In order to better reach more people in dangerous situations, the WDR wants to develop a new online offer. “We need a better, more targeted digital offer for people in bad weather,” said WDR director Tom Buhrow on Monday in Cologne. A corresponding task force was set up for this purpose. The WDR is reacting to criticism that had reached the station after the flood of July 14th to 15th.
The situation was confusing, the reporting should have been more extensive during the night, the broadcaster had already admitted self-critically last week. In the future, they want to provide more modern and even better support to official disaster control. That is one of the self-critical lessons that the broadcaster is now drawing. To this end, the WDR declares that it is open to cooperation and offers the authorities to work together.
Representatives of the WDR, the Ministry of the Interior of North Rhine-Westphalia and the Federal Office for Civil Protection and Disaster Relief had already discussed the procedures for the population warning in the event of the storm on the night of July 15 last week. It was agreed to continue the analysis together and develop recommendations for further development.