The Trust Factor Between Meteorologists and Viewers and the Effects on Local Television Audience Retention

A Thesis Submitted to the Faculty of Drexel University by Brittney Nix-Crawford in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Television Management 2017

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

“Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans’” Proverbs 16:3

I first would like to thank the Lord my Savior for giving me the strength and knowledge to continue my path ahead. I would like to acknowledge Al Tedesco and Michelle McHugh for your time, dedication, and commit to my success. Lastly, I would like to give thanks to my husband, children and family for their undeniable support while I strive to continue my education.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Abstract ...... 5 Chapter 1: Introduction ...... 7 Statement of Problem ...... 8 Background and Need ...... 9 Purpose of Study ...... 12 Research Statements ...... 13 Significance to the Field ...... 14 Chapter 2: Review of Literature ...... 14 Brand Personality and the Viewer ...... 16 “Storm of the Century” ...... 17 Gender and Trust in Meteorology ...... 19 NBC 10 and NOW ...... 22 Using Social Media for Trust ...... 24 Chapter 3: Methodology...... 28 Research Questions ...... 29 Setting ...... 29 Sample...... 30 Measurement Instruments ...... 30 Chapter 4: Summary of findings ...... 32 Chapter 5: Conclusion ...... 38 Appendices ...... 39 Bibliography ...... 78

The Trust Factor between Meteorologists and Viewers and the Effects on Local Television Audience Retention

Brittney Nix-Crawford

ABSTRACT

Consumers have more options than ever when it comes to how they receive information pertaining to the weather, both locally and regionally. Because of the myriad of options, television and media managers across all markets in the United States are constantly fine-tuning their strategies to gain and retain viewers’ trust. For many of those managers, that strategy relies heavily on audience members’ impressions of the station’s meteorologists. Specifically, trust is one thing that evokes a person’s loyalty, leaving consumers with a positive impression. To understand the trust factor between the viewer and meteorologists in large media markets and how it impacts television managers’ hiring and programming strategies, this research examines the three components that can be used to create and maintain trust between meteorologists and viewers. This research also examined meteorologists and executives at NBC 10, WCAU-TV in Philadelphia, the nation’s fourth largest media market.

During this study, the following research hypotheses were addressed:

Hypothesis #1- A news station’s success is primarily based on the viewers’ trust and loyalty. One way viewers measure their level of trust on how accurate, relatable and brand worthy a meteorologist is. Hypothesis #2- To help build a viewer’s trust of meteorologists, on-air personalities must establish a clear brand to set themselves apart from other meteorologists in the same market. Hypothesis #3- Most viewers will prefer to get their news and weather from other outlets out of convenience. But, television is still the main source of weather.

Hypothesis #4- Social media and application downloading have become a main user for television stations in building trust among viewers and meteorologists.

This observational study and quantitative survey provides societal information behind the measurement of trust among viewers and meteorologist’s in local television and works to provide television managers information to aid in the best hiring and programming strategies.

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION

With the rapid expansion of platforms and delivery methods, consumers have more options than ever when it comes to receiving weather reports. From smart phones to gas station monitors, watches, social media and beyond, that vital information is no longer available only on traditional platforms like local news broadcasts. Because of this over-saturation of options, television managers are constantly adjusting their strategies to gain and maintain viewers. While these managers are developing new platforms with richer, more diverse content, they’re also focusing on a key element in establishing personal relationships with the viewer: trust.

We must trust the information we receive if we are expected to continue our relationship with a person or an organization. If our mechanic charged us to “fix” our car, only to drive away from the garage and break down on the side of the road the next day, we’d probably lose trust in that mechanic. We may go back once, to give him or her a chance to make good on the work, but would we return in the future if we couldn’t trust the quality of the work? Probably not.

The same goes for television stations. If the traffic reporter repeatedly tells us all is clear on our route to work, and we leave on time each morning, only to get stuck in bumper to bumper traffic, we may look for a more trustworthy source for those reports in the future. Think about weather coverage - it’s something that effects everyone. Whether they’re planning about what to wear, how to dress their child, or whether to plan their weekend indoors or outside – people rely on the weather forecast in their everyday lives. Because of the impact weather has on consumers, television managers are going “back to the basics” in many ways - focusing on building an image of trust with their meteorologists. With today’s high-tech tools, gadgets and storm chaser vehicles, finding the real reason viewers are tuning in can be difficult, but the one thing that never changes in the race to gain viewers is the importance of trust. 8

Three things people look for in a meteorologist are personality, skill and accuracy. Viewers must enjoy watching the person on television and trust the information they receive. In television meteorology, this trust is built through skillful and accurate forecasts and helps maintain a strong brand and establish a solid reputation.

Problem Statement

There is a direct connection between viewers’ trust in a specific meteorologist and local television station ratings. If television managers do not work to develop that trust through branding, accuracy and social media engagement between their meteorologists and viewers they will continue to lose viewers and see decreases in ratings.

Television managers must find new and innovative ways to keep viewers interested and help them retain the information that is given. With an evolving industry consumers have many options to get their weather. Even though television is still the main source of information gathering for weather, some news stations still find it challenging to keep existing viewers and gain new viewers when other, more convenient methods of getting weather information are available. Because of these other sources, television stations’ market ratings have suffered. Even though ratings may be down local weather and news still earns more viewers than other cable news and weather. (A. J.

Waltz, (2017, June) Local TV news Ratings are Down, but Revenue is up, Retrieved March 2017, http://www.adweek.com/tvspy/where-are-the-local-tv-news-viewers-going/192135)

Television managers and producers use the weather segment of a newscast to keep viewers watching longer. These newsroom managers structure newscasts to give immediately necessary weather information at the top of the show, teasing more information for later in the newscast.

That main weather segment is timed to hit around the second quarter hour of a show, to keep 9 viewers long enough to achieve consistent ratings for the entire first half of the newscast. The weather segment is one of the major elements of a show that television managers use to retain ratings. For this reason, branding on-air weather personalities as trustworthy is one of the most effective ways to capture a loyal audience.

Television stations are always looking for new ways to build upon this trust by examining other platforms to keep viewers’ interest. The researcher will examine how some of these platforms are effective and how meteorologists utilize them. The researcher also used an observational and quantitative survey, which focuses on local viewers’ preference on where they get their weather information, as well as the reasons they utilize that platform. The researcher examined the importance of meteorologists’ self-branding, involvement in social media, and forecast accuracy.

Television managers will be able to use the information in this study to better compete in any given market by hiring and training trusted and relatable meteorologists.

