Football—it’s a big deal, and you don’t have to just take my word for it; Fox 32 in Chicago can back that up.
The Philadelphia Eagles faced off against the Buffalo Bills on Sunday, resulting in a tense 13-12 defensive battle, with the Eagles emerging victorious at Highmark Stadium.
Meanwhile, parts of Illinois were experiencing severe weather, including tornado warnings. During this critical time, Chicago’s Fox 32 opted to bring in Chief Meteorologist Emily Wahls via audio, showing a radar of a potential tornado. But here’s where they the approach was a bit unorthodox—they didn’t completely cut off the football game like most stations would. Instead, they chose to display a split-screen, with the game taking up the larger portion of the screen.
Honestly, I thought it was a cool move, considering I’m someone who appreciates both sports and weather. Other outlets could learn something here. But, um, let’s not gloss over the part where Fox 32 may have fumbled the ball.
When the Eagles-Bills game went to a commercial break, guess what? Fox 32 did the same thing, right in the middle of a possible tornado. I mean, opportunities for ad revenue can’t be missed! They did keep the radar visible even after taking down the audio, but I do wonder—how many people can actually interpret weather radar? I had to figure it out myself, and it wasn’t easy.
“Can you guys let me know, do we need to go to this commercial? Okay, so we’re going to take the commercial, and we’ll be right back,” Wahls said.
Look, I completely understand the need for revenue in today’s economy, but during a tornado warning…? That feels a bit off.
