At Least 50 Local Tv Meteorologists Across The Country Have Been Laid Off — Here's Why

Local meteorologists who beryllium to 27 news stations nether nan Allen Media Group are now facing layoffs.

Allen Media, which acquired The Weather Channel for $300 cardinal successful March 2018, said successful a spot merchandise that nan institution is rolling retired a "groundbreaking" caller format for conception upwind news that will beryllium produced astatine The Weather Channel's agency successful Atlanta, Georgia. The newly-created hub will nonstop a provender of upwind forecasts and updates to conception stations and beryllium led by a 20-year seasoned of The Weather Channel, meteorologist Carl Parker.

A personification acquainted pinch nan matter told CNN Business connected Tuesday that nan modulation will consequence successful astatine slightest 50 conception meteorologists being laid off, though immoderate will beryllium offered a spot connected nan Atlanta squad moving nether Parker.

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Other manufacture veterans, however, are being shown nan door.

Local meteorologists affected by layoffs personification been disclosing they were fto spell connected societal media. News anchor Patrece Dayton and main meteorologist Kevin Orpurt, immoderate pinch WTHI-TV successful Terre Haute, Indiana, gave their past broadcast together connected Thursday. Dayton had been reporting pinch nan position for astir 37 years and Orpurt for complete 40 years.

"For those of you who don't know, immoderate of our positions are being eliminated coming astatine WTHI-TV," Dayton said. "The tv news business successful wide is changing nationwide and money cuts are happening everywhere."

Amber Kulick, a WAAY-TV meteorologist based successful Huntsville, Ala, wrote successful a Facebook station connected Friday that she was affected by nan layoffs.

"By now astir of you personification astir apt seen nan chatter astir Allen media letting conception meteorologists go, bully I americium 1 that will beryllium affected by this," Kulick wrote.

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Josh Franson, a KWWL-TV meteorologist based successful Eastern Iowa, took to X to position that he was affected by layoffs too.

"Hey guys, If you haven't heard nan caller news astir nan layoffs, I wanted to banal that our position is 1 of those impacted," he wrote.

Hey guys, If you haven't heard nan caller news astir nan layoffs, I wanted to banal that our position is 1 of those impacted. It was an assistance to forecast nan upwind for Eastern Iowa. I americium truthful grateful to KWWL for this opportunity. #wxtwitter #iawx pic.twitter.com/eRKBuSvXlE

— Josh Franson ☈ (@FrannyWX) January 18, 2025

According to Pew Research from May 2024, astir 90% of Americans who recreation conception news do truthful for accusation astir nan weather, nan highest retired of immoderate different people of news.

The caller inaugural will leverage The Weather Channel's precocious technology, for illustration innovative forecasting devices and immersive mixed reality, to coming upwind news pinch precocious ocular storytelling elements, according to nan spot release.

"We are 1 100 percent committed to delivering next-level upwind news to our conception tv stations 24/7," said Tom O'Brien, president of Weather Group/The Weather Channel, successful a spot release.

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