Meteorology Certificates

[sinklair]

Bryan Bachman just announced that he received the CBM meteorological endorsement from the National Weather Service. Wondering what everyone thinks about whether these certificates matter these days. Stations end up spending a lot of money and time promoting it, but do viewers really care? It reminds me of the good ole days when stations used to promote the bigger and badder Doppler Radar... only to be mocked by viewers since the data was all the same in the end. Isn’t a CBM endorsed local weather person just as likely to screw up the forecast as a non-CBM met?

25-66 doesn’t have a certified met, yet Ahmad is one of the better weathercasters, especially when it comes down to explaining the weather. 25-66 doesn’t even have an “official” Chief Meteorologist since Jamie Kagol left... but that’s because the former GM/egomaniac and the current In Over Her Head News Director are too cheap to pay Ahmad more mid-contract. Ahmad will likely leave to go to a much bigger market when an opportunity opens.

But if you’re a non-certified meteorologist right out of college who doesn’t want to get paid, work the worst weekend shift, have to report as an MMJ, have to put up with bad management and Leslie Toldo’s erratic mood swings , apply here:

https://edyy.fa.us2.oraclecloud.com/hcm ... m=jobshare

[Herm]

Bryan Bachman just announced that he received the CBM meteorological endorsement from the National Weather Service. Wondering what everyone thinks about whether these certificates matter these days. Stations end up spending a lot of money and time promoting it, but do viewers really care? It reminds me of the good ole days when stations used to promote the bigger and badder Doppler Radar... only to be mocked by viewers since the data was all the same in the end. Isn’t a CBM endorsed local weather person just as likely to screw up the forecast as a non-CBM met?

25-66 doesn’t have a certified met, yet Ahmad is one of the better weathercasters, especially when it comes down to explaining the weather. 25-66 doesn’t even have an “official” Chief Meteorologist since Jamie Kagol left... but that’s because the former GM/egomaniac and the current In Over Her Head News Director are too cheap to pay Ahmad more mid-contract. Ahmad will likely leave to go to a much bigger market when an opportunity opens.

But if you’re a non-certified meteorologist right out of college who doesn’t want to get paid, work the worst weekend shift, have to report as an MMJ, have to put up with bad management and Leslie Toldo’s erratic mood swings , apply here:

https://edyy.fa.us2.oraclecloud.com/hcm ... m=jobshare

I’m pretty sure Ahmad has a degree in meteorology. Am I wrong about that? I specifically remember having a conversation with Schram when I had to change all his supers to say meteorologist.

[sinklair]

Yes, Ahmad has a degree from CMU (Go Chips!). That way Ahmad (and others) can call himself a meteorologist.

No NWS/AWS/CBM certification, which is why I question is that endorsement really necessary in the minds of viewers. I would have thought news directors like Schramm would have pushed for the additional certification...

[Dudley]

Meaningless? Unless you're talking about anything L0l 1o1 posts! Now that is meaningless!

[Deleted User 4520]

Wait, what? Jamie Kagol left?? When did this happen and why? Who replaced him?

[MasterB]

I thought they had to have CBM/AWS at least one of those to do weather on TV?

[sinklair]

Force: Kagol was forced out in “the purge” by the former GM/accountant in chief/egomaniac and the In Over Her Head News Director. They said he wasn’t any good and wouldn’t renew his contract. So he’s now working in Phoenix — the guy who wasn’t good enough for Flint, market 65, now is working in market 12. These are the idiotic decisions being made on Pierson Road. Ahmad Bajjey is now doing evening weather, but they didn’t name him Chief Meteorologist. Everyone believes Ahmad will bolt for Detroit or a bigger market once his contract is up.

Master: There’s no requirement to have a met certificate, however most stations (not 25-66) make the met degree and NWS certificate a requirement.

[MasterB]

Thank you Sinklair, they should have a met to degree to do weather on TV.

[km1125]

...Master: There’s no requirement to have a met certificate, however most stations (not 25-66) make the met degree and NWS certificate a requirement.

Am I reading this wrong or are you saying "there's no requirement" but "there is a requirement"?

[Deleted User 15331]

It's up the station to determine whether a candidate is required to have an AMS certificate.
The AMS test is a tough one.

[sinklair]

Thanks Midland for clarifying my post. Yes, the stations can determine whether or not to require the AMS Seal.

Up until now, all 25-66 Chief Mets have had a NWS seal: Mark T/Lovin had a seal. Ty Shesky (hired by Kathy Reynolds) had a seal. Jamie Kagol (hired by Mike Schramm) had a seal. But Ahmad Bajjey (promoted by the In Over Her Head News Director after the purge) doesn’t.

Don’t get me wrong, Ahmad is a strong forecaster, great at explaining weather phenomenon. That’s why I question how impactful the seals are. Do viewers care? Do news directors only care from a promotional point of view? Does the additional training make a difference in improving accuracy?

We just posted a weekend weather caster position without the seal requirement. So apparently the current regime doesn’t care about weather seals.

Thanks for everyone who provided good insight.

[organman95]

I thought Eric Jylha (I forget how to spell his last name) didn't have a degree at TV5?

[MasterB]

Ty Sheky now works at WXMI Fox17 for a few years now does a good job doing the weather.