Background and Need

It is important for television managers to understand the trust connection between meteorologists and viewers on a local level. Meteorologists are always looking to find distinction amongst themselves from other meteorologists, to gain both trust and loyalty from viewers in their television market. This kind of loyalty and trust not only helps the meteorologists in their career, but also helps the television station ratings and reputation in a time when traditional viewership is eroding quickly.

There are several factors that contribute to the decline of television ratings. People get their weather information many ways and on a variety of platforms. (Hickey W, (2015 April), Where 10 people got to check their weather, retrieved March 2017, from https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/weather-forecast-news-app-habits/)

With so many options, television is no longer the first source of gathering information. It is important to understand where people are getting their weather information and, when it is from a platform other than traditional television, why they are choosing that specific platform.

In the past, television has been reported to be the most reliable source of information for severe and day to day weather delivery. (Lea, 2012. It has not always been the preferred method of delivery. Over 35 years ago, Tan (1976) surveyed residents of Madison, WI and found television was the most used source for everyday weather information followed by radio. When asked, which source was preferred among newspapers, radio, television, cable television and telephone, respondents were split between radio and television among all demographic types (Lea, 2012).

Fast forward to the 21st century, when people are receiving the weather on all kinds of devices.

People can see the weather on gas station monitors in some locations of the country; they can get their weather from phones, watches and tablets.

Yet, with these technologies and applications vying for audience members, a Gallup Poll finds

55% of Americans of all age groups prefer television to get their news and weather over any other media source (Saad, 2013).

Television stations have been creative in trying new things to retain viewers, such as putting more emphasis on traffic, weather, sports and reducing the number of longer format stories or packages. The already considerable amount of time devoted to sports, weather and traffic on local newscasts rose even higher in the snapshot of stations studied, from 32% in 2005 to 40% in

2012. The biggest increase came in the airtime devoted to sports, to 12% from 7%. The traffic and 11 weather components of the newscast increased by a smaller percentage, to 29% from 25%, but four in ten of the newscasts examined led with a weather story. Although this may have been successful at first, it was not a long-term solution. Television managers found themselves digging deeper to find ways to gain and keep their viewers’ trust. (Jurkowitz, Hitlin, Mitchell, Santhanam, Adams,

Anderson and Vogt, 2013).

To keep viewers interested, local television managers must reformat newscasts to better fit today’s attention spans and brand on-air personalities to appeal to viewers of all demographics.

Specifically, weather personalities have realized they are no longer providing a unique service, and they must now, more than ever, be engaging, entertaining and have compelling personalities to create personal brands. (Salzman, 2013).

Creating a brand strategy for meteorologist is just one way for meteorologists to set themselves apart from their counterparts and create a trust barrier among their viewers. Branding personality is to assign human personality traits to a product or service to achieve differentiation among others.

Characteristics signify brand behavior through individuals representing the brand through its employees as well as advertising and packaging. (MSG, 2008). Brand personality and celebrity should supplement each other. Trustworthy celebrity ensures immediate awareness, acceptability and optimism towards the brand. This will influence consumers’ purchase decision and create brand loyalty. (MSG, 2008). This is important when not only branding on-air personalities but also branding the television station to attract and keep viewers. Brand personality not only includes the personality features/characteristics, but also the demographic features like age, gender, class and psychographic features.

Finally, the competition within the local news market is a factor that forces television managers to battle for viewers. The weather segment in the news broadcast has an important role in growing and maintaining viewership. The researcher examined what people want to see in a local meteorologist and why viewers trust (or don’t trust) the information given to them. The researcher interviewed meteorologists from local news stations in the Philadelphia television market. The meteorologists will share their philosophy on how they build trust with viewers.

Television managers will use the information in this study to make better decisions when choosing meteorologists to make sure they can create a brand to appeal to the desired audience and can create that level of trust between the viewer and the meteorologists. This reciprocation of trust and loyalty will provide a return to the news station through growth or retention of viewers.

To gather this information, the researcher surveyed people of all age demographics, asking each participant how he or she consumes weather information and how trust factors into individual viewing decisions.

Purpose of Study

Viewer trust level for the local meteorologist is important because weather information is something people will always need. Once trust is established in a specific meteorologist, viewers will keep coming back for the information. This study implements survey results to generate quantitative data, as well as observational research, in which the researcher observes professionals in the broadcast meteorology field. The thesis is designed to help television managers understand the importance of trust between the meteorologists and viewer.

In this participant and observer study, the researcher takes the position of the third-party viewer to observe a local station’s strategies on viewers’ trust levels. The researcher also spent 13 time participating in the day-to-day weather and news broadcast process as an intern at NBC10,

WCAU Television in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The findings from the researcher’s study and participation in the industry demonstrate how trust between viewers and a meteorologist’s impact ratings.

Research Statements

Falling television ratings negatively affect advertisement dollars coming into a television station. Television stations must find new, creative ways to raise their ratings and increase advertising income. Weather forecasts are one of the main drivers for news and will always be a draw for viewers. A television station relies on trust from viewers to sustain in the local market.

Based on this idea and using case study observations as well as quantitative survey results, the researcher developed the following hypotheses:

Hypothesis #1- A news station’s success is primarily based off the viewers’ trust and loyalty. One way Viewers measure their level of trust on how accurate, relatable and brand worthy a meteorologist is.

Hypothesis #2- To help build a viewer’s trust of meteorologists, on-air personalities must establish a clear brand to set themselves apart from other meteorologists in the same market.

Hypothesis #3- Most viewers will prefer to get their news and weather from other outlets out of convenience. But, television is still the main source of weather.

Hypothesis #4-Social media and application downloading has become a main user for television stations in building trust among viewers and meteorologists.

Significance to the Field

The research in this study is significant to the field because it provides information to television managers that is necessary to the development of trust among viewers, in return, building ratings. This research shows how creating a brand for a meteorologist, using social media and consistent messaging are vital for audience gains and retention. This can help television managers understand how to gain new generation viewers while keeping older audience members.

CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW

Branding your personality generally begins while in school studying for a career in broadcast meteorology. These meteorologists who aspire to be on television and its many distribution platforms, are encouraged to begin thinking about how they would like to be perceived to the viewer in order to gain trust and build relationships with viewers. Personality is part of the brand image. Having a brand that differentiates meteorologists is important and will give advantages when searching for jobs in specific markets (Sunday, 2012).

Branding needs to be consistent with everything you present. Your brand is reflected by your clothes, personal style, on-air delivery and social media. People like consistency when considering their trust level when watching a local television station. With so many other avenues to get weather forecasts, people are likely to recognize a non-genuine meteorologist which has extreme effects on brand and trust level. Some experts say meteorologists should use their social media accounts to build relationships and trust among viewers. (Bill H, personal communication,

May 2017) As social media platforms become more popular and continue to grow in number, the task to create more effective and manageable social media accounts becomes more challenging.

