John Coleman (meteorologist) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
John Coleman
|
|
|---|---|
.jpg)
Coleman in November 2007
|
|
| Born |
John Stewart Coleman
October 15, 1934 Alpine, Texas, U.S.
|
| Died | January 20, 2018 (aged 83) |
| Alma mater | University of Illinois Bachelors in Journalism, 1957 |
| Occupation | Journalist / Television Weatherman |
| Years active | 1953–2014 |
| Spouse(s) | Linda Coleman |
John Stewart Coleman (born October 15, 1934 – died January 20, 2018) was a well-known American television weatherman. He helped create The Weather Channel with Frank Batten. He was even its first chief executive officer and president for a short time. John Coleman retired from broadcasting in 2014 after working for almost 61 years. His last 20 years were spent at KUSI-TV in San Diego.
Contents
John Coleman's Career in TV Weather
John Coleman began his career in 1953 at WCIA in Champaign, Illinois. He gave the early evening weather forecast. At the same time, he hosted a local music show called At The Hop. This was while he was a student at the University of Illinois.
After getting his journalism degree in 1957, he became a weather anchor. He worked at WMBD-TV in Peoria, Illinois. Later, he worked at KETV in Omaha, WISN-TV in Milwaukee, and then WBBM-TV and WLS-TV in Chicago.
Creating the Chroma Key Weather Map
In 1972, John Coleman and his team at WLS-TV made something new. They created the very first chroma key weather map. This is the "green screen" technology that allows weathermen to stand in front of a map that isn't really there.
Coleman became the first weatherman for the new ABC morning show, Good Morning America. He stayed with this popular show for seven years. It was hosted by David Hartman and Joan Lunden.
Starting The Weather Channel
In 1981, John Coleman convinced a businessman named Frank Batten to help him. Together, they started The Weather Channel. Coleman was the CEO and President during the channel's first year. After leaving The Weather Channel, Coleman worked at WCBS-TV in New York. Then he went to WMAQ-TV in Chicago. In 1994, he moved to Southern California. He joined KUSI-TV in San Diego. He called this his "retirement job." He left KUSI suddenly in April 2014.
Awards and Memberships
John Coleman became a professional member of the American Meteorological Society (AMS). In 1983, he was named AMS Broadcast Meteorologist of the Year. However, he later left the AMS. He felt the organization was more focused on politics than on science.
John Coleman's Views on Climate Change
John Coleman often spoke about his views on global warming. In 2007, he said he "rejected" the idea of global warming. He believed it was not happening or was not caused by humans.
In 2015, he wrote a letter to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. He claimed that there was no proof that rising levels of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the air caused temperatures to rise. He called global warming the "greatest scam in history." He made many claims that were different from what most scientists believed about climate science.
It's important to know that John Coleman had a bachelor's degree in journalism. He stated in interviews that he had not done scientific research on climate change. His views on climate change were a reason he decided to leave the American Meteorological Society.
John Coleman's Personal Life
John Coleman was born in 1934 in Alpine, Texas. He was the youngest of five children. His mother, Hazel Coleman, was a math teacher. His father, Claude Coleman, was a college professor.
John Coleman was married two times. He had three children with his first wife. He met his second wife, Linda, at a poker table. They were married for eighteen years. In May 2016, John and Linda Coleman moved to Las Vegas, Nevada. John Coleman passed away on January 20, 2018, at his home in Las Vegas.
Awards
- 1983 – Broadcast Meteorologist of the Year, American Meteorological Society.
