I have both seals...took the MSU, and the reason I was always hired for a job was because I was what that station was looking for at that particular time.
That's the way it is. That's the way it will always be. This is not the high church.. It's just television. Besides radio, we are the lowest rung of show biz. That's why stations spend a fortune on new graphics and studios and music.
And the continual dumbing down of our world will just make those components more so.
Look at the poor sportscasters. All of their jobs are going to functional illiterates who happened to play the pro game for 2 years. I would always prefer a journalist sportscaster who has great skills.....but, that person is being replaced by a 2nd team wide receiver for the Seattle Seahawks. Who cares? In fact..the Seattle CBS has an ex jock who is their main news anchor. Is that fair to "Degreed Journalists"?????? no...but..guess what...life is not fair.
Let me also say that I have worked with degreed mets who ripped and read...and those who poured over models like they were looking for secrets of the universe....and they both got the forecast wrong! I have been beaten out of jobs by folks with no clue about the weather. And I have gotten the job before when I know there was a guy with a masters in met. who wanted it. Once again, I got the gig cuz that's what the news director was looking for that "day."
Let's face it. If the top dog wxperson in town is a degreed no frills geek type. Guess what?..the other stations will probably go the other way and hire more of a personality.
It's so embarrassing and cumbersome when at least twice a year there is an ongoing feud in Shoptalk...and other forums like this when this matter is discussed. If you can't handle the fact that others, who in your opinion, are not worthy, get the gig, go and teach at the university..or start your own forecasting company. I never got into TV to do weather. Like many others I fell into the gig. I went back to school and got all the education I could. And guess what?? I like it and others like me are not going anywhere.
So, take a powder. Go back and sooth your nerves with the Nested Grid Model.
We'll be seeing you in that stack of tapes on the news director's floor. Let the best person for the gig win.
Neal Barton
KSTW-TV