(Baron Critical Weather Intelligence, 2012) According to Baron, most meteorologists spend 75% of their day reporting on their social media sites. Research also shows when weather emergency breaks, social media is the first-place viewers go to check the weather. (Baron Critical Weather

Intelligence, 2012) Social media have become the main driver to get viewers to trust the information meteorologists are providing. It allows viewers a personal connection to the meteorologist and to the station.

Local television managers have worked to make social media and weather go hand in hand.

Meteorologists now have a new way to measure how they are trusted by their viewers - by the 16 number of followers and engagement throughout the day. The survey itself provides evidence that people use social media and other technology to receive their weather, as well as always gravitating to their favorite meteorologists based on their brand and tradition of watching that certain television station.

The literature review addresses three areas of research: The first section addresses what it means to have a brand image and how that correlates back to the trust levels between the viewer and meteorologists. There is not a profuse amount of information on branding images for local television meteorologists so the researcher included information on the sociological view of relationships between meteorologists and viewers. This information also resonates to local television managers and the effects it has on ratings. In the second section, there will be a discussion on trust levels among male and female meteorologists, who present different branding images. Local television managers choose certain male or female meteorologists who present a specific persona to draw a certain audience, which helps drive ratings. Finally, the third section discusses the importance of how social media is used to expand past the branding image for television. Television managers use social media to build stronger personal relationships with the viewer.

Brand Personality and the Viewer

Not only does creating a brand benefit the meteorologist’s personality, it also helps the viewer identify with the on-air personality. This, in turn, builds a loyalty to that television station. People trust those who they can relate to or those who give off a certain. This set of human characteristics is attributed to a brand. Viewers can always find a connection between the brand and their own personality, behavior, and lifestyle (Yasar, 2013). 17

Viewers are most likely to relate and stay loyal to a television station when the on-air personalities present in a way that aligns with the station’s current brand. (K Gerrow, personal communication, May 2017). Most viewers stay loyal to a television station because of its tradition in their family or because they feel connected to it. There are five dimensions of brand personality: sincerity, excitement, competence, sophistication, and ruggedness. These (Gerrow, 2017) dimensions may be used in selecting an on-air personality for television. Television managers must be very strategic when selecting on-air personalities for specific day parts. The demographics, time of day, and location or market, help television managers understand how to help their talent create a relationship with viewers. (Yasar Y, 2013, BRAND PERSONALITY: FROM PSYCHOLOGICAL

THINKING, TOWARDS MARKETING APPROACHES, 2013, Page 7).

It is important to understand what builds a strong relationship between the meteorologists and the viewer. Viewers become attached to certain meteorologists through tradition, personality traits, their gender, as well as other characteristics. Viewers become emotionally involved with their meteorologists, and often mistake their relationship with the celebrity as a face-to-face relationship. Instead, it is a para-social relationship, which is defined as: “a one-sided relationship, where one person extends emotional energy, interest and time, and the other party, the personality

(in this case, the meteorologist), is completely unaware of the other’s existence.” (Find a psychologists staff, (January 2014), Parasocial Relationships: The Nature of Celebrity

Fascinations, Retrieved March 2017 from https://www.findapsychologist.org/parasocial- relationships-the-nature-of-celebrity-fascinations/.

One of the earliest studies focusing on the para-social relationship is from Horton and Wohl.

The study found that viewers felt a certain intimacy with people they saw on TV (Horton and

Wohl, 1956). The para-social relationship a viewer builds with a “persona” (meteorologists, in this 18 case) is like the relationship built between two friends, and according to the study, the viewer feels as if he or she actually knows the meteorologist. The more interaction between the television meteorologist and the viewer, the deeper this intimacy becomes (Krystal Klei, personal communication, May 2017). Another part of the relationship and trust building is the idea of dependability. (Horton and Wohl, 1956) When trust is built the viewer is now dependent on that meteorologist in their daily lives. The meteorologist become a staple for how they maneuver around their day; the weather forecaster becomes part of the viewer’s daily routine. PSI, or para- social interaction, is another term that explains the relationship formed between two people. Para- social interaction is defined as how audience members develop one-sided relationships with the celebrities they see on television. (Horton and Wohl, 1956)

The 1956 Horton and Wohl study showed that the higher PSI some meteorologists had with a viewer, the more the viewer would trust the meteorologist.

“The Storm of the Century”

The management of NBC 10, WCAU-Television in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania has believed in the idea of branding meteorologists to appeal to certain audiences for many years. One of those specific audience sets was women between the ages of 18 and 34. (Gerrow, 2017) John

Bolaris was a meteorologist at NBC 10 in 2001, and his image was created to be a “ladies man, flirty, and he would wear no tie to appear more appealing”. (Henry Vasquez, Former NBC 10

Creative Director, Interview with Nix, 2017) This image appealed to women, and the station’s television managers believed it would attract a certain kind of viewer. Bolaris was a true example that sometimes branding oneself is not enough to keep viewers’ trust. Accuracy of the information is also a big part of gaining trust and keeping loyalty among viewers. 19

Television stations in the Fourth DMA are always competing for the number one spot when it comes to nighttime news. Ratings are important to show the trust level between that news station and viewers, and to capture advertisers’ dollars. Bolaris lost trust and loyalty among viewers when he predicted what he called “the storm of the century”. (Bridge 2008) In 2001, the Northeast corridor of the United States was predicted to get three feet of snowfall. Bolaris instructed everyone to change their plans, find alternate routes and close businesses and surrounding schools.

He was the only meteorologists to predict this kind of storm out of the other surrounding news stations. The storm completely missed the area Bolaris predicted it would hit, and cities in his station’s viewing area only received two inches of snow. (G.W. Bridge, 2008, John Bolaris…. The

Storm of the Century, page 1)

Bolaris never recovered from this failure of information delivery in the news. This one storm prediction changed his brand forever. Viewers continued to associate him with this failure that impacted businesses and schools, and he had a hard time getting people to forget that mishap and trust him again. This wrong prediction made the news station lose credibility as well. NBC 10 saw a decline in ratings for their nighttime news. It took television managers and staff at NBC 10 years to wine back viewer trust and to regain its ratings.

Gender and Trust in Meteorology

Using a combination of gender and humor on television can be appealing to the viewer and can help retain the information given by weathercasters. The stereotypes of gender and the use of humor help individuals easily relate to the on-air talent and assimilate data. (Gibson C, 2007, How

Gender and Humor on Television Weather Affect Information Recall, 2007, page 13). These stereotypes were made from the meteorologists’ cultures/backgrounds or from media depictions.

