Nightly Business Report’s ME on coverage due to Sandy

Talking Biz News asked Tom Hudson, the co-anchor and managing editor of “Nightly Business Report” on PBS, how the 30-minute show had adjusted its coverage due to Hurricane Andrew.

Here is Hudson’s response:

First, our thoughts are with our colleagues, friends and families in Sandy’s path.

The closing of the U.S. stock exchanges does not relieve NBR of delivering what we say we are: a nightly business report.  For instance, tonight NBR reported on the historic exchange closings, gasoline supplies along the East Coast, the financial wherewithal of property insurers and how to gauge any real impact on the economy from Sandy among other items.

As a small operation, NBR also has had to overcome the closing of our NY and DC bureaus due to Sandy. We did so by utilizing technology by our personnel in those locations that wasn’t available the last time a hurricane closed the NYSE. (By the way, on Tuesday we will be posting on www.nbr.com the original NBR broadcast from the day in September 1985 when Hurricane Gloria closed the NYSE.)

From a practical stand point, the storm’s preparations and the precautions taken by our sources in Sandy’s path has us relying on our sources beyond the storm’s reach.

For example, tonight’s broadcast featured our interview with former FEMA Administrator R. David Paulison from our Miami set. Tuesday, we discuss the decision to close the stock exchanges with former Securities and Exchange Commission Chairman David Ruder from Chicago.

While equity trading is central for our program, NBR is about more than stock prices.

Again, our thoughts are with those dealing with the storm and we hope for their safety.