WLKY request
Hi everyone, I’m DeAndria Turner, a reporter with WLKY. I’m reaching out with deep empathy and respect in light of the tragic UPS plane crash.
I’m looking to speak today with anyone who was near the scene and had to flee for safety, or who knew any of the victims or people who are still unaccounted for.
I know how raw this is. I promise to approach every conversation with compassion. If you’re comfortable sharing your story on camera, please message me here or email me directly at deandria.turner@hearst.com
Thank you for considering. Our hearts are with everyone grieving and recovering right now. 💛
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This isn’t the National Enquirer camping outside the burn unit trying to catch victims and their families. A local journalist is using a forum that caters to locals in order to connect with people who were in close proximity to the crash. Eyewitness accounts (primary sources) are important for fact-based journalism. I want my news to include real accounts from people who were present. Not all content is bad and not all content is predatory.
Why is everyone always so on edge and eager to stir up drama at all times? The way people are is disgusting and I hope that one day our children will develop a better world with a lot more compassion and understanding and drop all this instant drama bullshit that seems to plague our every online interaction. And people need to stop taking online interactions and shaping their worldview based on them, chances are the person you're arguing with is probably a bot anyway, definitely serving its intended purpose of turning Us against One another. Sorry had a little rant there but it just gets discouraging sometimes.
Things are difficult and stressful out there for a lot of people right now. I know that when I feel beat down by life that I am not always as capable of giving others grace. Additionally, the anonymity offered by Reddit allows some people to give into their impulses to be rude, argumentative, or otherwise hostile with no real offline repercussions. The literacy crisis also plays into this as well. Half of all Americans are unable to read at a high school level; media literacy is a part of literacy in general. If a person rarely engages with high quality, fact-based journalism but is constantly interacting with predatory tiktok gossip journalism they may instinctively see journalistic integrity as being parasitic. Anyway that’s my take on the situation. I guess I had a little rant too :)
No one HAS to talk to her you dummies. She’s just doing her job.
Do people not understand that to get first-hand reports, journalists need to meet witnesses firsthand? Lmao.
Some of you don’t know what journalism is
It’s the same people who want to gatekeep whatever they disagree with and speak on behalf of other people.
I call these people maga of the left because they have similar characteristics and are typically further left than liberals.
Why do yall always bring politics into this stuff. They can just be assholes organically
Thank you for what you do, DeAndria.
I worked on assignment desks in television newsrooms when I was younger. My producers expected me to reach out to victims, family members of victims, and even neighbors/coworkers. My colleagues at other stations and in print newsrooms did the same thing. It is objectively awful for everyone involved. I hated doing it. But it is journalism. Viewers want to be able to connect to a story and talking with people impacted by an event is one way to do it. If people truly don’t like these practices they shouldn’t engage with them. They would stop now. I am not from Louisville and don’t know her work, but from this DeAndria is approaching her assignment with empathy and respect and IMO is doing her job very well.
For those of you that are finding this disgusting, shame on you. Like many have said..talking about something is very helpful to some folks and getting their story out there.
For those of you that said they are demanding something..please show me anywhere where the reporter was demanding anything?
Some of you need help.
I don’t understand what the issue is here. A local reporter is using resources to gather information. She is asking for volunteers to share their story if they feel comfortable doing so. In my opinion, this is a smart way to reach out to the local community in today’s digital age.
Thank you DeAndria.
If anything I would fault other journalists for not doing the same. Sure, you’re wading into a cesspool sometimes, but this is a major social media site. I’m no journalist but it feels irresponsible not to at least try.
I completely agree! There is no harm in trying.
I would highly suggest reaching out to the owners of Grade A Juckyard. There's an awful story there.
Are they also the chemical recycling Center?
No, that's a separate company.
Your request was compassionate, professional, and well thought. This is just the place for a question like this. Thanks for what you do to help keep journalism alive.
Best of luck with your work and God bless.
Cut her some slack, my goodness. She’s trying to do her job!!
I'd like to hear your helicopter pilot explain something. He was unprofessional on a live feed and during an on-air segment when he was explaining that ATC told him to leave the airspace.
There was just a major disaster and local authorities were managing an emergency response. Being told to back off seems like a completely reasonable request so that the emergency can be handled.
I appreciate that the media does help aid responses and the public does have a right to know about major events.
I accept that I'm a total amateur. If I'm missing a detail, i would appreciate a dialog.
I agree. His commentary was very unprofessional and inflammatory. I can't recall the exact wording but he said ATC was "playing games again" and that stood out to me. They're not playing games. They're clearing the airspace and managing an emergency.
These controllers just had the worst shift of their lives while working for free and then they have to deal with that guy being a dick. Dude was constantly an asshole and always had a snarky comment when I was a controller in Louisville.
I’ll never forget when a teen cousin of mine died in a house fire with her boyfriend and other kids inside. News stations came to film at the funeral and much of the family was upset to have them there. I argued to welcome them. There weren’t working fire alarms in the house and a couch on a porch was blocking a door that my cousin and her BF tried to use as an exit. I hoped our grief and the reporting would impress the tragedy upon others and get them to take fire safety seriously. I know that’s how it affected me.
This is such a generous stance. Thank you for taking the time to share your story and message. I have a smoke detector in my main hallway that has been off for almost two years now, I’m going to get it functional tonight.
I have coworkers who were at the grade lane junk yard when it happened… multiple burns, skin falling off, their car is destroyed.
This sub (and social media) is full of reactionary crybabies that stalk posts looking for any reason get upset. I'll be so glad when society has finally moved on to the point that we start shaming the perpetually outraged and pointing out their personality disorders. Doing it on Reddit is especially weird since it's a bunch of anonymous profiles and at least half bots. Who are y'all even performing for?
Grade A wlky journalism right here. Fucking Hurst trash channel
Gonna twist the story somehow.
Switch it up and ask ford why they needed department managers to return to the plant to assist with evacuation plans.
With all due respect for your profession, this is “if it bleeds, it leads” to the max. Many of us who weren’t even directly affected are reeling from this tragic situation. This is a mass casualty event, where many people suffered a close call and others weren’t so fortunate. Just report on what you can see. Let the community respond and then cover that. You should be looking for angles on a lot of stories you guys take a pass on. This isn’t one of them.
Downvoters: how much more gore do you need to be entertained?
Maybe you should head to the reunification center and see what you can do to help the families. That would be a great help to the rest of the community.
That’s exactly where I was for hours. However, we aren’t allowed inside and no one is coming outside to talk. Thank you tho!
Is that where you are now?
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