Hurricane Irene, once category three, was downgraded to a tropical storm as it hit New York City. "Was all the fuss, as one of our commenters argued on Saturday, 'just plain panic promoted by the US media'?" asked the Economist in its blog. To which the author wrote, 'Not quite. Hurricanes are serious business.' Continuing:
Extensive media coverage meant people were more aware of the oncoming storm and better prepared to deal with it when it hit. That's a good thing, too. Remember: 19 people are dead, millions of people are without power, and there is widespread flooding and property damage across over a dozen states. People complaining about the "hype" are missing the point.