All Access Special Report: Hurricane Irma Bears Down On Florida, Targeting Southwest Florida Coast

The Weather Channel Impact Forecast

ALL ACCESS has been in contact with many broadcasters in MIAMI as well as those up the WEST COAST of FLORIDA that are in HURRICANE IRMA's path as a Category 4 storm with wind speeds of 131 to 155 mph.  Reportedly there are well over 500,000 and upwards of 1 million customers without power as IRMA barrels its way up FLORIDA, targeting SOUTHWEST FLORIDA.

According to WEATHER.COM, here is when each city in IRMA's path can expect impact. 

Beasley Media Group Reports

As IRMA shifts away from MIAMI and heads on toward the SOUTHWEST COAST of FLORIDA, BEASLEY MEDIA VP/Corporate Communications HEIDI RAPHAEL tells ALL ACCESS, "Our teams in FORT MYERS and TAMPA have been covering this storm and serving the community. 

"In FORT MYERS we have wall to wall news content on WXKB, WJPT, WRXK, WWCN from our partner NBC TV 2 with local cut-ins from our team. We'll also be executing regular updates on PLAYA (our Spanish translator station) ... but increasing the news now.

"All of the other stations have been on the air with no issues to this point. We have three PDs in the building now taking care of things, as well as other staff. 

"For TAMPA, "All English stations went wall to wall news last night at midnight from our ABC-TV/Tampa partner with live cut-ins from our local staff. WYUU is wall to wall with TELEMUNDO with live cut-ins from our PD NIO. Our GM, OM, numerous PDs, Engineer and other staff members are on-site.

"Because of storm surge threat, which can potentially reach our stations, we have instructed most of our staff to leave town."

BEASLEY EVP/Programming JUSTIN CHASE added, "WRXK's signal has been flickering so it will may go off the air when the storm gets bad.  Hopefully that won't be the case.   

"I'll be continuing to monitor this from my hotel room in ORLANDO (at DISNEY, where my family and I evacuated to YESTERDAY morning.  But the storm looks to be on track to hit MARCO and NAPLES (home of our Corp office) soon.  Very scary!"

iHeartMedia Reports

IHEARTMEDIA's KEVIN WONG reported to ALL ACCESS, "MIAMI's NEWS RADIO 610 WIOD is providing comprehensive local nonstop coverage, and is simulcasting continuous storm reports to its sister stations WHYI, WBGG, WMIA, WINZ and WMIB, while WZTU is simulcasting coverage from TELEMUNDO 51. 

iHEARTMEDIA's syndicated personality ELVIS DURAN, heard mornings on WHYI, is in MIAMI contributing to local coverage with local personalities JIMMY CEFALO, MANNY MUNOZ and WIOD's news team. ENRIQUE SANTOS, heard mornings on Spanish Contemporary WZTU, is also part of the WIOD coverage as well as on WZTU. MIAMI's local personalities are staying connected with listeners on all social platforms with up to the minute information.

All iHEARTMEDIA/TAMPA stations have been in wall-to-wall coverage since yesterday anchored by the News Talk WFLA-AM team. Local personalities from WFLZ, WXTB, WMTX, WPTB and WFUS have been engaging listeners on all social platforms including periodic updates on Facebook Live. 

In all affected markets, we're reminding people on-air and through social media that all local coverage, including emergency broadcasts and information about shelters and storm relief, can still be heard after the power goes out via battery operated radios and by streaming through the iHEARTRADIO app.

COX Media Reports

Directly in the line of impact, COX MEDIA GROUP/TAMPA VP/Market Mgr. KEITH LAWLESS reached out to ALL ACCESS, "TAMPA BAY is bracing for hurricane force winds and tidal surges not seen in nearly 100 years in our community. 

"As of 7p SATURDAY, COX MEDIA GROUP migrated physical operation from our ST. PETERSBURG studios to two separate Emergency Operation Center broadcast facilities. CMG partnered with the local EOC's years ago in perpetration for an event like Irma. 

"We are now in wall-to-wall coverage with our broadcast TV partners. WWRM (MAGIC 94.9), WDUV (105.5 THE DOVE) & WXGL (107.3 THE EAGLE) are Emergency Weather partners with WTSP CHANNEL 10 (CBS). WPOI (HOT 101.5), WHPT (102.5 THE BONE) & WSUN (97X) are Emergency Weather partners with WTVT (FOX 13). We are prepared for the worst, but hoping for the best. The real work will start in the next 24-48 hours for TAMPA BAY."

