As most readers of TALKERS magazine know, dedicated and alert radio stations rise to the occasion of abundant vigilance and public service in providing their communities with vital information and support during natural disasters. Such has been the case with Hurricane Helene and the same thing will take place as Hurricane Milton threatens Florida and the East Coast.
TALKERS has been informed of the following plan put in place by the Florida-based Beasley Media Group:
1. Hourly Storm Updates: The Tampa and Fort Myers markets will commence hourly storm updates immediately, increasing to twice per hour as the storm nears. Wall-to-wall coverage will begin 24 hours before landfall, incorporating active listener engagement.
2. Partnership with Local TV Stations: Beasley Tampa will partner with local Scripps ABC television, while Fort Myers will align with the Hearst NBC-2/ABC-7 affiliates to enhance storm coverage.
3. Remote Broadcasting: Should there be widespread flooding, evacuations, or power/internet outages, Q105’s afternoon host, Geno, will broadcast live from Beasley’s Boston-based studios to maintain continuous storm coverage.
4. On-Site Presence: Some staff may remain overnight at the radio station, provided there are no safety concerns.
5. Beasley’s engineering team is on standby to address any technical issues that arise, ensuring the stations remain operational.
6. Local Storm Coverage: All syndicated programming will be suspended during the storm to prioritize local storm coverage.
7. Digital Content and Storm Central: Beasley’s Digital Content team will establish a dedicated “Storm Central” section on the station websites, offering timely updates, which will also be shared across social media platforms. Additionally, Quu dashboard technology will deliver special messaging featuring storm warnings.
Beasley personnel are closely monitoring the evolving storm conditions and are ready to take necessary action to keep their communities informed and safe.