Chicagoans Survive Blizzard Thanks to Broadcasters’ Multicasts, Mobile Video and Up-to-the-Minute Reporting

Chicago, like many cities across the United States, was hit by a massive snowstorm earlier this year that brought sleet, ice and record inches of snow from western Texas to Maine. While most Chicagoans hunkered down in their homes to weather the storm, local broadcasters were hard at work providing round-the-clock coverage of the blizzard. Television stations across the market offered expanded reporting during the storm, including one station, Tribune’s WGN-TV, providing a "Blizzard of 2011 Special Report" starting as early as 3 a.m. CBS-owned WBBM-TV canvassed the city in its Mobile 2 video truck, providing live footage of the storm’s aftermath. Meanwhile, Fox’s WFLD-TV included viewers’ snow videos, in newscasts throughout the day. NBC-owned WMAQ-TV utilized its multicast station to deliver continuous blizzard coverage, while ABC’s WLS-TV relied on social media and mobile video to update viewers with up-to-the-minute bulletins. Click here to learn more about Chicago broadcasters’ efforts.