COX MEDIA GROUP/MIAMI VP/Market Manager ROB BABIN told ALL ACCESS, "All of our COX MIAMI radio stations are on the air.  We have a small team of incredible employees who remained to ensure we continue our broadcast throughout the storm. Yesterday was a critical day to be live in the studio, there were many tornado warnings and curfews to announce.  

"Last night (9/9) at 7p we began our simulcast with our local television partner WSVN (FOX 7)/MIAMI to provide wall to wall weather coverage to our listeners. 

"We are currently in the simulcast as we are expecting the worst of HURRICANE IRMA over the next 5 hours, and there over 1 million people in BROWARD and DADE COUNTY without electricity.  We are very fortunate to have many COX colleagues and resources throughout the company who have helped us prepare and execute digital and social media throughout the storm."

From COX MEDIA Sr. Dir./Corporate Communications ANDY McDILL, "As you can imagine, all of our efforts now are focused on our No. 1 priority of ensuring our employees and their families are safe. Secondly, we are ensuring that we are stepping up and being that vital link for our communities, giving them important information before, during and after the storm.  

"All locations have fuel for generators if needed.  As of now, our MIAMI stations are broadcasting TV partner WSVN-TV audio. In TAMPA, our studios are currently closed as IRMA threatens the area today with a local TV partner FOX 13. We have no issues currently in ORLANDO or JACKSONVILLE."

CBS/Miami Reports

CBS/MIAMI OM ROB MORRIS told ALL ACCESS, "As of now, all stations are the air.  Top 40 WPOW is still on its main site. Country WKIS is on its aux site, only because it turned on and we lost remote access.  Sports WQAM is still on from its VIRGINIA KEY site, which is taking storm surge.  Hopefully we wont lose that due to water surge.

"We are simulcasting CBS 4, WFOR-TV our CBS O&O sister station.  With over a half a million without power, battery operated radios are helping get the information out there. TV is making sure to describe things since they know some may only be hearing what's going on with the storm, since they cant see it via TV video.  Special thanks to CBS 4 anchors, reporters who are out reporting on this historic Hurricane.

"Now over 1.5 million without power in the MIAMI-DADE, BROWARD COUNTY area.  We are now into some heaviest winds and rain we will see as of 3p (ET). Special kudos to our staff of engineers and on-air talent at the station.  MIJO, our new night talent on POWER 96 (who just got here from MAINE!), along with OMAR ESCOBAR are manning the controls and are staying at the station.

"OMAR reports that one of big trees at the station has come down.  As of 3p (ET) we are still on the air and in-tact. 

Entercom Reports

ENTERCOM Dir./Programming & Operations for AC WLYF (HD1 and HD2) ROB SIDNEY reported to ALL ACCESS, "Despite HURRICANE IRMA's last-minute move away from southeast FLORIDA, MIAMI-DADE and BROWARD COUNTIES are being battered with hurricane-force winds and the storm isn’t expected to abate until early MONDAY (9/11).  

"The ENTERCOM MIAMI stations (101.5 LITE FM (WLYF), 102.7 The BEACH (WMXJ), 104.3 The SHARK (WSFS) & 790 the TICKET (WAXY-A) have had core staff in place since hurricane warnings were issued late THURSDAY (9/7).  

"Locally-originated coverage with the stations' talent gradually transitioned to a full simulcast of news partner LOCAL 10 (WPLG-TV) by late SATURDAY (9/9).  

"Once the storm passes, the stations plan to gradually transition back to local, live programming, while communicating critical recovery information for as long as necessary.  

"More than a million FLORIDA POWER & LIGHT customers in the market are without electricity.  The ENTERCOM facilities have continued to run continuously at all four transmitter sites and studios, thanks to hearty generators and backup plans.  The only staff complaint:  the water heater isn't on the generator – meaning cold showers on SUNDAY!"

ENTERCOM Program Coordinator, On-Air Talent, Producer, Anchor, Reporter BRIAN "THE BEAST" LONDON, contacted ALL ACCESS and added, "We do have a skeleton crew on hand for all four stations. We were all live and local till about 7 or so last night when we switched to simulcast of our weather partners local 10 because of 9 tornado warnings in an hour we felt it was the most prudent way to get the news across to our audience. 

"While we have lost power we are on generators but all four stations are up and running. For the third or fourth time we are all huddled in an inner studio because of a tornado warning. But aside from not having AC and on limited lighting, we are all good!"

ALL ACCESS has reached out to other radio groups including iHEARTMEDIA and UNIVISION for reports on their efforts during this heightened state of emergency in their markets.  We are being sensitive to their needs to put their markets and listeners first, and will update this story when their reports arrive.

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