Thank You Nancy Naeve!!

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I love Ms. Naeve sticking up for the storm coverage!! Those of us who have worked in television have dealt with the viewers that are angry because the tornado is not striking their neighborhood (something for which you'd think they would be appreciative).

Meteorologists: There is a second, more subtle thing I wish to point out. Note that Ms. Davelaar, the woman covered in the story, called her daughter about the warnings. This is behavior identified by social scientists. People wish to "confirm" the threat after receiving an official warning. That can be done by looking out the window (which may be dangerously misleading if the tornado is rain-wrapped), calling someone on the phone, or switching to another channel.

Meteorologists love to think that people take cover solely because we advise them to. Social scientists have let us know it is more complex than that.

Wednesday UPDATE: A Cleveland station explains its tornado coverage.

Comments

  1. NBOTECMay 13, 2014 at 10:09 AM

    Bless that lady. Joe Lauria in the KC market posted about the same thing on his blog recently. I can't believe the nerve about some people. A threat is a threat and TV markets have to count everyone in their area, even the smaller ones.

    ReplyDelete
  2. The Clutter CutterMay 13, 2014 at 10:11 PM

    Good for her!!!

    ReplyDelete

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