Local TV Meteorologist Tears Up On-Air Following Nationwide Layoffs: ‘Tonight Is Our Last Broadcast’
Meteorologists at more than two dozen stations across the United States have said their goodbyes due to a new initiative involving The Weather Channel.
Many local weather forecasters bid farewell to viewers last week as parent company Allen Media Group announced their plan to begin rolling out a “groundbreaking format for local weather coverage powered by The Weather Channel.”
In a news release, the media group said The Weather Channel will now be producing content for the impacted stations at the network’s base in Atlanta, according to National Public Radio (NPR).
About 100 meteorologists are losing their jobs as a result, according to Spencer Denton, a meteorologist with CBS affiliate WVLT in Knoxville, Tenn. — which is not a part of Allen Media Group — as well as Christina Burkhart with ABC affiliate WJRT in South Michigan, whose station was impacted.
Two other meteorologists saying goodbye were Patrece Dayton and Kevin Orpurt of CBS affiliate WTHI-TV in Terre Haute, Indiana, who brought a box of tissues with them as they signed off for a final time.
“Many of you may already know, but tonight is our last broadcast here at News 10. Kevin and I have come into your home for decades,” said Dayton. “‘For those of you who don’t know, both of our positions are being eliminated here at WTHI-TV.The television news business in general is changing nationwide and budget cuts are happening everywhere.”
“We had both hoped to go out on our own terms to celebrate, but that’s not the case,” added Orput.
Orpurt continued, “As you can see on the evening news each night, we are a close family here at News 10. We laugh, sometimes we argue like an old married couple and we’ve cried together. We’ve gone through so much.”
As she began to tear up, Dayton added, “For the final time, goodnight and sleep well.”
Amber Kulick was also among the meteorologists who said goodbye to viewers on Friday. In a post on her Facebook page, the former forecaster for ABC affiliate WAAY-TV said she “never imagined I would finally work in Huntsville only to have my time cut short.”
“I know my management team has done everything they can to make this better,” she explained in the post, “but this is at a corporate level so please don’t bad mouth WAAY on this post. I’ll land on my feet I always do.”
She later added, “To my friends and family here in north Alabama, I love you and I’m so thankful for your support in this journey 🫶.”
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Meanwhile, Josh Franson announced his job at NBC affiliate KWWL was impacted by the change in a series of posts on X, formerly known as Twitter.
“To my viewers and those of you who have been on Frannys Report since day one, thank you,” Franson wrote. “You guys have kept me motivated to grow, take you to unimaginable places, and show you the most powerful forces of nature.”
The Weather Channel was purchased by the Allen Media Group for $300 million in March 2018, according to CNN.
Layoffs at stations owned by Allen Media Group were first announced in 2024, per Deadline.
“I don’t think this is a good move and I don’t see it being successful,” Denton, who is employed by Gray Media, said in his Facebook post. “It may save money in the short term, but takes away value and credibility in the long term. I personally know some in this group that were let go. They are wonderful people, employees and meteorologists.”
