From The Mailbag

January 13, 2005, 6:10 pm
Posted by James Spann in General Thoughts
Rating: 5/5   Votes : 2
When we have to cover some soap opera for tornado coverage, we know some nasty mail is coming. Here is an interesting one from today:

"Thank you for once again grandstanding for all of us out here who can't do anything about. James Spann needs to really get it through his head when there is ever a weather event this does not give him the right to hold the television programming hostage. It seems to me that we could figure out the people that need all these dire warnings are out in the actual weather not in front of the t.v., so unless they are a proud soap bopper junkie like me they don't have a t.v. attached to them. I've appreciated ABC since I was about 5, but I haven't appreciated this affiliate since they left channel 6. Thank you."

I guess this person figures a tornado would never harm anyone safely inside watching a soap opera!!!!

There were other notes, but too many ugly words to print here. This is a family blog...
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Posted by  
on January 13, 2005, 6:29 pm
I, for one, appreciate the efforts of the whole staff at 33/40 during severe weather events.

Just remember, those who are soap junkies don't live in the "real world". ;)



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Posted by  
on January 13, 2005, 7:16 pm
Sounds like someone didn't takes their meds this morning!! Thanks for the great coverage as always!! I too, appreciate knowing what might be coming my way! :-) You guys are all great!!

Stephanie


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Posted by  
on January 13, 2005, 7:43 pm
Thanks James Spann and the 33/40 weather team for all you do. I like to watch All My Children too but you can't watch anything if you're dead because you didn't know a tornado was coming. I find myself more glued to the TV when you guys are on than any "slop" opera. Besides, everybody knows you can watch the last 15 minutes of those shows on Friday and get caught up for the week!

Thank you,

Angie
Stay-at-home-mom

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Posted by  
on January 13, 2005, 8:09 pm
How many severe weather days do we have versus normal, non-severe days?? 1 out of about 25?? There is nothing wrong with soap operas, however, I would much rather find about life-threatening weather than watching a soap opera, that will probably be seen in its entirety at a later time (VCR??). I was pleased with the coverage, and GREAT JOB by newcomer Jason Simpson, as well as all the regulars. Keep up the good work, no matter how negative folks can get!!!

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Posted by  
on January 13, 2005, 8:27 pm
It takes people at home watching the severe weather coverage to warn the people out in the weather about it. That person who wrote that needs to move to another city (like Jackson, MS for example) where none of the stations there do wall-to-wall coverage if they want to watch their nasty soaps during severe weather. Their attitude would change when they got injured during a storm that they knew nothing about. Thanks guys for all you do to warn us and keep us safe. The Lord has really blessed us here in Birmingham with you guys. Keep up the good work. Also, if Jason Simpson reads this, welcome home!

Shane

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Posted by Scot  
on January 13, 2005, 8:47 pm
Obviously, some people have not heard of SoapNet.

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Posted by Argus  
on January 13, 2005, 9:34 pm
They only pre-empted, what like the first five minutes of All My Children?

I understand having the severe weather coverage, and support 33/40's policy, but I can't seem to understand why 33/40 can't air the prime-time programming that we often lose during severe weather outbreaks later?



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Posted by  
on January 13, 2005, 9:40 pm
I think that person needs to take some CHILL PILLS you want to know somthing if the weather is bad I could care less about soaps or any other stupid TV shows. If a storm hits your house you might get hurt or KILLED I am glad we have pepole like the ones @ 3340!!!!! so CHILL OUT you can watch it tomorrow.

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Posted by  
on January 13, 2005, 10:03 pm
Wow! I still remember James Spann's weathertalk about a lady who got upset when "Atlantis" was interrupted by severe weather coverage. But, TV can wait. James Spann and these other weathermen are--to be honest--heroes. They are taking the time and effort to relay life-saving information to those who need it. Personally, I wouldn't care if it were a new episode of my favorite show or a repeat of my all-time favorite movie--I would be glad to see James Spann on. Besides, it's one of the few educational things on anyway! Long live free form severe weather coverage!

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Posted by  
on January 13, 2005, 11:11 pm
I have to pipe in on this one. I am a teacher at a high school in which was under a tornado warning for one hour. We have over five hundred students that we are responsible for and we are very thankful that we have TV to watch in times of severe weather. Get over yourself and think about someone else for a change. BTW- you ever thought about the 32 people in the Oak Grove community that might not have lost their lives if they had advanced warning of a tornado. I'm not saying that those people died because they didn't see someone on TV, but what if there was a life saved because of the broadcast? What if that life was yours?

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Posted by  
on January 14, 2005, 1:10 am
Well,Well some words people say doesnt mean a thing but the words you say about the weather can change peoples lives and the ones that are so into there soaps need to understand that other people want to know whats going on when its storming. Its not like the soaps change from day to day you could stop watching them for a month and still catch up cause they drag out a story line forever.so to the person saying she doesnt or he doesnt like james spann well they can kiss u know whatand catch the next episode...

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Posted by  
on January 14, 2005, 2:32 am
Even here in Huntsville, I long for the professionalism and decisive attitude James portrayed as I remember the April
storms of 1998. At the time, I was living in Moody. That was the F5 that destroyed Oak Grove and not only taught me all this doppler radar "vortex" stuff (I've never seen it so well defined), but living east of B'ham, I made my kids go into the basement while I peered from the top of the stairwell at James' continuing coverage. Knowing that weather moves from west to east,
at 9 PM, the rain ceased and it became deathly quiet. Luckily, the power stayed on, and although the West Jefferson County reports were coming in, James followed the storm as it hit Moody. About 3 miles north of me, the tornado destroyed the Bethel Baptist Church (my aunt, living south of Gadsden had the church sign fall into the ditch in front of her house) and just missed my Dad's house. I knew nothing until my father-in-law called from B'ham asking if the tornado had hit near us. Then James received reports of what had happened and immediately began broadcasting them. I can sit glued to him and the ABC 33/40 Team for hours if I feel any potential threat. I miss that up here in Huntsville, logging on daily to watch the video on the Internet. God help that poor person who needs a life so badly they have to have their "soap opera". God Bless You James Spann!

