Meteorologists Interrupt Popular TV to Save Lives, Spark Audience Anger

[RKP5637]

Some people are absolute idiots! Selfish beyond belief!

http://www.accuweather.com/en/features/trend/meteorologists_interrupt_tv_tornado_warnings/31220037

Soccer fans in parts of northern Pennsylvania and New York missed the last minutes of the FIFA World Cup 2014 final earlier this month due to an interruption for potentially deadly severe weather.

The interruption sparked anger and frustration among some viewers of the Elmira, New York, ABC affiliate WENY, who made the decision to cut away for live coverage of a tornado warning.

"If it was me, I'd do the same thing," Birmingham, Alabama, Television Meteorologist James Spann said. "Will hate mail come? Will the haters come? Absolutely."

The most important responsibility for a television meteorologist or weather reporter, according to Spann, is to pass along critical warnings concerning weather events that could potentially injure or kill members of the community in the station's designated market area, or DMA.

It does not matter what the television program's subject matter is, Spann said, adding that it could be soccer, popular musical performances, football, soap operas or a news broadcast, some viewers will become upset when it is interrupted.
Elmira market viewers took to Twitter with a storm of angry tweets following the station's live coverage that continued until the end of the World Cup final.

"You know, haters are going to hate," Spann said. "They're going to come after you, but you just have to remember that you have to do the right thing. And doing the right thing is passing along critical weather information that could save somebody's life."

[al_liberal]

1. No not idiots.

Those assholes do that shit here in North Alabama and all they are are assholes. If a major storm front is moving through, if a tornado is on the ground, alert me. But these fame whores take over the airwaves as soon as there is a cloud in the sky and won't relinquish them until the sun is out. There was even one weather person that would issue his own alerts.

[RKP5637]

2. Yep, that's unfortunate, needless alerts and panic! n/t

[ProdigalJunkMail]

6. we have the same sorts here in GA

they will dramatize every damned drop of rain... there is no wonder people get pissed.

i actually think we're going to end up with a "boy who cried wolf" scenario here... people are so burned out on the yahoo's trumpeting about cold fronts that people will ignore the real danger when it comes. and people will die.

sP

[2pooped2pop]

8. yep

exactly

[tinymontgomery]

3. All of the alerts that interrupt my programing

comes during the show, once the commercials start no more alerts, show starts back to being interrupted.

[RKP5637]

4. You know, thinking back, that's happened to me also! n/t

[Journeyman]

5. They've never heard of chyrons? Doesn't get your face out there, but the warning is broadcast . . .

[ProdigalJunkMail]

7. if it doesn't get the attention whores facetime then it ain't worth doin'... nt