Belo Delivers Testimony to Federal Communications Commission Regarding WWL-TV's Role in Hurricane Katrina Disaster and Recovery Efforts

DALLAS, Sept. 15 /PRNewswire/ -- Belo Corp. said today that David Duitch, vice president/Capital Bureau, delivered testimony today before the Federal Communications Commission ("FCC") at a field hearing on Hurricane Katrina recovery efforts. Duitch noted that it was pre-planning with a catastrophe in mind and the dedication of WWL-TV employees that allowed the station to remain on air continuously -- before, during and after the disaster -- to provide an important public service to the New Orleans community, wherever they were located or relocated. As a local, over-the-air television station, WWL-TV was one of the only ways that many people could get information and was often the best way for local and other authorities to communicate with each other and the public. Duitch's complete testimony, as well as other items delivered to the FCC, is attached.

Duitch was representing WWL-TV, Belo's market-leading CBS affiliate in New Orleans, whose employees are continuing their comprehensive local coverage of the New Orleans disaster. Duitch coordinated sending Belo employees to the New Orleans area to help cover the story and provide much-needed relief for WWL staff.

About Belo

Belo Corp. is one of the nation's largest media companies with a diversified group of market-leading television, newspaper, cable and interactive media assets. A Fortune 1000 company with 7,600 employees and $1.5 billion in annual revenues, Belo operates in some of America's most dynamic markets in Texas, the Northwest, the Southwest, Rhode Island, and the Mid-Atlantic. Belo owns 19 television stations, six of which are in the 15 largest U.S. broadcast markets. The Company also owns or operates seven cable news channels and manages one television station through a local marketing agreement. Belo's daily newspapers are The Dallas Morning News, The Providence Journal, The Press-Enterprise (Riverside, CA) and the Denton Record-Chronicle (Denton, TX). The Company also publishes specialty publications targeting young adults, affluent populations and the fast-growing Hispanic market, including Quick and al dia in Dallas/Fort Worth, and the d, El D and La Prensa in Riverside. Belo operates more than 30 Web sites associated with its operating companies. Additional information is available at http://www.belo.com/ or by contacting Carey Hendrickson, vice president/Investor Relations & Corporate Communications, at 214-977-6626.

Testimony of David Duitch, Vice President, Belo Capital Bureau Before the Federal Communications Commission Field Hearing on Hurricane Katrina Recovery Efforts Thursday, September 15, 2005

Good morning. My name is David Duitch. I am the Vice President of Belo Corp.'s Capital Bureau in Washington, D.C. Belo is the parent company of WWL- TV, the market-leading CBS affiliate in New Orleans. I am standing in for my WWL colleagues today as they are continuing their comprehensive local coverage of one of the most tragic stories in American history. During this disaster, I coordinated sending Belo employees to the New Orleans area to help cover the story and to provide much-needed relief for WWL staff. As such, I have been in constant contact with WWL personnel.

I am pleased to report that WWL-TV has remained on the air continuously -- before, during and after this disaster -- providing critical news and information to the New Orleans community and those affected by this terrible tragedy. Our 24-hour-a-day, non-stop hurricane coverage continued for nine straight days, commercial free for all but the first few hours, from noon on Saturday, August 27, until 10:35 p.m. on Tuesday, September 6.

The employees of WWL-TV have shown heroic measures of dedication and fortitude in covering this story despite their own extreme personal losses and separation from their family and friends. They have worked tireless hours to provide this public service. And yet, WWL employees do not see themselves as heroes. In their eyes, they were just doing their job. Serving the local community is their job.

WWL-TV is a provider of local news and information; and, as such, our focus was on serving the New Orleans community and all the constituencies of that community wherever they were located or relocated. Due to strong winds, floods and lack of electricity throughout the area, cable, satellite, and other modes of communication were not an option. Over-the-air television and radio were the only ways that many people could get information, and were often the best ways for local authorities to communicate with each other and the public.

WWL-TV and other local television and radio stations were a critical part of the first alert system. When it became evident that the storm was headed toward New Orleans, WWL began wall-to-wall hurricane coverage, alerting the local community about the impending dangers and urging New Orleaneans to evacuate. We provided critical information about traffic routes, informing them of the safest and least congested ways to leave the city. Our traffic reporter was crucial to safe evacuation, and our meteorologist provided critical, timely updates on the coming storm. Mayor Nagin praised WWL and other local broadcasters for helping the city achieve an 80 percent evacuation rate, much higher than the typical 50 percent or less.

It was pre-planning with a catastrophe in mind as well as the dedication of our employees that kept WWL-TV on the air.

As the severity of the storm and its potential impact became clear, WWL management asked their 85 news, production and engineering employees who could stay to cover the storm, and 80 of the 85 employees volunteered to do whatever was necessary to provide this public service. The five who left were the sole caregivers for their children. Other non-news employees volunteered to stay as well to help.

