NORTH CONWAY, N.H.(AP) – A nationally syndicated radio show produced by the Mount Washington Observatory that taught listeners about weather and climate is no more.
“The winds of change that have blown cold over funding for many nonprofits have caught up with us,” said Bryan Yeaton, host of The Weather Notebook.
The program started in November of 1993, with grant money from the National Science Foundation and sponsorship from Subaru of America. It changed names over the years, starting as Among the Clouds and Weatherwise before settling on The Weather Notebook.
The show aired in two-minute broadcasts five days a week on more than 350 stations. But last year, the National Science Foundation grant ran out and shows were cut to one or two a week. Subaru of America continued its funding, but that wasn’t enough to keep the show afloat.
“There’s always the possibility the program could come back,” said Melody Nester, former marketing manager for the show. “The hope is to continue, but we don’t have a definite plan and the funding to make it happen.”
Shows approached the topic of weather from a variety of angles. Some focused on personal experiences. Others tied weather to social, economic or political topics.
Peter Crane said he and the show’s other writers aimed to pass what they called “the driveway test,” when drivers arrive at their destination but keep the car running to hear the end of the segment.
“We cant give a full college course in meteorology, but day to day we can give more about climate and weather, relate it to public policy, and make them better consumers of weather information,” Crane said.
The Mount Washington Observatory is a nonprofit organization that records the extreme weather conditions on the mountain, conducts research and offers educational programs.
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On the Net: http://www.weathernotebook.org
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Information from: The Telegraph, http://www.nashuatelegraph.com
AP-ES-12-31-05 1209EST
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