Society or media have created these stereotypes (i.e. Southern people with accents are often 20 projected as ignorant) or through a salient message (i.e. Women on television are thin, blond and attractive). These stereotypes can be used to create the brand for the on-air personality. (Gibson,

2007) Creating something that sticks with viewers helps viewers retain and trust the weather information that is being presented. Whether it is an attractive woman or a quirky man, some viewers will believe that beauty or attractiveness of the meteorologists may make the viewer see the weathercaster as more intelligent or organized. (Gibson C, 2007, How Gender and Humor on

Television Weather Affect Information Recall, 2007, page 14).

Television stations have understood these stereotypes and have created brands around them with their weather personalities to increase viewership. Some stations have a variety of gender and humor stereotypes to appeal to all audiences. Humor can have a lasting effect on the viewer. It also helps with increased information recall and storage into long-term memory which keeps viewers coming back to watch the same television station. Humor works in conjunction with the stereotype of gender. If the stereotype is for a female to be more serious or seductive, but instead she is acting jocular, the schema will more than likely be broken and information retention will suffer. (Gibson

C, 2007, How Gender and Humor on Television Weather Affect Information Recall, 2007, page

16)

Studies have shown that female meteorologists have a larger trustworthy rate than men.

(Gruber, Paul, 2012) This is the “weather girl effect”. When someone tunes in to a weather broadcast, their first and perhaps only reason is to obtain and trust the information about the weather and to plan accordingly. The viewer is often greeted by a smiling, happy image of an attractive woman wearing striking clothing. This, in turn, makes the viewer happier about starting the day, and due to his uplifted spirits, will tune in again later in the day to have the same 21 experience. The station continues to have the woman dress attractively to get more viewers, and more viewers means higher ratings. (Gruber Paul, 2012)

In other studies, women have had a hard time proving themselves in meteorology when compared to male meteorologists. Women have a hard time being trusted because of the “weather girl stigma”. (Magid, Frank Associates, 2010) According to Frank Magid and Associates, women are more likely to be put on television because of the way they look instead of their capability to understand the science of meteorology. In turn, they have a hard time gaining the trust of viewers.

Often, women are the only ones in their local television weather sectors and get the stamp

“weather girl”. According to weather geeks, there are 34 local television stations in the top ten television markets in the United States who employ chief meteorologists and only four are women chief meteorologists. Some are speculating this small percentage is because women are not normally trusted on the same level. (Weather Geeks, The Scene, 2012)

Everyone can agree that weather’s importance at a television station cannot be understated.

Local news typically generates 30% to 40% of a station’s revenue; weather is key in the ratings game and therefor a revenue driver. “Forecasting the weather in a market prone to extreme events—including lethal hurricanes, fickle patterns floating in off the mountains and the occasional ice storm—isn’t for those lacking in backbone. It’s even tougher for those who happen to be female”. (Magid, Frank Associates, 2010)

A study conducted by the National Weather Service claims that only 12% of the meteorological careers are held by women in the United States. The decline in broadcast audiences are also affecting women’s decisions to enter the meteorology field. (Weather Geeks, The Scene, 2012) 22

In 2011, NBC 10 hired meteorologist, Sheena Parveen, not only because of her meteorology skills, but also because of her on-air look. Television managers hired her specifically to win male viewers.

NBC 10 and NOW

In 2017, NBC 10 was voted the most trusted station by a reputable website called weather rate.

How did they get there since 2011? Accuracy is the key to trust. People want to know what they are watching is accurate to keep them coming back.

Bill Henley, a seasoned meteorologist, has been with NBC 10 since 1995 and has seen a lot of changes in viewer trust levels. Over the past 21 years, Bill has gained the trust and loyalty from viewers all over the tristate area. He believes that being conversational and being yourself has led to a strong viewer following over the years. Henley uses other ways to gain and keep the trust of his viewers. Television is the first initial meet and greet with viewers, according to Henley. Being that social media is new for Henley in his career, he uses it a little differently to gain trust from viewers. He may not be following viewers on twitter or tweeting different things, but he does use it for extra interaction with viewers such as answering questions from viewers on Facebook. (Henley,

2017)

According to Henley, branding oneself is not the only important way to gain trust from viewers.

He says that branding the entire weather team is just as important as branding for a single person.

Once a meteorologist has become part of a weather team, understanding what that team stands for and wants to accomplish, viewer trust is gained. The NBC 10 weather team brands itself as “the team with the most accurate information - count on us”. (Henley, 2017) 23

The researcher also spoke with meteorologist, Krystal Klei, who, at the time of this study, was the most recent addition to the NBC 10 weather team. New to the city of Philadelphia and new to the station, Klei took a different approach than others members of the NBC 10 weather team to gaining and retaining viewer trust. Klei used conversation to gain trust of viewers. She believes being conversational and understandable of who your audience is makes people feel welcome.

Klei also feels it’s important to know what is going on in the area that you are in, specifically to know why people need the weather forecast. This is another way to connect with viewers - it makes them feel included and that your local meteorologist cares about what your plans are for the week or weekend. Klei also connects on a more personal level with her viewers, giving them a glimpse at her everyday life. She does this by posting funny pictures and sharing personal memories.

Lastly, the researcher spoke to the Vice President of News at NBC 10 WCAU T-V, Kathy

Gerrow, who has been with the station since 1996 and has seen the station go through many levels of trust gaining and losing. Over the past 21 years, Gerrow has come across many meteorologists with many different approaches to gaining trust among viewers. Gerrow says it’s not just important to have the knowledge of meteorology. She says being conversational and being able to explain the forecast, in way viewers can easily understand, is a trustworthy trait.

Gerrow says diversity is another important tool when gaining the trust of viewers because. She says a single station serves such a wide mass of people, that having someone that many different people can relate to is most important. Things such as gender, race and style are a few traits local television executives look for when searching for meteorologists. A group of meteorologists should all have something different to offer when trying to gain and keep the trust of viewers. It all depends on what that local station and its managers are trying to build. 24

Gerrow also explained her idea of not boxing in meteorologists to just weather. When trying to gain trust from viewers, it’s important to show a meteorologist’s versatility.

As a successful television manager, Gerrow works with meteorologists to help them build aspects of the weather into other big, developing stories. An example of this, according to Gerrow, is when there is a large fire, and firefighters are working to put out the flames. A meteorologist can build upon that story by explaining wind speeds and directions in the area of the fire. This helps viewers understand the impact the fire can have based on uncontrollable factors such as the weather. This also can increase viewer loyalty because it goes beyond just telling the weather for the week. The most valuable thing a meteorologist can offer to a news station and to its viewers is versatility in the business.

