The tornadoes that ravaged south central parts of the United States this week knocked out cell phone service and terrestrial Internet access, but as far as I have been able to tell, major TV and radio stations in the affected areas stayed on the air, providing vital information to their communities.
For the first 24 hours, there was no electricity.
TV stations in the Joplin area remained on the air as well, providing news and information. NBC Nightly News Anchor Brian Williams stopped by KOAM-TV when he was in Joplin covering the aftermath of the tornado. Williams got his start in television at KOAM-TV in the early 1980’s.
Days after the storms, cable and satellite TV was still not restored in Joplin. The only was to be informed of any TV News was OTA using an antenna to receive those broadcasts. This once again proves how valuable it is to not be tied to your cable or satellite provider. Especially during these tumultuous times of weather.