Is the Media Hurting the Gulf More Than BP?

After four devastating hurricanes in the past five years Louisiana faces one of the worst oil spills in history. Though the national media, environmentalists and elected officials claim concern for our area they often hurt more than they help. Residents of Florida should take notice as the summer tourist season approaches. The politics and rhetoric is often blown out of proportion in order to make an impressive story or realize political goals.

Charter captains and the shrimpers are having a hard time getting the truth any father than local media. National media and the people in Washington are leading people to believe that seafood from Louisiana is no good and will never be. This is not the case, the waters are being tested constantly and areas closed as appropriate. Many of our fishermen are as mad at the media as they are at BP as the media continues to spread fear that has worse consequences than the oil.

Many areas in Louisiana remain open to the fishermen and shrimpers after intense testing. In addition to the difficulties of the spill these proud people have to fight an incorrect public image. The ones that are fighting the spills in their own waters will have a longer road back because of the negative publicity. These are resilient people that take hurricanes in stride and pick themselves up after everything that has been thrown at them.

The state of Louisiana has worked hard over the years to get the word out that some of the best wild caught seafood in the world is produced here. If this oil spill scares you out of eating Gulf seafood then you might investigate the cleanliness of the shrimp farms in the Orient. The cheap shrimp that is imported is raised in conditions that would turn one's stomach. BP is not getting out of this mess without doing what is right to return the Gulf to the same or a better condition. From the state to the local level the message is clear that BP will tow the line.

This is not an attempt to absolve BP of it's responsibility or lighten the seriousness of the incident. BP is responsible and will pay the price for it's mistakes and pay dearly. In fact, the industry as a whole will be slowed down and checked and double checked because of it. But if we crucify the oil industry in America they will just go overseas where less fortunate countries will allow them to do whatever they want regardless of consequence.

What is currently happening is the crucifixion of the fishing and tourism industries on the Gulf Coast. As the oil moves possibly to the Keys and the Florida coast a few tar balls could sink a tourist season that they desperately need. This bad publicity can affect people that can't even file a claim against BP. Homes, condos, grocery stores and other businesses could feel the sting soon.

Small businesses that are trying to make it one more summer in a bad economy may not survive the national media onslaught. It was always a joke in the town I grew up in that you could predict where the newsmen would show up during a hurricane or flood. One small area that always floods would always attract every news station that drove on dry roads to get footage of cars plowing through water.

Working in the aftermath of Katrina, Rita, Gustav and Ike it is easy to see how the journalists race to the scene and find the most dramatic pictures. The trouble with that is most don't return to show that things have returned to normal. Instead the public is left only with the bad images and rarely the good.