Using Social Media for Trust

Social media is the driving force to connect with viewer, and it has become a personal platform for news anchors and meteorologists in local television. For on-air meteorologist’s, social media can be an ally or an enemy. It all depends on how a meteorologist utilizes social media as a manageable strategy. Some meteorologists use social media 75% of their day to report the weather or just become personable with their viewers. (Baron Critical Weather Intelligence, Business

Intelligence, 2016) Research shows when there is a weather break, the first-place people go to is their social media and to their favorite meteorologist’s page. Social media management is something that is not optional; it is now mandatory for on-air personalities. Social media has evolved as a tool for Nielsen to measure viewer participation and program-related activity across platforms like Twitter and Facebook. Nielsen then factors that data into stations’ overall ratings measurement. 25

Local television station managers have created applications to help make it easier for viewers to access weather reports throughout the day when newscasts are not on the air. Some local meteorologists may even have their own application to be downloaded, and this can increase and maintain their viewer base. Phone applications can also be a tool of measurement for ratings depending on the number of downloads and engagement.

There are many ways meteorologists use social media to become trustworthy and build personal relationships with viewers. Meteorologists must come up with a daily and overall strategy. Setting goals for yourself that align with the station’s goals is something that should be done to make sure the final result is being reached. Meteorologists must understand who their followers are, what type of posts work best and learn new ways to enhance communication with their viewers. (Baron Critical Weather Intelligence, Business Intelligence, 2016) Meteorologist

Bryan Hughes of WOWK in Charleston, West Virginia discusses his strategy on how social media has enhanced his brand and his trust level among viewers. Hughes uses language to make viewers tune-in to live television coverage. This ability brings in new viewers and always keeps the loyal viewers tuning into his weather segment because they trust his information. Hughes also talks about how using social media to build your brand is key when wanting to gain trust and thinking of the bigger picture and goal. (Baron Critical Weather Intelligence, 2016)

While relationship building through social media platforms can have an immediate impact, stations are looking for the long-term effect these platforms can have on audience trust and retention. Social media can be accessed on several devices, ranging from phones to tablets and watches, with the younger demographic often using social media as the first source for weather information. (Baron Critical Weather Intelligence, 2016) They follow their favorite meteorologists or station, which results in their loyalty to that station or meteorologist. Once this demographic 26 becomes older, their habits of information gathering may change, depending on the evolution of technology and information resources.

Bryan Hughes uses high-impact weather events to do most of his engaging with viewers on

Facebook and Twitter. He focuses his updates during high traffic times, posting the most impactful information and taking the opportunity to listen and respond to what the viewers are saying. This kind of interaction makes the viewers feel important and included, which also builds trust. (Baron

Critical Weather Intelligence, 2016)

“Using social media to its fullest potential is important when wanting to gain trust from viewers,” says Hughes. Viewers want to feel a part of an interactive community and achieve this need by interacting on social media, commenting on photos and posts, and uploading pictures for on-air use.

Social Media among meteorologists has become a two-way conversation which is changing the job description for most meteorologists. Not only has social media changed communication between the viewer and the meteorologists, but also communication among families after a storm or weather catastrophe. Some believe because social media is becoming just another way to communicate, television may be becoming obsolete. Weather Channel meteorologist Mike Bettes says that “people still flock to their TVs for up-to-date storm information but more people are looking to social media outlets for vital updates”. He says, “If you look at something like Twitter now, you can do live video,” Bettes said. “Facebook is a way for families to reconnect after [the storm]. I think it’s just evolving now. I think this is probably bad to say, because I’m a TV broadcaster, but I think TV is becoming a bit of a dinosaur.” (Burke, 2016) 27

Not only do social media provide intimacy with the local meteorologists but also accuracy and speed to get the information out. Accu-Weather and the weather channel use social media to put out information in real time. With speed comes accuracy, and people want that and trust when information comes to them in that manner. Viewers like accurate information not just thrown at them but also being a part of the story.

Chapter 3: Methodology

This study implements survey results to generate quantitative data, as well as observational research, in which the researcher observes professionals in the broadcast meteorology field. The data collected was from April 1st 2017 to May 1st 2017 as the researcher was also exploring the topic of trust between the viewer and meteorologists. The main focuses include:

 Branding oneself and the importance of relatability between the meteorologist and viewer.

This concept is important when looking to gain trust and loyalty among viewers.

 The overall usage of social media involvement plays a significant part in trust building with

viewers.

 The attraction of gender plays a big part in viewer attraction and trustworthiness of local

meteorologists using examples from NBC 10 and 6ABC in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Potential and future meteorologists inside and outside of local news can execute this form of survey analysis by having a better understanding of what viewers need and what they can do to keep and gain their trust and loyalty from viewers.

Research Questions

The researcher used the following questions:

RQ:1 Is it necessary to have a level of trust between the viewer and meteorologists to have a successful career and a successful news station?

RQ:2 How important is it for meteorologists to set themselves apart from their counterparts to build loyalty and attraction among viewers?

RQ:3 Why do viewers trust and go to other outlets to get their weather?

RQ:4 To what role does social media and applications play to obtain trust and connection with the viewer?

Setting

The study was done over a four-week period from April 1, 2017 to May 1, 2017. The study covers people of all demographic ages mostly from the tristate area of Pennsylvania, New Jersey and

Delaware. They were asked questions regarding their trust levels with the four major local television stations 6ABC, NBC 10, FOX 29 and CBS 3 and their meteorologists. It was necessary for them to identify their most watched and trusted station and why. It was also imperative to understand how they retain their weather information and why. The questions asked were pertained to how viewers get their weather information, and how they believe trust is important and necessary between the viewer and meteorologists to have a loyal following. Once all the survey information was gathered, it was then the researcher could measure the findings.

Sample

The data collected was from participants from the tristate area who were familiar with the top five stations in the market. This group was selected by several different ways. The researcher surveyed students from Drexel University, retired people, people who were employed with traditional schedules and non-traditional schedules. The data was collected in a four-week time span without any bias besides the following requirements for the participants: They must rely on weather every day and they must be from the local area. It was important that the participants were familiar with the area and familiar with the local meteorologists to get accurate information.

The participants in this study were of all age demographics and diverse in culture backgrounds.

Most of the participants were employed or students and had the need to always access weather information.

Measurement Instruments

Along with the conducted and collected survey results, the researcher looked at industry trades providing insight on certain components that go into the trust relationship between the viewer and meteorologist. The researcher also reviewed other articles from reputable business sources such as Time Magazine, The Business Journal and Horton and Wohl. Other sources include research from website publications such as the American press institute that conducted studies on the trust levels between gender, race and class.

The researcher was able to look into psychological publications that explains how branding oneself is essential to gaining trust from viewers. Other website publications, such as Baron

Weather, break down the necessities of using social media to also gain and build trust from 31 viewers. It also explains how social media is essential in delivering information and engaging the viewers.

