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Media Overhyping Avalanche stories

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dylansiggers
Posts: 1667 - Karma: 6,089
If you live in BC you may have heard of the small avalanche at Fernie Alpine Resort on saturday that struck 4 people and buried none. It was trigger in a steep area as a result of the skiers airing cliffs and landing. Everyone was okay, only bumps and bruises.

Now right off the bat, News stations claim "FOUR DEAD IN FERNIE". Not even close. Then when they find out they were wrong, they switch it to 7 BURIED IN AVALANCHE. No one was buried. Then when they find out they were wrong again, they get the facts straight then start blaming the resort and patrol. Trying to say they "didn't do everything to prevent the avalanche" when it is simply a remote part of the hill where a fluke slab pulled out. No one is to blame.

For anyone who lives in an area that experiences avalanches, have you noticed how the media clings to these stories? They love it. When there was a large avalanche in Revelstoke last year, news stations began suggesting that the backcountry should be patrolled and regulations need to be put on people going snowmobiling and skiing in the mountains. They talked about it for like a month. It was ridiculous.

My point is that news stations love to blow stories like this way out of proportion.
Anyone else agree?

/rant
Jan 16 2011 7:43PM
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ChrisSkisChronic
Posts: 1128 - Karma: 230
because nobody is going to watch "4 people escape bruising in minor inbounds slide". Violence and "action news" sells and get ratings. News media is notorious for blowing shit out of proportion and context
Jan 16 2011 7:48PM
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J.J.M
Posts: 1464 - Karma: 58
and sometimes theres just not enough stories to fill an hour.
Jan 16 2011 7:52PM
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_Jesus_
Posts: 2070 - Karma: 260
a couple years ago we had a big snow storm in the city and the local news called it

the "snow-pocolypse"
Jan 16 2011 7:54PM
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ChrisSkisChronic
Posts: 1128 - Karma: 230
I find it very appropriate that you posted that
Jan 16 2011 8:11PM
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huck_to_flat
Posts: 167 - Karma: 15
Do u kno where the slide happened? I heard it was in currie bowl
Jan 16 2011 8:18PM
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GayWolf420
Posts: 37380 - Karma: 119,948
Utah named their infamously "large" blizzard of the century that....except it didn't even snow the 2 feet they said it was going to snow in the valleys.
Jan 16 2011 8:54PM
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jca
Posts: 4171 - Karma: 6,311
that kinda stuff pisses me off. There's so much misinformation out there about avalanches especially.
Jan 16 2011 8:56PM
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TheUngroomed
Posts: 1251 - Karma: 335
America has finally reached BC I see.
Jan 16 2011 9:06PM
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_Jesus_
Posts: 2070 - Karma: 260
sarcasm? honestly I thought it was pretty relevant...
Jan 16 2011 9:24PM
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d-rok
Posts: 594 - Karma: 113
about the revy situation, I guess they felt the need to scare the retarded people in to going in the backcountry. I mean I was in revy last season and I'd say I saw a heli a few times a week looking for missing people who get lost in the woods or shit like that. And when there was that snowmobile event (the avalanche that buried a lot of peeps), they interviewed a dude who was in the event and he was like: "It sucks my friend died, but if I could be up there today, I would, i dont care if they avy danger is extremely HIGH, i love snowmobiling"

i guess when people act like retards you think about it

Jan 16 2011 10:28PM
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RudyGarmisch
Posts: 25443 - Karma: 13,844
Oh no, people might be overcautious about going into the backcountry...
Jan 16 2011 10:31PM
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Karma_Police
Posts: 2655 - Karma: 1,628
There was a huge thread about an idiot who triggered a GIANT avy on loveland pass and only got waist deep burried. The news made him sound sort of "extreme" or cool but when anyone with any bc knowledge watched it you felt sorry for the guy. What you need to realize is that local news is a fucking joke.
Jan 16 2011 10:43PM
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Troy.
Posts: 5070 - Karma: 12,549
News, any kind of news that is on a television requires sponsors to stay on the air. To get sponsors, they need high ratings. To get high ratings, they need to report on intense shit. To report on intense shit, they have to make it up.
Jan 16 2011 10:58PM
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ChrisSkisChronic
Posts: 1128 - Karma: 230
100% not sarcastic. I thought it was appropriate that a man that goes by the handle of Gnarly_Jesus is talking about the end of days summoned forth by snow
Jan 16 2011 11:23PM
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_Jesus_
Posts: 2070 - Karma: 260
oh haha yes...thank you
Jan 17 2011 12:44AM
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