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Apr 16, 2009 10:41 pm US/Central
Paul Douglas Talks To Don Shelby About New Venture
EXCELSIOR, Minn. (WCCO) ―
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Don Shelby had a chance to visit Paul Douglas at his Weather Nation studio in Excelsior, Minn. With a team of meteorologists, they produce weather broadcasts for TV stations and Web sites across the country in English and in other languages.
CBS
It's been about a year since Don Shelby and Paul Douglas worked together on the 10 p.m. news. In that time, Douglas' been working on something he describes as "personalized weather."
Shelby had a chance to visit Douglas at his Weather Nation studio in Excelsior, Minn. With a team of meteorologists, they produce weather broadcasts for TV stations and Web sites across the country in English and in other languages.
"Unlike most stations that have one weather system, we've invested in eight," said Douglas. "And we're constantly changing out the computers, looking for the latest, greatest technology."
He combines that technology with a subject he follows very closely -- climate change -- to build a new concept.
"The idea is to have a 3-way partnership whereby MinnPost gets some of the content and Conservation Minnesota gets the majority of the content," said Douglas.
Online at Conservation Minnesota, there are video-casts with an environmental spin. His partner in the enterprise is the director of Conservation Minnesota, Paul Austin.
"I think it's a new way to bring people information, a way to kind of connect to a cause that they care about deeply," said Austin.
"As you know Minnesotans care deeply about the outdoors, about our lakes and streams. So we hope that this will be a great marriage and one that brings new people and new information and a broader understanding of the things that we're facing as a state," he said.
"You used to liken weather, what happens ever day, to CNN Headline News, but climate to the History Channel -- can you marry these two in this project?" asked Shelby.
"The challenge, the opportunity is to remind people the difference between weather and climate," said Douglas. "Looking out your window is not going to give you any insight on climate."
"I don't pretend to be an expert on climate, but I am following the Ph.D., the thousands of Ph.D. scientists who publish and who follow this every day, this is their livelihood," said Douglas, "And I trust them. When a vast majority of them say this is not a fluke, it's a trend. It's not a fad it's not an aberration."
"It's not political?" asked Shelby.
"No," said Douglas. "But it's been turned into this political football to further agendas."
And Douglas wants to continue reporting on the effects of climate change. He thinks the Conservation Minnesota Web site provides a perfect connection.
"I'm not wishy-washy," said Douglas. "I'm looking at the science, not the politics. I'm looking at the science and continue to believe that, yes, what we are seeing is a trend."
To see a complete tour of Weather Nation's studio and some outtakes from Shelby's interview with Douglas click on the links below.
Web Extra: Just Like Old Times With Douglas-Shelby
Web Extra: Douglas' Tour Of Weather Nation
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