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Posted by  
on January 14, 2005, 7:29 am
yes... we need to take that lady and let her watch her programs in the heart of tornado ally ..like norman..okla.. i think ..god bless 3340 for keeping us safe....

dano ..haleyville ala .

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Posted by  
on January 14, 2005, 7:34 am
Well, comments like this really get me going. Having worked search and rescure on the Tuscaloosa 2000 tornado, I would love to tell the idiot that wrote this just how bad it can be. Like finding the missing baby the next morning dead. Seeing lives destroyed. And then coming across the occational person who said "Man, if it wasn't for James Span, I would be dead right now." God Bless you for what you do James, and everyone else there. I have one question for this person. Is ignorance truely bliss?

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Posted by  
on January 14, 2005, 9:07 am
James, pay no attention to the negative e-mails. This clueless woman who critisized you is likely one of those same people who are rescued from their destroyed home after a tornado....and immediately begin complaining loudly (to the nearest tv news crew) "WE GOT NO WARNING"!!!

To this woman (and others like her), a fictional soap opera is more important than "real life"; a potential life threatening tornado...that fact alone speaks volumes about her (lack of) intelligence. As someone who survived a tornado in 1974, I deeply appreciate the efforts of meteorologists such as yourself James, and appreciate television news directors who feel the same responsibility and sense of duty to keep the public informed during dangerous weather.




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Posted by  
on January 14, 2005, 9:42 am
I think all of you at ABC 33/40 do a WONDERFUL job!!! Those of us "normal" people who care about our family and friends appreciate your coverage so that we can be informed as well as pass on the message to others who may not be in front of a TV to know what is happening. I was at home (in Hillcrest Meadows) when the 12-16-2000 tornado hit my family and I were able to get into the hall, thanks to the coverage from your station. If I had been sitting in the living room or bedroom watching soap operas I wond have been seriously injured or may not even be here today. THANKS FOR ALL YOU DO!!!

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Posted by Linda  
on January 14, 2005, 9:53 am
James Spann and the weather group are the best I have ever seen. One life saved is worth more than ALL the soap operas in the world. I have gone to my place of safety several times due to ABC 33/40 coverage. I was glued to the tv during the April '98 tornado coverage since my Aunt and GrandMother, several cousins lived in the McDonald Chapel area, there was damage but they didn't loose their lives and James Spann has been my hero ever since!

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Posted by GetOverit  
on January 14, 2005, 11:14 am
What is the deal with all the Jackson, MS bashing.. geez get over it.

You ever think you may be offending people from other states?

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Posted by  
on January 14, 2005, 1:29 pm
How is it "bashing" Jackson by comparing severe wx coverage to Birmingham? I lived for over a year in metro Jackson, MS (Ridgeland)....and to be totally honest, the severe weather coverage there was not the same as in either Atlanta or Birmingham.

There were a couple excellent meteorologists on tv in Jackson, but I never recall wall-to-wall coverage during tornado threats...at least not while I lived there (1995-96).


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Posted by  
on January 14, 2005, 8:51 pm
Not trying to bash Jackson- I lived there for 2 years. But admit it- Birmingham severe wx coverage is far better than Jackson.

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Posted by  
on January 15, 2005, 7:44 am
Perhaps this lady should go and speak with the people of Rock Creek, Piedmont, Vestavia Hills, Gadsden, Jasper and a dozen other Alabama cities hit by tornadoes in recent years.

Ask them if All My Children is more important than knowing a tornado is breathing down your neck.

I for one have been a little annoyed at times when 33/40 pre-empts for a tornado 9 counties away from me, but then I come to my senses and realize that if them doing that saved 1 life, just 1, then it was all worth it.

I've been watching 33/40 since they went on the air in the late 90's and in my opinion, James alone is worth his weight in gold.

The number of lives this man has saved because of his on-air coverage most likely numbers in the 100's.



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Posted by  
on January 15, 2005, 9:25 pm
I can't but wonder how this woman thinks now, I know that she has read all of the comments everyone has put in on her bad mouthing James Spann.

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Posted by David Reed  
on January 16, 2005, 8:16 am
I was visiting Tuscaloosa on December 16, 2000 when the F-4 tornado hit. I was at a birthday party at Englewood Baptist Church, and was the first Amateur Radio Storm Spotter to report the tornado on the ground in the Englewood area. We were watching James' long form coverage before we lost power at the church, and then I went outside to check on things...and called it on the ground less than a couple of minutes later.

Those who criticize the long form coverage most likely have never seen a tornado up close and in person, as I have. It missed us by only 150 yards, and I, for one, am ever more grateful to James for pushing this coverage during severe weather outbreaks...there's no telling how many lives were saved that day in Tuscaloosa due to that coverage.

Blessings,

David


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Posted by  
on January 16, 2005, 11:23 am
I love to watch soaps as much as anyone (I tape them while I work to watch later) But I have enough sense to know that severe weather coverage is MUCH more important Thanks guys for the great work. To the lady with the stupid message - get SoapNet and catch up on the weekend or better yet - get a job!

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