The researcher administered a survey to approximately 77 participants. The researcher was able to find the participants by fellow school colleagues, and friends and family who fit the criteria of working and non-working class citizens. The survey asked questions related to how one gets their weather information. Other questions were related to local meteorologists and their interaction with them on social media. There were also questions related to why viewers trust or don’t trust meteorologists and what meteorologists can do to change the minds of viewers. The researcher titled the survey “Exploration of the Trust Factor between Meteorologists and Viewers and the Effects on Local Television”.

An online survey was administered through a URL sent to local people through email and cell phone text messages. The survey was multiple choice with some write in options to gain a better understanding of the information collected. The researcher scored the survey by how many people preferred television viewing over any other devices and how social media played into their trust level.

Lastly, the researcher used the Chi-Square test method using Excel in Microsoft Office to test the expected and actual survey findings. The Chi-test (Appendix _20__) was performed for each survey question response. Through the Chi-test, the researcher was able to confirm that the hypothesis was accurate. This confirmation proves that most viewers prefer to get their news and weather from platforms other than traditional local television meteorologists.

Chapter 4: Summary of Findings

Much of the participants in this research were between 16 and 44 years of age and still watched weather meteorologists on television or used other devices to get their weather information. They were also more in tune with following their meteorologist on social media. The other age demographics were over 44 years old and still relied solely on television to get their weather at the same time every day and on the same station. Their desire for weather information was not as frequent as other demographic participants. Out of the seventy seven people surveyed, more than 50% reported that they trust weather information shared on platforms other than local television stations.

By using the data results from the survey, the researcher compared actual people’s opinions and lifestyle decisions with how certain age groups trust their chosen weather outlets and why.

These findings show local television managers which consumer habits are most important and how those habits can affect future local broadcasting weather.

See Appendix 1 for a breakdown of questions distributed to 77 participants.

There is plenty that can be learned from this. Meteorologists who are just beginning their careers can use this study’s findings to understand why trust and loyalty among viewers is vital when forecasting the weather. It can also be helpful for local television managers to understand different ways and ideas to gain trust form their viewers.

This study shows what people want and need to trust their local meteorologists when getting their weather. Trust is not only an important factor for the meteorologists but for local news stations as well. It has been shown that viewers are more inclined to not watch the weather on local news but to use other devices such as phones and computers to gain this information. This proves 33 that meteorologists need to make themselves more available on other platforms, such as social media, to gain and keep the trust of viewers.

Looking at the research questions at the center of the study, the following conclusions were found:

RQ:1 Is it necessary to have a level of trust between the viewer and meteorologists to have a successful career and a successful news station?

Yes. It is necessary to have trust from viewers who are watching meteorologists on local television. Several meteorologists have lost their jobs or have taken steps back from the business because of inaccurate information that was given to the public and the loss of trust from the viewer. Local television stations have declined in ratings and had to find ways to rebuild themselves from a loss of viewership caused by meteorologists not giving accurate information.

The researcher uses the example of NBC 10 meteorologist, John Bolaris, who lost his position as chief meteorologists at NBC 10 because of this inaccurate reporting on an impending snow storm.

This failed forecast ultimately resulted in the idea behind “Trust the Bowtie” with Glenn Hurricane

Schwartz. Schwartz was the opposite of Bolaris, he was smart looking, some would even call him a ‘weather nerd’; he wore bowties; he had a gentle delivery style. These traits helped Schwartz and

NBC 10 attract all demographics of viewers, who followed and trusted Schwartz because he had the look of a scientist. Schwartz’s accurate information delivery became the staple of trust for the news station, helping NBC 10 gain viewers back. 34

Appendix 15: This graph suggests that accuracy is key in having a good trusting relationship between the viewer and meteorologists. This accuracy can also give a good reputation for the local news station. Viewers have built their trust from meteorologists on how accurate they are in explaining the weather. This also helped in the example used from NBC 10 with John Bolaris and

Glenn Hurricane Schwartz.

RQ:2 How important is it for meteorologists to set themselves apart from their counterparts to build loyalty and attraction among viewers?

Research shows that it is very important for meteorologists to find slogans and use certain appearance strategies to set themselves apart from their counterparts and to gain trust from viewers. Meteorologists at NBC 10 believe being as accurate as possible and personable through social media is a way to set themselves apart from other meteorologists. Local television managers may use certain meteorologists and market them a certain way to increase trust from viewers. A majority of viewers that were questioned in the survey believe in tradition, accuracy, and originality among meteorologists makes them more reliable and trustworthy.

Appendix 16: The graph suggests that viewers believe it is extremely important that meteorologists create brands and make sure they are accurate in the weather information they are giving. It is important for meteorologists to use different techniques to set themselves apart from others to gain trust and loyalty from viewers.

RQ:3 Why do viewers trust and go to other outlets to get their weather?

Research shows that viewers trust and go to other outlets because of accuracy and convenience. Viewers are always on the go and just need the weather to plan their days and weeks.

Viewers who participated in the survey use other outlets because some local meteorologists are just not accurate in the weather and can’t be trusted, so viewers have been forced to find other ways to get their weather through phones, apps, computers and more.

RQ:4 To what role does social media and applications play to obtain trust and connection with the viewer?

Social media and phone applications play an important role in gaining trust among viewers.

Meteorologists at NBC 10 use social media to get more personable with their viewers. They can answer questions from viewers, share photos and just have conversations. This allows viewers to trust what the meteorologists are reporting and gives them the opportunity to get to know the meteorologists on a perceived personal level. Some other meteorologists may use applications for instant access to weather or to them personally. Many local television stations have created applications for convenience and can share more weather and stories in one place. Many people want that instant access to their phones or tablets for weather and to their local meteorologists. 37

Appendix 10: The graph above shows that Facebook is the most popular along with other social media outlets to follow meteorologists. Social media is used among meteorologists to be another way of interacting and gaining trust among viewers. Facebook is the most interactive where meteorologists can share comments, share photos etc. with viewers. Viewers can appreciate the extra attention and interaction.

Chapter 5: Conclusion

This study shows it is imperative that meteorologists find new innovative ways to encourage viewers to trust them with the information that they are given. With so many ways to get weather meteorologists need to connect with viewers to bring them back to the television.

Using social media and creating a brand for one self are some ways to get viewers to watch and trust meteorologist on television. By comparing survey results and interviewing local meteorologists, it has shown that meteorologists must go beyond the television and branch out to other things to get viewers to watch and trust them. This will result in good ratings and reputation for the local station.

The future of meteorology and connecting with viewers will be more than just telling the weather through the television. Meteorologists must interact with viewers and find new ways to connect with viewers to gain and keep their trust.

