Does the media hate Amtrak?

[lo2e]

On tonight's NBC Nightly News, they talked about the eastern US snowstorm and how lots of people were "forced" to Amtrak because of cancelled flights and the like. In the story, they showed pictures of bright, shiny, sparkly airplanes, but then when it came to talking about Amtrak, all they could find was a rust bucket equipment mover engine. Did anyone else notice this?

Does the media hate Amtrak? Especially in the NEC, one of the only (or is it THE only?) route in the country to make a non-taxpayer-subsidized profit?

 

[SarahZ]

Well, in a way, they aren't wrong. Even though people are happy to get home, sitting on a train for eight hours and getting home later than planned really stinks compared to sitting on a plane for an hour and getting home when you planned to. So, in that sense, they are "forced" to take Amtrak (because the planes aren't moving).

I agree with the subtext of your post, though. I've heard reports in which they said it more positively, such as, "Thank goodness Amtrak is still running, because it meant 600 people were able to get home tonight instead of spending the night at the airport." So, even though they were still "forced", it's one of those "look at the bright side" things.

Look at the way people talk about bustitutions on here. When a train is super delayed or simply stops working, the passengers are put on buses. To some, a bus is a less optimal option than a train, so they are "forced" into that situation and grumble accordingly.

So, no, I don't think the media has a thing against Amtrak so much as a love of hyperbole.

 

[FriskyFL]

F-O-X N-O-I-S-E...need I say more?

 

[PRR 60]

F-O-X N-O-I-S-E...need I say more?

But, the OP was citing an NBC report.

 

[Ryan]

Hate is such a strong word.

Clueless? Certainly.

 

[the_traveler]

I would much rather be "forced" to take Amtrak and get home "a few hours late" than to fly and get home "a few DAYS later" because the airports are closed!

 

[SarahZ]

I would much rather be "forced" to take Amtrak and get home "a few hours late" than to fly and get home "a few DAYS later" because the airports are closed!

Bingo. As long as I'm moving, I'm happy. Sure, being late sucks, but never getting there sucks worse.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

I think the jist of the OP was the poor picture they showed to represent Amtrak vs the shiny planes they showed representing the airlines. Not the "forced" to ride Amtrak.

 

[SarahZ]

Ah, yes, that does surprise me. I'm sure there's tons of stock video footage for Amtrak.

 

[SANSR]

The news media of today: "Be the first with the worst and we don't care if the reporting is actually right or not. Thank you and now we return you to your regularly scheduled program; that is until the next crisis of the hour when we can 'Outer Limits' your TV once again........"

(With profuse apologies to a great TV show from the past.)

 

[roomette]

I don't watch NBC News because they have Al Roker and he runs the Weather Channel and he invented names for the snow storms. :lol:

 

[SarahZ]

I don't watch NBC News because they have Al Roker and he runs the Weather Channel and he invented names for the snow storms. :lol:

This is why we can't have nice things. :angry:

 

[NE933]

The infotainment junk on The Weather Channel, after they got rid of all the great meteorologsts around 2008, may have broken the last straw, when AccuWeather Channel starts around summer this year, and hopefully we see more, you know, weather forecasting!!!!!

 

[Devil's Advocate]

I think the jist of the OP was the poor picture they showed to represent Amtrak vs the shiny planes they showed representing the airlines. Not the "forced" to ride Amtrak.

On the one hand I agree with the OP that the domestic news media rarely paints Amtrak in a positive light, even when they would seem to be "saving the day" or at least providing an important and beneficial service. On the other hand I have to admit that most of the time the aircraft I fly look newer and cleaner than the Amtrak trains I ride. That being said, you could probably find a beat up and ugly luggage tug and pretend that represented the condition of any given airline's hardware. But since they didn't do that it seems like a fair complaint that they singled out Amtrak for negative footage.

 

[the_traveler]

I just saw that story on The Weather Channel. I agree that couldn't find a worse switcher to "represent" Amtrak. At the very least, they could have shown a complete train. Even the switcher pulling some cars. But it's just the switcher by itself!

 

[afigg]

Does the media hate Amtrak? Especially in the NEC, one of the only (or is it THE only?) route in the country to make a non-taxpayer-subsidized profit?

The mainstream media? No. Many of the TV and major media reporters take Amtrak between WAS and NYP on a regular basis. I think some here are too thin skinned and read way to much into a network using some old stock footage. I was watching CNN a few minutes ago and the ticker at the bottom noted 3,000 flight cancellations in the eastern airports, but also that Amtrak would be running a reduced schedule between DC and Boston. Amtrak is running while the major eastern airports along the NEC are getting hammered.

 

[MattW]

Is this story one they're running on tv only or is it online somewhere?

 

[ehbowen]

I don't think the media "hates" Amtrak so much as:

• They love a good controversy and its attendant conflict;
• They know Amtrak is a favored political football of both the Right and the Left;
• They only really hear about Amtrak when the budget cutters are on the warpath or when something goes wrong; and as a result,
• They are completely and abysmally ignorant of the true facts of Amtrak service and operations.

 

[TraneMan]

The infotainment junk on The Weather Channel, after they got rid of all the great meteorologsts around 2008, may have broken the last straw, when AccuWeather Channel starts around summer this year, and hopefully we see more, you know, weather forecasting!!!!!

There's WeatherNation that DirecTV picked up, and has dropped the TWC.

 

[Agent]

Ah, yes, that does surprise me. I'm sure there's tons of stock video footage for Amtrak.

I'm not so sure on that. The last time I saw NBC use stock footage of Amtrak was during the build-up to Hurricane Sandy and in it, all of the equipment was in Phase III paint and the power was all F40PHs. I'm imagining someone decided they needed footage of Amtrak in the snow, sent out a person with a camera into the storm (probably the newest guy on the job), that person filmed the first Amtrak thing they saw moving, and then headed back indoors.

 

[SarahZ]

Ah, yes, that does surprise me. I'm sure there's tons of stock video footage for Amtrak.

I'm not so sure on that. The last time I saw NBC use stock footage of Amtrak was during the build-up to Hurricane Sandy and in it, all of the equipment was in Phase III paint and the power was all F40PHs. I'm imagining someone decided they needed footage of Amtrak in the snow, sent out a person with a camera into the storm (probably the newest guy on the job), that person filmed the first Amtrak thing they saw moving, and then headed back indoors.

Interesting. I thought Amtrak had some sort of "media" archive with high-res photos and videos for the taking (or a nominal fee). I've seen that on many other sites, like hotels, airlines, etc. I guess that's what I get for assuming.

 

[the_traveler]

I'm not certain, but I don't recall seeing any snow in that shot.

 

[jis]

They could have got better stuff by simply google searching "Amtrak NEC Snow" For example:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ARpm5B5bCzg

Of course there would be the headache of requesting copyright grant etc.

 

[SarahZ]

I will happily sell my Amtrak videos to the highest bidder. ^_^

 

[gmushial]

Hate is such a strong word.

Clueless? Certainly.

Maybe words less pejorative than hate, but more malevolent than clueless: how about distain or maybe unappreciated/under-appreciate? Or, maybe along the lines of uninformed ignorance?

Suspect a lot of the disrespect comes from ignorance or social correctness: after all, jet aircraft represent the "jet age," while the train represents yesteryear.

Likewise suspect few to none of those reporting have taken a LD train and hence don't understand that it's more than getting from point A to point B (like the flying cattlecars)... but one has to experience it to understand that.