Media Coverage of Hurricane Katrina; “Martial Law”

Here’s a story about the story: the Hollywood Reporter reports on problems faced by journalists covering the hurricane and its aftermath.

I put the statement about “martial law” in New Orleans in an earlier post in quotation marks. Here’s why. Governor Blanco declared a state of emergency on August 26, 2005, before the hurricane hit. It extends through September 25, 2005 and confers wide powers upon officials acting in her name to do what is needed to restore order. Some media interpreted the emergency order as martial law. Attorney General Charles Foti’s office issued a clarification Tuesday night. See the piece in the Times-Picayune.