BOTTOM LINE COMMUNICATIONS
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Summary: All of a sudden weather coverage in Kansas City has become a blood sport. CONTROVERSY ABOUNDS IN LOCAL TV WEATHER COVERAGE BLC--(3/7/07)
---There has always been the normal controversy regarding local TV weather
coverage in just about every market
in the country, but the animosity being generated these days in Kansas City
might be hitting new levels. It may have started with controversy over KCTV's chief meteorologist Katie Horner(rt), who has been accused of having "snowgasms" when even a minor snowfall is predicted. Then it turned to "stormgasms" when inclement weather might be imminent. Her warnings to put bicycle helmets on children during recent storms has become a running joke on area blogs. One suggested (3/20) that KCTV give out "Horner's Hail Helmets" to viewers based on her telling viewers during a storm to put helmets on their children. But recently, one viewer
became so upset with Horner that he (later identified as Derrick Smith) actually
started a firekatie.com site calling for the station to terminate her
employment.
WDAF-TV, Fox 4's veteran chief meteorologist Mike Thompson (l), who joined the station in 1992, railed against Horner (not naming her specifically) on his blog, but then removed the post and apologized to her.
“Once a viewer gets in his or her mind that
you’re just on there yakking, it takes a long time to convince them otherwise,”
said Thompson, in an interview with Aaron Barnhart of the Kansas City Star
(3/7). “That’s why I think this yodeling on air is a big disservice. I
really do.” In the midst of the storm controversy KSHB-TV41 proudly announced that its lead meteorologist Gary Lezak (rt) had been awarded WeatheRate.com's honor for having the most accurate weather forecasts for the fourth straight year in Kansas City according (link). KSHB will now advertise non-stop that it has the most accurate forecasts in Kansas City. That news set off Thompson, who noted that WeatheRate actually sells its rating and has been accused in the Nashville market of selling the top rating to the second place finisher when the top finisher refused to pay (link to story). "We were offered the WeatheRate deal when it first came out. In fact, I am pretty sure all of the stations in town got a letter soliciting the service," says Thompson. "I decided back then that it was not something we wanted to waste our time with, and opted out. "We don't participate in any way...and I certainly don't spend any time monitoring it. In fact there are only 13 stations nationwide that do...that should say something about the validity of the program," he adds. Thompson says that WeatherRate looks at the temperatures strictly at KCI Airport and that his forecasts cover KCI and the two other two main National Weather Service stations in Downtown and Pleasant Hill. In fact, the folks at Fox 4 are quick to point out there are no WeatheRate customers NOT rated #1 in their market. "That way, I think it's more of a true representation of the temperature range across KC...rather than trying to hit a certain temperature at KCI...just to win a stuffed animal at the arcade!," says Thompson. "Bottom line, it is a nice gimmick, and an easy way to make money for the guy who devised it!"
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