Those that study the connection between viewers and meteorologists and how their trust is built will find some new and creative ways to help build and keep that level of trust among viewers who still follow and watch local meteorologists. Trust can only be earned through honesty and the dissemination of accurate information. People are creatures of habit and will continue to follow and have loyalty to things and people who are loyal to them through information and connection.

The results of this viewer trust analysis and information gained provide meteorologists and local news executives with tips and other information to be used in future and current career decisions. This analysis and information opens the potential for conversation to be had about the importance and necessity of the value of trust between viewers and meteorologist. Television managers can use this study’s findings to gain new followers and to keep the current ones. 39

Appendices

Appendix 1: Survey Questions given to 77 participants

Q1 What is your age?

 16-24 (1)  25-34 (2)  35-44 (3)  45-60 (4)  >60 (5)

Q2 What is your Gender?  Male (1)  Female (2)

Q3 What is your highest Education?  High School Diploma (1)  Bachelors Degree (2)  Masters Degree (3)  Doctoral Degree (4)

Q4 What is your employment status?  Employed (1)  Self-Employed (2)  Current Student (3)  Unemployed (4)

Q5 Do you watch local news on television?  Always (1)  Most of the time (2)  About half the time (3)  Sometimes (4)  Never (5)

Q6 How do you get your weather reports?  Television (1)  Tablet (2)  Phone (3)  Radio (4)  Apps (5)  Gas Station Monitors (6)  Billboards (7)  Other (8) ______

Q7 Are you from the tri-state area?  Yes (1)  No (2)

Q8 Do you follow or watch a local meteorologist in the tri-state area?  Yes (1)  No (2)  If yes which one (3)  ABC 6 (4) ______ CBS 3 (5) ______ NBC 10 (6) ______ FOX 29 (7) ______

Q9 Do you follow a meteorologist on social media?  Yes (1)  No (2)

Q10 Which social media outlet do you prefer to follow the meteorologist or get weather?  Facebook (1)  Instagram (2)  Twitter (3)  SnapChat (4)  Other (5) ______

Q11 Why do you believe or trust the meteorologist?  Brand (1)  Gender (2)  Humor (3)  Relatability (4)  Other (5) ______

Q12 How important is it to trust and believe the local meteorologist to get your weather?  Extremely important (1)  Very important (2)  Moderately important (3)  Slightly important (4)  Not at all important (5)

Q13 How much do you trust meteorologists and their forecasts?  A great deal (1)  A lot (2)  A moderate amount (3)  A little (4)  None at all (5)

Q14 How was your trust built with some certain meteorologists?  Tradition (1)  Likability (2)  Accuracy (3)  Other (4) ______

Q15 Do you believe it’s important for meteorologists to create a brand for themselves to stand out among other local meteorologists?  Definitely yes (1)  Probably yes (2)  Might or might not (3)  Probably not (4)  Definitely not (5)

Q16 Do you watch the news and weather traditionally at the same time every day?  Yes (1)  No (2)  On Demand (3)  DVR (4)  Other (5) ______

Q17 Do you follow the weather from another meteorologist that is not on local television?  Yes (1)  No (2)  Other (3) ______

Q18 Are you more likely to follow brands of someone or something?  Extremely Likely (1)  Moderately Likely (2)  Rarely Likely (3)  Unlikely (4)

Appendix:2

Survey question 1 shows that majority of people who participated in the survey were 25-34 of age.

60% of the seventy-seven people surveyed were in the age range from 16-34 years of age.

Appendix: 3

Survey question 2 shows 57% of the seventy-seven people surveyed were women. 43% of those surveyed identified as male.

Appendix:4

Survey question 3 shows the education level of the participants that have taken the survey. 39% of the seventy-seven participants held a bachelor’s degree. 34% held a high school diploma.

Appendix:5

Survey question 4 shows the employment status of those who participated. Out of 77 people, most of the participants were employed which shows how lifestyle schedules impact how people get their weather.

Appendix: 6

Survey question number 5 shows 33% of the seventy seven people surveyed watch local news on television occasionally, which affects the number of people who watch local weather forecasts.

Appendix: 7

Survey question 6 shows the device that is used the most to get local weather reports. 35% of the seventy seven people surveyed rely on their phone to receive their weather report. Other devices mentioned were Alexa, Outlook email and computer desktops. 18% still use old fashion television get their weather.

Appendix:8

Survey question number 7 shows how many people out of the 77 participants were from the tristate area and therefore familiar with local meteorologists and their local weather forecasts.

Appendix: 9

Survey question number 8 shows that participants who were from the tri-state area do not follow or watch local meteorologists. This shows that 33% of the 77 people surveyed do not watch local meteorologists to get their weather forecasts. For those participants who do watch and follow local meteorologists, 15% watch 6ABC news and weather.

Appendix:10

Survey question 9 asks participants if they follow any local meteorologists on social media. 79% of the seventy seven people surveyed do not follow meteorologists on no social media platforms.

Appendix:11

Survey question 10 shows that out of 77 people, much of those who follow a local meteorologist on social media prefer using Facebook as their platform because of the immediate interaction and communication style.

Appendix:12

Survey question 11 shows that 34% out of the seventy seven people surveyed report they are loyal to certain meteorologists because of how relatable the meteorologists are when reporting the weather.

Appendix: 13

Survey question 12 shows that 33% out of the seventy seven people surveyed think that it is very important to trust and believe meteorologists.

Appendix: 14

Survey question 13 shows that 42% out of the seventy seven people surveyed only trust meteorologists a moderate amount. Participants only trust meteorologists with limits because of the uncertainty of getting weather forecasts accurate. As a follow-up question, the researcher asked the

15% of participants who reported they trusted meteorologists completely, how their trust in that meteorologist was built. A majority replied that trust was built through accurate forecast delivery.

Appendix 15

Q14-How was your trust built with certain meteorologists?

Survey question 14 shows that most viewers have built their trust and loyalty from accuracy from the meteorologists and likability comes second. 57

Appendix: 16

Survey question 15 shows out of the seventy-seven people surveyed, a majority believes it is important for meteorologists to create a self-brand to set themselves apart from other meteorologists, making themselves as relatable as possible.

Appendix: 17

Survey question 16 shows that 48% out of the seventy seven people surveyed do not watch the weather forecasts or news at the same time every day because of conflicting daily schedules.

Appendix: 18

Survey question 17 shows that 73% of the seventy seven people surveyed follow and watch their local meteorologists and 17% follow and watch other meteorologists from other areas.

Appendix: 19

Final survey questions show that 46% of the seventy seven people surveyed are more likely to follow and trust brand names of things and/or people.

