The Great TV Weather Debate

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Boston has, traditionally, been a television market with excellent meteorologists and excellent coverage weather coverage.

Over the weekend, the Boston Globe had a debate about the future of TV weather.
  • The case against TV weather is here.
  • The case in favor of TV weather is here.
As both a meteorologist and a former television meteorologist 
Me doing the weather on WKY TV (now KFOR) in Oklahoma City in the prehistoric era. This was before character generators and we had to label the forecasts and maps by hand!
I believe there will be a need for television meteorologists for the foreseeable future if the meteorologists and their stations adapt. How?
  • Authoritative coverage of major weather events is absolutely essential. I am still shocked when I travel and see TV weathercasters who obviously cannot properly interpret weather radar. 
  • The coverage must be provided as the weather dictates, not "details at 11"!
  • TV stations need to provide what their viewers want to know, not be confined to the easy coverage made possible by their computer graphics system. This is why stations, for the most part, have the same weathercast format day in and day out. 
  • Finally, what they put on their station weather app must be consistent with the forecast they put on the air. 

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