I love what I do.
I wanted to be a meteorologist before I even knew there was a word for it. I developed a fascination in weather by cutting the weather maps out of the newspapers as a 4-year-old.
As a teenager, I confirmed I wanted to be a television meteorologist. For that, I have “Good Morning America” weatherman Sam Champion, who was working at WPSD in Paducah, Kentucky, back then, along with WPSD meteorologist Paul Bouchereau to thank. Also, there’s former “Good Morning America” meteorologist John Coleman, who started the “The Weather Channel” back when it was fun and cutting edge.
It’s hard to believe my first network affiliate job was in 1996, more than a quarter of a century ago, in Rhinelander, Wisconsin. It was seven years after I graduated at Murray State University after gaining “experience” as a weatherman in the 1980s.
I am still grateful to this day that Mike Michalak, the news director, in Rhinelander, hired me!
My career has taken me all across the country and I’ve lived in some great places and some I’d never wish on my worst enemy. I’ve met some amazing people and some that, again, I’d never wish on my worst enemy. Okay, that part may not be true!
I’ve seen so many changes over my time in the business. I love computers and I don’t miss the plexiglass maps I used in college.
Normally, I’d draw on the two weather maps with a marker and wash it off the next day.
However, since I was getting my resume tape together to look for my first job, I spent the Christmas break cutting out fronts, rain and snow symbols, and high and low pressure systems from poster board and taped them to the plexiglass to make it look classier.
OMG, I’m still laughing (and thankful) that Mike hired me!
Another big change in the industry is how viewers communicate with us. That’s the real reason I’m venting today.
Back in the day (the 1990s), if you wanted to complain about the news or someone on the news, you had to call the station or write a letter and mail it!
These days people just fire off emails and social media rants without putting much thought into what they’re saying and they definitely don’t proof them!
Let me say that over the years, I’ve developed a thick skin when it comes to viewer comments. Back then, it would upset me.
Now, it just pisses me off — not because of their comments, but because I’m professional and diplomatic in my responses and I can’t really say what I’m really thinking!
This week was an especially trying one.
All of the forecasters in our area were calling for a decent snow, including me.
On the morning of the snow, I called for a range of 1″-6″ across our large portion of Central Illinois. We ended up getting 1″-4″!
But, that wasn’t enough for some and the vitriol came swift!
One guy called us “shitty weathermen” (I guess the two female meteorologists in the market are safe!).
Another guy emailed me and said we all need to go back to “metrological [sic] school”.
He didn’t like my “diplomatic” response when I told him how much snow had officially been measured in Decatur because he was just guesstimating the accumulation outside his house.
I closed with “You have a great day and be safe.” and “P.S. No thank you on going back to school. And, it’s ‘meteorological’.”
Well, that didn’t set well with him.
He replied back calling me “worthless” and closed his own postscript, “PS, “maybe” your PEOPLE skills need some work too. Your first reply sounded somewhat hostel [sic]. You failed at being diplomatic…..”
I’ve always replied to people when they send messages — good or bad. However, when people just want to argue, you’ll get one or two replies from me and then I ignore you.
My second (and final response) to him was “Have a great day Stan!”
And, he’s wrong!
In my initial response, I was truly being diplomatically because, in my mind, I had a three-word response for his belligerent email.
It starts with “Go”. And, only my dear sister and best friend, Tammy, knows the rest of it for sure! 🙂
As the wise poet Taylor Swift exclaimed in 2014…
I feel better already. Writing is such great therapy!
Anthony
P.S. While the nice people and their comments definitely outnumber the naysayers and mean people, here are three goodies from way back in the day.
These brought a smile and an eye roll to my face while writing this blog! 🙂
* In a letter to the station in Lubbock, Texas, on a story I did (1997): “there are plenty of people who are angry at your substandard investigative reporting.”
* Email from retired USMC Major Eric K. (August 2006): “I was very disappointed in your forecast…. I do know that if a Marine Corps weather specialist would miss a forecast by so much they would find themselves forecasting weather in Alaska. So, keep working on it. You will get better.”
* QC Media Review Message Board (March 2007): “Anthony is fine but lacks spark.”
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