You are browsing the archive for Broadcasting Archives - Dan's Wild Wild Science Journal.
22 October 2011
After April 27th, Would Congress Cut Weather Radar??
I’m just back from attending the GOES Users Conference (GUC) in Birmingham, AL. The GOES images are the cloud pictures you see on almost every TV weathercast in America, and for that matter, the Western Hemisphere. These satellites are positioned above the Equator at a very high altitude-about a tenth of the way to the Moon! As you likely already know, they are so high because at that height they …
28 August 2011
Don’t Blame The Forecaster for Media/Politician Hype
You can see some experimental surge forecasts here, but they are based on a model underdevelopment, so do not base decisions on this alone. The surge forecasts show about what would be expected with a category one storm. Watching some of the cable news channels last night I saw computer images showing severe flooding through out Manhattan, and this is just not going to be the case with a …
18 August 2011
It’s Time For Meteorologists On TV To Stand Up For Science
Guest post by Joe Witte (former meteorologist for NBC and WJLA-TV in Washington, and now with George Mason Univ. and NASA Goddard) This post originally appeared on the WJLA Weather blog, and Joe has kindly given me permission to repost it here: Can we really trust TV weather forecasters for accurate information about the science of climate change? Not really, more and more Americans think. That’s according to the recently released …
11 July 2011
Tom Vandyck Gets It Right
While I still see some of the “he said/ she said” type journalism on climate science in the U.S. media, I agree with the thrust of Tom Vandyck’s piece that the coverage of climate science is improving, and more accurately describes the overwhelming consensus. There are some notable exceptions, especially in smaller media markets, and of course on Rupert Murdoch’s outlets like Fox News and the Wall Street Journal (Including …
27 June 2011
The New Normal- and yes it’s hotter.
I have spent the week here in Oklahoma City (home actually) at the American Meteorological Society’s 35th Conf. on Broadcast Meteorology. My wife and I have a home just a few blocks north of the location, so it’s been nice to have the annual meeting in our back yard. There are really not that many people on air who have a background in atmospheric physics, and the AMS denotes …
13 June 2011
Why the Media Screws Up Science- Courtesy potholer54
This is one excellent video essay by an experienced science journalist. Why the media screws up science. So true, and it should be required watching for reporters.
7 April 2011
Coming to PBS: Earth-The Operator’s Manual
Bud Ward, of the Yale Forum for Climate and Media, has organised another climate change seminar for TV weathercasters in Oklahoma later this month. I’m one of the presenters and it’s very humbling to be on the same stage as some of the smartest climate experts in the world. Many on air weather people remain skeptical of the science, but having a chance to listen and ask questions of those who …
15 February 2011
What is it about climate change that makes smart people say silly things?
I am constantly amazed at the number of smart people who make a right turn into a brick wall when it comes to climate change. There are plenty examples and they all have one thing in common. They usually come from well educated people, (with a science background) who repeat myths about climate change that they’ve read or heard. If they took the time to research the claim they are …
4 January 2011
Ever Seen One of These In Your Bird Feeder??
A few weeks ago it was frost flowers and now another strange ice formation is spotted here in the Tennessee Valley. This time it’s an ice spike. Merlin (Mo) Marice of Huntsville in Alabama went out to check his bird bath Monday morning and was greeted with this! He called and sent me the pic in search of an explanation. My initial guess was that the top of the ice …
31 December 2010
Science Education in America
We aired this just after Christmas. My thanks to photojournalist David Wood whose work (as always) is excellent. Dan
Dan Satterfield has worked as an on air meteorologist for 32 years in Oklahoma, Florida and Alabama. Forecasting weather is Dan's job, but all of Earth Science is his passion. This journal is where Dan writes about things he has too little time for on air. Dan blogs about peer-reviewed Earth science for Junior High level audiences and up.