Angela Buchman to move to rival station WTHR
by Katie Kutsko
Staff writer, Five Rights News
Chris Wright, chief meteorologist for WTHR-TV Channel 13, stands at his weather station.
Emmy Award-winning meteorologist Angela Buchman, WISH-TV Channel 8, plans to jump to rival station WTHR-TV Channel 13, Indiana Business Journal (IBJ) reported Wednesday.
It is unclear whether current WTHR chief meteorologist Chris Wright, will remain at the station. Wright also is unsure of his future.
“Hope so [to stay at WTHR]. You just never know,” Wright said. “But, I’ll always be a weather person. I would at another station. You’d have to [move], but I would prefer not to.”
New York-based Nielsen Media research ratings released Wednesday for the May sweeps period point to trouble for the four major local stations. WTHR’s ratings fell 34.3 percent at 5 p.m., 16.3 percent at 6 p.m. and 17.8 percent at 11 p.m. However, WTHR remains the most-watched station in the market, and in order to maintain that position, the station is moving to hire Buchman, IBJ reported.
Wright also made the move from WISH to WTHR in 1999 and understands that the station made a business move.
“They [WTHR] want to help their station and hurt their competitor by taking something of theirs,” Wright said.
Changes in the industry mean that weather forecasters have to remain flexible and ready to accept whatever comes their way according to Wright.
“When I first started in the business, there were maps with metal magnets,” he said. “And then we started with older computers. That’s how I got my first job. The older meteorologist refused to use a computer.”
Wright directed comments about the IBJ report to news director Keith Connors or general manager John Cardenas. But he did say that because of contract rules, Buchman would have to wait a year before going on-air for WTHR.
Wright said that change is inevitable.
“In TV, the only thing to count on is change,” he said. “People who last adapt to change: technology, ways of doing things, management, ownership. It always requires change.”
Filed Under: News