Because of the hurricane, flooding and looting, WWL originated coverage from four different facilities over the first five days of the disaster. Two years ago, WWL's management set up an arrangement with LSU to use their broadcast facilities for such an emergency. And in 1999, when WWL replaced its transmitter for digital conversion, the site was selected and the transmitter facility was built with a Category 5 hurricane in mind. The transmitter site in Gretna, Louisiana is 18 feet above sea level which is one of the primary reasons we have been able to stay on air throughout this disaster. The transmitter building includes an emergency broadcast facility able to withstand hurricane-level winds. We knew WWL needed to be there for the New Orleans community. For much of the first few days, live coverage switched between LSU, the transmitter site and our primary facility in the French Quarter, which was habitable until the flooding began. By Wednesday, August 31, we had made arrangements to broadcast from the larger facility of Louisiana Public Broadcasting's KLPB-TV in Baton Rouge.

Many dramatic moments have occurred as we have played out our role of public service. You may have seen the compelling footage of one of WWL's technical employees running through the rising water to rescue a man out of the window of his quickly-submerging car. In another location, a woman handed her baby to one of our reporters, asking her to take her child to safety.

WWL is still airing hurricane coverage supplemented with network and syndicated programming. We continue to provide critical local information to the New Orleans community. Viewers turn to WWL to find out if and when they can return to their parish to check on their houses and belongings. We tell them exactly what identification they need, who they need to see, where they need to go to gain access and how they can safely reach these locations. Because of their personal connection to WWL, hundreds of New Orleaneans have stopped by our facilities in Baton Rouge to ask for help and information.

As we've covered this story, WWL's local roots have been very important. We've received access to places because police and other officials in New Orleans know who we are and know we're committed to the people of New Orleans. And our long-term commitment and news leadership in New Orleans has provided us valuable access to Mayor Nagin of New Orleans and other local and state officials. We have provided them an open door to our facility, wherever we are located, to speak directly to the community. We have worked hand-in-hand with the first responders and all other governmental authorities, providing a lifeline to the citizens of New Orleans. Also, Mr. Chairman, the FCC stood ready to help us, and we thank you.

The support of WWL's Belo family has been critical to the success of this operation. Belo employees in Dallas worked tirelessly to secure adequate communications, housing, security, fuel for our generators at various locations, food and clothing, and set up an employee relief fund. The Company sent in Belo news, production and technical staff from around the nation to help cover the story. In addition, Belo television stations and newspapers have raised more than $16 million in their local communities so far for the Red Cross and other relief organizations.

This has been a long and weary road, but one we have traveled with an incredible sense of purpose. We were determined to keep WWL on the air for the good of the New Orleans community. We know of many that accessed WWL from battery-operated televisions or used generators to view our coverage. Many scattered evacuees watched WWL's live streaming of its coverage on the station's Web site (http://wwltv.com/ ). Importantly, the content provided for internet streaming was only available because of the infrastructure of our over-the-air television station. Others listened to radio stations that were streaming WWL's television coverage, or watched on the local PBS and cable channels carrying WWL in Louisiana and Mississippi. Thousands of displaced New Orleaneans watched WWL in evacuation centers in Texas. Policymakers should specially note that evacuees and others throughout the nation were able to access WWL's coverage on the digital multicast channels of more than 30 television stations (see attached list). Clearly, the role of free, over-the- air television cannot be underestimated in times like these. A small sampling of emails that reinforce this point are attached to our testimony.

This short tape shows the importance the local community places on the role of local broadcasters like WWL-TV and why we're fiercely committed to this high level of public service. We're going to show two successive clips -- one from a New Orleans police superintendent and another from a viewer. [Play tapes.]

Thank you for the opportunity to share the importance of local, over-the- air television.

From: To: Date: Tuesday - September 6, 2005 9:48 PM Subject: Just a Note of Thanks

To you and the staff at WWL for doing such a fantastic job of reporting the stories and events following Katrina. I am a south Louisiana transplant in Dallas as are many, many of my friends. And without your reporting my New Orleans relatives (who fled to numerous cities) and I would have been without critical and valuable information. Indeed, know that even while power was lost in New Orleans and Baton Rouge untold numbers were able to get important information about the status of the disaster by streaming your video on the internet and then talking to our families via the sporadic cell service. The national news coverage paled in comparison to the detailed information and meaningful local coverage your team provided around the clock under the most difficult of circumstances.

So, once again, thanks to you and WWL and WWL.com for broadcasting tirelessly for New Orleans and her citizens in our time of need.

Regards, Dallas, Texas 75201 From: To: Sent: Thursday, September 01, 2005 4:48 PM Subject: Thanks to WWL

I would like to commend Belo for their efforts to assist WWL employees and their families. I must commend the employees of WWL. As a former resident of New Orleans who still has a tremendous amount of family and friends in the area I have constantly been monitoring the WWL site. I was only recently able to reach family who evacuated to Hattiesburg, MS and they too have been receiving their news from a radio broadcast of WWL.

The dedication of your staff to stay on air even after having to relocate to Baton Rouge has been a sacrifice. I know many more like me appreciate it. National news coverage has been focusing primarily on the heart of New Orleans. But there are millions of others who made their home in the many towns that surround the city itself and make up Greater New Orleans. It is on WWL that you can find information about these surrounding areas. As a local station, they understand the true picture of the city and its wide variety of residents.

