David Verdi says...

http://www.mediabistro.com/tvnewser/nbc/katrina_nbc_news_hires_private_security_for_new_orleans_crews_weve_never_been_in_a_situation_domestically_like_this_25306.asp

I think that is good news. It is much better then NBC News leaving NO because of security concerns. I want to know what is happening in there.

[Dhalgren]

1. Well, here we go folks - mercs in NO. This is just fucking perfect!

We don't need no stinking NG! Our news crews will just hire mercs - guns for hire - killers for the highest bidder... Yeah, this is going real freaking well...

[krkaufman]

4. Yeah, I can't agree w/ armed mercenaries walking our streets.

They should be getting National Guard troops allocated to them, for protection. Mercs just aren't sufficiently accountable.

[hadrons]

2. change hurricane to 'shock & awe' and you got Iraq ....

[Jacobin]

3. But they can't send water or food

Somedays I think America has just jumped the shark and is a wallowing anachronism of a country, a sick joke, stumbling drunkenly down the stairs into the dust bin of former empires...today is one of those days

[bpj1962]

5. Security

Did anyone stop and think that maybe it will now be a little harder for BUSHCO to imtimidate the press. New Orleans is cowboy country right now and if the press is not there to report what goes on then we will never know how many died. The feds will simply declare martial law and either arrest or shoot anyone who doesn't leave. We have not had a disaster of this type since the Galveston Hurricane of 1905. Thousands may be dead and if you notice not a single government offical in N.O. has given any body count at all.

[hopein08]

6. Here's my thing with the media...

Male reporters who look like the just got a shave and shower and women who have perfect hair and makeup should not be reporting from that area. Any reporter who complains about feeling threatened because they have a bottle of water (and I would have to presume, food) should not be reporting from that area. If the reporters have water, food, clean clothes...water, food, and clothes should be given to anyone they interview or are standing in front of.

[NYC]

7. Populace cut off from rest of world & there's no food and water.

..."We've never been in a situation domestically like this, where the populace has been cut off from the rest of the world and there's no food and water," NBC News VP David Verdi says...

This is a very striking statement. New Orleans is a major American city.