Doug Weathers
Encyclopedia
William Douglas Weathers (born September 22, 1931) is a television
journalist
in Savannah, Georgia
and the former WTOC-TV
anchorman and News Director. He anchored his last broadcast on May 23, 2001.
Doug Weathers was born in Marianna, Florida
.
during the Korean War
.
After Korea, he re-enlisted and was ordered to Hunter Army Airfield
in Savannah in 1954.
, operating the studio cameras and helping with the production of the news broadcast.
In 1962, he was promoted to news director and anchorman.
He left WTOC-TV to anchor the news at WJCL-TV in 1973 when WJCL-TV gained the ability to broadcast in color.
WJCL was, at the time, last in the 6 o'clock news ratings
. With Weathers on the news desk they leapt to number 1 and stayed at, or near, the top until WTOC hired Weathers back in 1979.
He served as Head of News and Public Affairs and Anchor of WTOC The News at Six until his retirement in 2001.
Viewers claimed it was part of his appeal.
His popularity never flagged and WTOC's newscasts remained firmly atop the local ratings.
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
in Savannah, Georgia
Savannah, Georgia
Savannah is the largest city and the county seat of Chatham County, in the U.S. state of Georgia. Established in 1733, the city of Savannah was the colonial capital of the Province of Georgia and later the first state capital of Georgia. Today Savannah is an industrial center and an important...
and the former WTOC-TV
WTOC-TV
WTOC-TV is the CBS-affiliated television station for Southeastern Georgia's Coastal Empire and Southern South Carolina's Lowcountry. Licensed to Savannah, Georgia, it broadcasts a high definition digital signal on VHF channel 11 from a transmitter along Fort Argyle Road/SR 204 in unincorporated...
anchorman and News Director. He anchored his last broadcast on May 23, 2001.
Doug Weathers was born in Marianna, Florida
Marianna, Florida
Marianna is a city in Jackson County, Florida, United States. The population was 6,230 at the 2000 census. As of 2004, the population estimated by the U.S. Census Bureau is 6,200 . It is the county seat of Jackson County and is home to Chipola College...
.
Military career
According to a bio provided by WTOC.com, Weathers served in the United States ArmyUnited States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
during the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
.
After Korea, he re-enlisted and was ordered to Hunter Army Airfield
Hunter Army Airfield
Hunter Army Airfield , located in Savannah, Georgia, United States, is a military airfield and subordinate installation to Fort Stewart.Hunter features a runway that is 11,375 feet long and an aircraft parking area that is more than 350 acres...
in Savannah in 1954.
Broadcasting career
He began working for WTOC-TV in the station's launch in 1954 as a film editor. He worked his way up to running the projectorImage projector
An image projector is an optical device that projects an image onto a surface, commonly a projection screen.Most projectors creates an image by shining a light through a small transparent image, but some newer types of projectors can project the image directly, by using lasers...
, operating the studio cameras and helping with the production of the news broadcast.
In 1962, he was promoted to news director and anchorman.
He left WTOC-TV to anchor the news at WJCL-TV in 1973 when WJCL-TV gained the ability to broadcast in color.
WJCL was, at the time, last in the 6 o'clock news ratings
Nielsen Ratings
Nielsen ratings are the audience measurement systems developed by Nielsen Media Research, in an effort to determine the audience size and composition of television programming in the United States...
. With Weathers on the news desk they leapt to number 1 and stayed at, or near, the top until WTOC hired Weathers back in 1979.
He served as Head of News and Public Affairs and Anchor of WTOC The News at Six until his retirement in 2001.
Broadcast style
Weathers style changed little over the years. He never abandoned his down-home approach to the news often featuring "hokey" stories about farmers and their giant vegetables or anglers with really big fish.Viewers claimed it was part of his appeal.
His popularity never flagged and WTOC's newscasts remained firmly atop the local ratings.