Hurricane Katrina, "citizen journalists"

This hurricane is quite scary. I'm sure you've seen the graphics that project New Orleans, with its circular surrounding levee, to possibly be "filled up like a cereal bowl." CNN is saying "toxic soup."

The walls are 15 feet, and waves are expected to be 25.

This Washington Post article is soberly frightening, with passages such as this one about the 1969 storm Katrina is being compared to:

Camille struck with the force of several hydrogen bombs, altering forever the topography of the Mississippi coast. Its nearly 200-mph winds and 25-foot storm surge exploded concrete buildings and erased entire communities -- then gouged open graveyards and hung corpses in the live oaks like so much Spanish moss. There was a problem for a time telling the storm victims from those already embalmed.

I try not to get excited by ratings-driven news coverage, but still...

I hope folks are doing as well as is possible down there. The world is watching.

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On a less serious note--

It's fascinating to watch media evolve as it has during the past several years.

With the Internet and digital cameras, the changes have been amazing. Of course there's the real-time news reports that make even cable news seem old-fashioned. But the effect of bloggers and other "citizen journalists" has been impressive as well.

CNN right now has a front-page link encouraging readers to "file citizen journalist stories" about the Hurricane Katrina.

I didn't read the terms of submission, but I imagine folks will not be paid.

Authors of media ethics textbooks must be drawing up the new chapters right now.