Belo should be extremely proud of the hard working people ... I know many viewers are as we continue to closely monitor the situation and reach loved ones!!!

Regards, From: To: Date: Monday - September 5, 2005 10:08 PM Subject: Thank you all

I cannot adequately express my admiration and respect for you and your team for the work you have done throughout this disaster. I began watching your station online before the hurricane even hit. Your team has been nothing short of superhuman ... and yet so basically human.

So many folks around the world have a deep, soft spot in their hearts for New Orleans (I among them), and your team's clear love for their city came shining through, even as they found their own lives and own homes turned upside down.

Your stories, large and small, your dispensing of RELIABLE information and insights when none was seemingly available from our federal and even many state officials, should earn you and your staff the very highest of journalistic honors.

But even that will never be enough for the work you've done.

I continue to be moved by the stories you uncover. I think of your cameraman (I cannot recall his name) who simply went out to the levee and shot footage of survivors, just letting folks speak while barely being able to contain his own grief.

Thank you, again. You are as much heroes as those who rescue survivors from rooftops. Communication is critical during such calamities (as proven by this event), and you and your team have gone above and beyond.

Evanston, IL 60202 From: To: Date: Friday - September 9, 2005 8:37 PM Subject: Your staff, coverage of H. Katrina and observations

Just wanted to say I have watched your program almost since the hurricane blew through. I have found your coverage uplifting and encouraging on so many levels, finding good where ever you could find it, even when it was thin pickings for a while. Your people have shown an awesome amount of restraint, failing to fall victim to rumor, criticism, and finger pointing. You reported, updated, and informed all everything you could find that directed others to hope, to resurrect, to carry on and thanked those who were giving everything they had to the efforts to save, rebuild and just in general, show the people of your area how strong you could be. I know most of your staff has suffered deprivations, houses flooded or non existent, concern for their families, pets and loved ones. I know more than one worked and trudged on despite their own personal tragedies. I want to thank you, from the heart of Tennessee and to let you know, you, your communities and your people are being prayed for here. Our hearts and donations of food, water, people to assist and homes for your people displaced have poured out to you in your time of need. Please know we will make any you send us welcome, till they can return to their homes. We will comfort them and pray for them until your community is restored and your people can return! God bless and keep you to fight another day! Keep on putting one foot in front of the other! You are a source of comfort, promise, and sanity in a sea of back biting, finger pointing, depravity and chaos. Hold your heads high, you are making a difference in your community and to those of us following you from far away! I pray blessings for all of you and your communities!

Sincerely, Bristol, Tennessee "A good place to live!" From: To: Date: Thursday, September 1, 2005 4:25 PM Subject: KFDM-Beaumont, Channel 21 Coverage

KUDOS to you and your organization for making it possible for WWL TV to continue to serve their base (and us) on Channel 21 ... we have nearly stopped watching other channels for hurricane news because WWLTV is so good! Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Orange, TX From: To: Date: Thursday, September 1, 2005 4:30 PM Subject: WWL

I would like to thank you for broadcasting WWL TV of New Orleans on digital 6.2. I have family in my home from New Orleans and they have enjoyed keeping updated more so than with CNN, MSNBC or FOX News.

Orange, Texas 77630 From: To: Date: Sunday - September 4, 2005 9:49 PM Subject: Storm Coverage

I know the times have been tough for all WWL employees, but thank you for being so dedicated to your job and keeping us New Orleanians updated on the storm. What a terrible tragedy.

This extended family of 20 has spent the last week huddled up by the computer in Texas watching your continuous coverage. We have especially been moved by the coverage provided by Lee Zurik. He has helped us deal with this awful event by his honesty, insight and passion for our city. I have cried, laughed, and been inspired about the future after watching his coverage.

Thank you WWL. You are true New Orleanians! WWL-TV Carriage on Other Multicast Channels Market Multicast Channel Albany, New York WRGB Austin, Texas KVUE Beaumont, Texas KFDM Beckley / Bluefield / Oak Hill, West Virginia WVNS Birmingham, Alabama WBMA Boston, Massachusetts WHDH Chicago, Illinois WCIU College Station, Texas KAMU Dallas, Texas WFAA Detroit, Michigan WDIV Detroit, Michigan WDWB Eastern Shore of Delaware, Maryland and Virginia WBOC Hartford / New Haven, Connecticut WFSB Houston, Texas KHOU La Crosse / Eau Claire, Wisconsin WQOW Lubbock, Texas KJTV Mankato, Minnesota KEYC Miami, Florida WPLG Minneapolis / St. Paul, Minnesota KSTP Oklahoma City, Oklahoma KFOR Orlando, Florida WKMG Paducah / Cape Girardeau / Harrisburg, Illinois WSIL Panama City, Florida WJHG Portland, Oregon KGW Richmond, Virginia WTVR Rochester, New York WXXI Salt Lake City, Utah KTVX San Antonio, Texas KENS Sarasota, Florida WWSB Shreveport, Louisiana KTBS Springfield / Holyoke, Massachusetts WSHM Springfield / Holyoke, Massachusetts WWLP Syracuse, New York WTVH West Palm Beach, Florida WPEC Internet Carriage cbsnews.com / yahoo.com