Gene Norman out at KHOU

[TexasTVNews 1367]

The Houston Chronicle is reporting that KHOU 11 chief meteorologist Gene Norman is gone. In fact the man is nowhere to be found on KHOU's website either. Crazy because we are still in November sweeps.

 

KHOU president and GM Susan McEldoon says that David Paul will take over most of the 6 & 10pm duties for the time being, with Chita Johnson and Mario Gomez also contributing while a permanent replacement is announced.

 

Norman spent a decade working in Houston for a NASA contractor and worked for five years in the late 1990s for KTRK, Norman spent seven years as chief meteorologist at Atlanta station WGCL before returning to Houston in February 2008 as successor to Dr. Neil Frank, who retired in May 2008.

Norman’s bio no longer appears on the KHOU website.

http://mikemcguff.blogspot.com/2012/11/gene-norman-out-at-khou-11.html

[mark 55]

Wow. A big surprise. I personally hope David Paul ends up as the permanent chief met.

 

You all may be interested, check out this video to see hints of more changes at KHOU: http://www.khou.com/weather/Houston-Forecast-Cold-clear-night-179826791.html

[MorningNews 1302]

It's due time David Paul or Mario Gomez to be positioned into the led meteorologist. Sucks to see Gene especially reading the possible rifts behind the scenes. Channel 13 still has the best weather team in town!

[NewsStar2 90]

Sort of mixed on this one... Always thought the natural successor to Dr. Neil Frank would've been the late Dan Meador for various reasons, and was kind of disappointed when they hired Gene.

 

That said, he seemed like an ok enough guy in terms of presentation - minus the "Norman Number". I don't care for gimmicks.

 

Similarly, that brings up the many returns of Dr. Neil for hurricanes. While I understand the desire to boost your newscasts with the use of 'experts' (see KPRC's use of Bill Read, Ex director of the NHC), it sort of downplays the supposed integrity of your own assets, so Gene and his team never seemed to be out of the shadow.

 

Just saying, who seems in charge in the photo below?

 

[MorningNews 1302]

They never seemed to give Gene the real chance to show off his skills. Durning hurricanes they would always bring back Dr. Neil Frank.

[bixpchiphead 105]

Sort of mixed on this one... Always thought the natural successor to Dr. Neil Frank would've been the late Dan Meador for various reasons, and was kind of disappointed when they hired Gene.

 

That said, he seemed like an ok enough guy in terms of presentation - minus the "Norman Number". I don't care for gimmicks.

 

Similarly, that brings up the many returns of Dr. Neil for hurricanes. While I understand the desire to boost your newscasts with the use of 'experts' (see KPRC's use of Bill Read, Ex director of the NHC), it sort of downplays the supposed integrity of your own assets, so Gene and his team never seemed to be out of the shadow.

 

Just saying, who seems in charge in the photo below?

 

They never seemed to give Gene the real chance to show off his skills. Durning hurricanes they would always bring back Dr. Neil Frank.

 

Somewhat like Dave Barnes (Former head of the NWS in New Orleans) the guy that succeded Nash Roberts as the day to day met at WWL-TV.

WWL still paid Nash's Weather service for presentations and forecasts during hurricaines.

 

This may have irked Barnes a bit as Nash viewed the National Weather Service forecasting output as "the house thinking".

[PelicanGuy 117]

Channel 4 STILL brought in Nash when Carl Arredondo was the chief met....up until Hurricane Georges.

 

Had he been well enough - God bless that man - and was more inclined to get away from his ailing wife, he still would be in there during hurricanes.