Hurricane Dennis: Fox News Loses Satellite Truck; “Please Bear With Us”

FNC’s coverage has been hindered by a dearth of camera angles and correspondents. Brian Wilson spent much of ‘Weekend Live’ apologizing for lost satellite signals and a shaky camera shot from a Pensacola affiliate.

“We can’t really operate our satellite trucks once the winds get to be a certain height,” Wilson said. “We actually lost a satellite truck today as the winds blew it over on its side…The pictures always seem to get a little weak at the most crucial moment.”

I know this is an exaggeration, but it seems that Steve Harrigan is the sole correspondent and the Pensacola pier cam is the only camera angle. FNC lost Harrigan’s signal several times during his live reports. And some people e-mailed Wilson saying they felt seasick from the shaky Pensacola video. “Folks, at times like this” we don’t have much video “because we can’t operate our satellite trucks normally,” Wilson said. “…So please, bear with us.”

MSNBC and CNN — especially the latter — have been tossing from correspondent to correspondent, while FNC has spent more time on the phone with local politicans and emergency officials.

> Jeff Goldblatt‘s videophone reports from Panama City Beach have been spotty, but excellent.