I happened to notice a new news “promo” clip during today’s noon news on Fox 4.  These things are on all the time, and I usually tune them out, but this one caught my attention because it actually had the audacity to show some of the station’s viewers in a rather unflattering light.

One of the things that I like about Fox 4 news is their viewer’s voice segment, mainly because they’re not afraid to let their viewers have enough rope to hang themselves.  Almost invariably after a severe weather outbreak Fox 4 will get irate callers berating them for interrupting their favorite show to cover the weather.  The best (and most irate) callers are usually those who are fairly distant from the weather event.

The promo starts with video of various severe weather events: ominous clouds, lightening, rain, winds, and tornadoes.  The voice-overs, though, are audio from the aforementioned irate callers.  I especially liked the juxtaposition of the picture of a tornado and a house with a missing roof and an angry woman screaming that they need to stop covering the weather.  Then the spot flashes to text that states (as best as I can remember it): “When severe weather strikes…  we will always break in.”  Right about this time they cut back to more severe weather video, but they audio is now from people who called to thank Fox 4 for covering the weather.

I tend to agree with Fox 4 on this one.  I know that more than once I’ve tuned to them after my weather radio has gone off to see exactly where the storm is right now and where it’s headed so I can determine if I need to go cower in the bathroom   or if I can relax. 

Granted, the sun may be shining in your neighborhood right now, but since a TV station is something of a blunt instrument, their warnings aren’t always going to apply to everyone.  In the grand scheme of things American Idol or House is but a passing bit of trivia as compared to imminent death from above (whether your own or that of someone on the other side of the metroplex).