UPDATE JULY 28, 2014
Bob French files lawsuit against KBTX
UPDATE DECEMBER 10, 2013
Fmr. KBTX met Bob French claims discrimination and retaliation against station
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| Shel Winkley |
"I want to make sure the phrase 'I didn't know it was supposed to rain...snow...be severe...etc, etc' is able to leave the lips of the Brazos Valley," Winkley told mikemcguff.com. "Our goal is to make sure that we connect with folks on their level, whether that be social media (facebook, twitter, G+, you name it), on-air, KBTX.com, or even the old rusty, trusty weather-line. I'm privileged to have a talented team of meteorologists to work with and we all look forward to working more intimately with our viewers in order to bring them a better / more meaningful forecast."
"Shel served as interim Chief earlier in the year and demonstrated remarkable rapport and leadership skills with colleagues," KBTX VP/General Manager Mike Wright told mikemcguff.com. "We are counting on Shel to raise the bar and build on ratings we enjoy as the market leader."
This means the former morning met is moving up to replace the departed Bob French - who has been scrubbed from the station's website.
"KBTX is appreciative of Bob’s years of service with News 3 and he will always be part of the family," Wright told me.
As I blogged in late July, Bob French had been the chief weeknight weather anchor at KBTX since 1990. KBTX had put in former Weather Channel meteorologist Rich Johnson as a fill-in for Bob French a few months ago.
As for Winkley, his bio says that he joined the KBTX weather team in October of 2009. He was actually a former KBTX intern too. After graduating from, you guessed it, Texas A&M University in 2007 with a Bachelor's of Science Degree in Meteorology, Winkley went to work for KFDA in Amarillo for two years.
Now the station has to search for a morning meteorologist.
"KBTX continues to interview for that position but is narrowing our field of qualified candidates," Wright said. "We plan to announce a morning weather replacement by the end of August."
French did not respond to my request for comment.
UPDATE JULY 28, 2014
Bob French files lawsuit against KBTX
UPDATE DECEMBER 10, 2013
Fmr. KBTX met Bob French claims discrimination and retaliation against station
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