Appendix 20

Chi-test Results

Category Observation Expected 16-24 21 15.4 25-34 25 15.4 35-44 11 15.4 45-60 8 15.4 >60 12 15.4

P value= 0.008746658

Age Population

>60

45-60

35-44

25-34

16-24

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 Expected Observation

Question 1 of the chi-test results suggests that out of all the age ranges people in the age range of

25-34 were the most to participant in the survey.

Appendix 21

Category Observation Expected Male 33 38.5 Female 44 38.5 P value= 0.209999672

Gender Population

Femal e

Male

0 10 20 30 40 50

Expected Observation

Question 2 of the chi-test results suggests more female viewers participated in the survey out of the male participants. Therefore the finding is not statistically significant.

Appendix 22

Category Observation Expected High School Diploma 26 19.25 Bachelor's Degree 30 19.25 Master's Degree 15 19.25 Doctoral Degree 6 19.25

P value= 0.000358811

Education Population

Doctoral Degree

Master's Degree

Bachelor's Degree

High School Diploma

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 Expected Observation

Question 3 of the chi-test results suggests that the expectant number was even but more viewers who participated in the survey hold a bachelor’s degree in college.

Appendix 23

Category Observation Expected Employed 37 19 Self-Employed 6 19 Current Student 24 19 Unemployed 9 19 P value= 4.05361E-07

Employment Population

Unemployed

Current Student

Self-Employed

Employed

0 10 20 30 40

Expected Observation

Question 4 of the chi-test results suggests that more participants in the study are employed at a business but, the finding is not statistically significant.

Appendix 24

Category Observation Expected Always 18 19.8 Most of the time 16 19.8 About half the time 12 19.8 Sometimes 33 19.8 Never 20 19.8

P value= 0.012468563

T.V. Time

Never

Sometimes

About half the time

Most of the time

Always

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35

Expected Observation

Question 5 of the chi-test results suggests that participants watch local news on television some of the time and the results were close to the expectant number of participants.

Appendix 25

Category Observation Expected Television 29 20.38 Tablet 11 20.38 Phone 57 20.38 Radio 10 20.38 Apps 27 20.38 Gas Station Monitors 8 20.38 Billboards 7 20.38 Other 14 20.38

P value= 1.36622E-18

Weather Reports

Other Billboards Gas Station Monitors Apps Radio Phone Tablet Television

0 10 20 30 40 50 60

Expected Observation

Question 7 of the chi-test results suggests that more viewers prefer to use their phone to get their weather compared to the expectant. This finding is not statistically significant.

Appendix 26

Category Observation Expected Yes 53 38.5 No 24 38.5

P value= 0.00095025

Location Population

Yes

0 10 20 30 40 50 60

Expected Observation

Question 8 of the chi-test results suggests that majority of the participants are from the tristate area out of the expectant participants.

Appendix 27

Category Observation Expected Yes 16 38 No 60 38 P value= 4.48458E-07

Social Media

Yes

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70

Expected Observation

Question 9 of the chi-test results suggests that more participants prefer not to follow meteorologists on social media compared to the expectant number. Therefore, this finding is not statistically significant.

Appendix 28

Category Observation Expected Facebook 30 18 Instagram 11 18 Twitter 14 18 Snapchat 6 18 Other 29 18 P value= 2.71055E-05

Weather Preference

Other Snapchat

Twitter Instagram

Facebook

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35

Expected Observation

Question 10 of the chi test results suggests that participants in the survey that do follow meteorologists on social media prefer to use Facebook as their choice. This finding is not statistically significant.

Appendix 29

Category Observation Expected Brand 26 18.6 Gender 10 18.6 Humor 8 18.6 Reliability 31 18.6 Other 18 18.6 P value= 0.000282844

Reason to Watch

Other

Reliability

Humor

Gender

Brand

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35

Expected Observation

Question 11 of the chi-test results suggests that participants trust meteorologists because that meteorologist is relatable to the viewer.

Appendix 30 71

Extremely Important 11 15.2 Very Important 25 15.2 Moderately Important 23 15.2 Slightly Important 7 15.2 Not Important 10 15.2 P value= 0.001422363

Trust

Not Important

Slightly Important

Moderately Important

Very Important

Extremely Important

0 5 10 15 20 25 30

Expected Observation

Question 12 of the chi-test results suggests that majority of the participants feel it is very important to trust their meteorologist to maintain a trusting relationship.

Appendix 30 72

Category Observation Expected Great Deal 11 15.2 A lot 15 15.2 Moderate 32 15.2 Little 14 15.2 Not At All 4 15.2 P value= 1.20217E-05

Trust Forecast

Not At All

Little

Moderate

A lot

Great Deal

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35

Expected Observation

Question 13 of the chi-test results suggests that participants moderately trust meteorologists and the information that they give. This finding is not statistically significant.

Appendix 31

Category Observation Expected Tradition 22 26 Liability 23 26 Accuracy 46 26 Other 13 26 P Value= 4.34772E-05

Built Trust

Other

Accuracy

Liability

Tradition

0 10 20 30 40 50

Expected Observation

Question 14 of the chi-test results suggests that accuracy is the most important factor in building trust between the viewer and meteorologists. Therefore, this finding is not statistically significant.

Appendix 32

Category Observation Expected Definitely Yes 23 15 Probably Yes 23 15 Might or Might Not 18 15 Probably Not 6 15 Definitely Not 5 15

P Value= 0.000289026

Brand Recognition

Definitely Not

Probably Not

Might or Might Not

Probably Yes

Definitely Yes

0 5 10 15 20 25

Expected Observation

Question 15 suggests that brand recognition is important for the meteorologists to maintain to help build trust and loyalty with viewers.

Appendix 33

Category Observation Expected Yes 30 21 No 50 21 On-Demand 9 21 DVR 6 21 Other 10 21 P Value= 8.68457E-14

Ways to Watch

Other DVR

On-Demand No

Yes

0 10 20 30 40 50 60

Expected Observation

Question 16 of the chi-test results suggests that participants do not watch local news at a traditional time every day. This finding is not statistically significant.

Appendix 34

Category Observation Expected Yes 13 25.66 No 60 25.66 Other 4 25.66

P Value= 4.94531E-16

Following

Other

Yes

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 Expected Observation

Question 17 of the chi-test results suggests that participants do not follow other meteorologists that are not on television. This finding is not statistically significant.

Appendix 35

Category Observation Expected Extremely Likely 11 18 Moderately Likely 33 18 Rarely Likely 17 18 Unlikely 11 18 P value= 0.00043985

Brand Following

Unlikely

Rarely Likely

Moderately Likely

Extremely Likely

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35

Expected Observation

Question 18 of the chi-test results suggests that participants are more likely to follow brands of things and people. It is more trustworthy and appealing to the viewer.

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