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But Seriously …

Attitudes and Approaches to Conveying the Weather

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Book cover Weather on the Air

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Abstract

There was a time when the public stereotype of a scientist was distinctly negative: cold, unfeeling, analytical to a fault, interested only in his lab results, unable to communicate with others except in jargon. Interestingly, the biggest showcase for science that television has had since its founding—the weather report—pushes hard against that stereotype. Some broadcast meteorologists do favor a sober, technical approach, but energy, communication skills, and charisma are far more common attributes of the successful weathercaster. And wackiness has certainly been no stranger to the weather set. Costumes, chickens, cartoons, and various other exotica have appeared alongside today’s conditions and tomorrow’s outlook.

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Notes

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© 2010 Robert Henson

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Henson, R. (2010). But Seriously …. In: Weather on the Air. American Meteorological Society, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-935704-00-3_4

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