This has been an exercises in frustration. I volunteered to coordinate judging of the Weathercaster Emmy for the Mid-America region (basically St. Louis and Kansas City) and sent out dozens of invitations to other weather people around New England, including many who I know enter themselves... and got very few responses.
If it weren't for the fact that it was summer, some folks were on vacation, the AMS convention had taken place last week, I'd name names because I'm pissed. I don't mind that only a few people said yes. I'm more upset at how many didn't respond at all!
Anyone who enters the Emmy's expects more... and deserves it.
Our Emmy panel was comprised of Matt Scott and Gil Simmons and me from WTNH, Michael Friedman from Fox61 (WTIC TV) and Jayne Smith (meteorologist and former weather intern turned weather producer). We watched 9 tapes. Helaine was the 'caterer' and as is always the case, we ate wonderfully... and then had pizza for good measure.
The rules say I shouldn't discuss individual tapes, and I won't, but I will discuss the general quality of the entrants and the tape content itself. No one really stood out. There were two who I thought were better than the rest... but not by much. There is less of an edge or style to these Midwestern folks than what we see here in the East and a lot more nuts and bolts meteorology (which I'm by no means criticizing).
By and large, there was not enough "talent at chromakey" on the tapes.
It seems all but one of these entrants confused a good location with a good presentation. Because you're somewhere, and something beyond your control has happened, doesn't mean what you're doing is special.
Don Fitzpatrick, TV talent guru, used to talk about reporter audition tapes that included a live shot from the president coming to town. Unless you got that exclusive one-on-one with the prez, ditch the tape.
At this hour, all our score sheets (which I haven't sneaked a peek at) are in the Airborne envelope, waiting to go out with the tapes on Monday.
