Former CNN correspondent – and Mississippi native – Kathleen Koch is calling on President Obama to focus some of his attention on her home state during his upcoming observance of the fifth anniversary of Hurricane Katrina.

Koch, now an author, is from Bay St. Louis. She says many of the people she grew up with – and talked with for her book – are frustrated that the media and political leaders too often act as though Katrina only affected the City of New Orleans. The President is scheduled to give a speech at Xavier University in the Crescent City on Sunday.

Today on “NewsTalk”, Koch appealed to the president directly:

We also talked about the dramatic changes that have occurred in the news business, particularly the decline in news ratings and the move toward opinion-oriented programming. Give a listen:

Thursday at 10am on NewsTalk: Prince George’s Schools Superintendent William Hite and a District 47 state Senate debate pitting incumbent David Harrington against Del. Victor Ramirez.