TheLostOgle: We have learned via the Ogle Mole Network that Gary England is being reassigned with in Griffin. His on air duties end on August 30th.

wow

So he's gonna be a storm chaser now?! I think that would be an awesome upgrade for the GEDG!

i think we won't see him on air anymore probably doing some behind the scenes stuff

Breaking News: Gary England is leaving Channel 9? | The Lost Ogle (http://www.thelostogle.com/2013/07/23/breaking-news-gary-england-is-leaving-channel-9/)



Here’s the email the Griffin Communications CEO David Griffin just sent to company staff:
We wanted you to be the first to know that our own Gary England has been named to a new role with Griffin Communications in September.

Gary is an Oklahoma icon and the impact that he has had on our state and the field of meteorology is unparalleled. Since joining News 9 forty-one years ago, this Seiling native has revolutionized severe weather systems and coverage not only in Oklahoma but around the globe. When you see television weather, you are seeing the results of Gary’s work.

Throughout his career, Gary has relentlessly pursued the goal of improved systems and warnings; all for the safety of Oklahomans. He has never hesitated in his quest and we are all safer because of his hard work. Gary’s experience and dedication is unmatched and we feel much better knowing that he will be watching out for us. Gary will always be a part of the News 9 family.

After his on air duties end on August 30, Gary will assume the new role within Griffin Communications as Vice President for Corporate Relations and Weather Development. Gary’s mission in this role will be to continue to improve and develop enhanced weather systems and procedures to help keep Oklahomans safe.

Gary will also be developing a new signature on air franchise named “Gary’s I’ll Keep You Advised,” which will focus on long term weather patterns and events. He will also continue to represent News 9 at weather safety talks and industry conferences.

Later this fall we will be celebrating Gary’s career when he is inducted into the Oklahoma Hall of Fame and are planning a prime-time celebration of Gary’s career. Many of you will be called on to share your favorite memories of working on air with Gary.

Please join me in thanking Gary for all his hard work. David Payne will be adding the 6 and 10P to his current duties in September, as we announced in January.

David Griffin

Sounds like CH 9's weather is about to be come the "House of Payne."

....I know...but I figured someone would do it.....so why not beat everyone to the punch...

This is really a huge "changing of the guard" in Oklahoma weather media. Those of us around OKC long enough will remember Gary's start back on radio station KTOK as their staff meteorologist back in the early 70's before he moved to KWTV. We're talking 40 years here, whether you like him or not. That's a huge impact to have on the media in any capacity.

WOW. We knew it was coming, but I didn't expect it so soon. SoonerDave is right, this is a bigtime shake-up.

Gary England Named Vice President At Griffin Communications - News9.com - Oklahoma City, OK - News, Weather, Video and Sports | (http://www.news9.com/story/22914095/gary-england-named-vice-president-at-griffin-communications) ITS OFFICIAL NEWS 9 JUST ANNOUNCED IT

Okay...that does it. I'm taking Ch. 9's story about the coming end of times a lot more seriously now.

I know some, perhaps many, differ, but I've long preferred Gary and TV9's weather to the other channels. Guess I'll just have to join okctalk's team venture once this time next month rolls around.

Sounds like CH 9's weather is about to be come the "House of Payne."

....I know...but I figured someone would do it.....so why not beat everyone to the punch...

I still think it's a mistake to put David Payne as head meteorologist. This past storm season has shown him to not be "cool under pressure" and does not have the composure to not be chasing.

Also, him and Val Castor are probably going to throw down and fight one of these days.

I still think it's a mistake to put David Payne as head meteorologist. This past storm season has shown him to not be "cool under pressure" and does not have the composure to not be chasing.

Also, him and Val Castor are probably going to throw down and fight one of these days.

Its going to be David News 9 says that David will do 4,5,6 and 10 starting in September

And that's going to be Payne-ful to watch...

Payne may be better in the studio away from the excitement of being in the middle of the storm....or maybe not.

Payne may be better in the studio away from the excitement of being in the middle of the storm....or maybe not.

He was never better when he was on the morning KFOR show.

This is like assigning Santa Claus to take charge of Easter. I'm old and set in my ways. I want Gary England to due weather untill he croaks on camera. I don't know if this is a promotion or a demotion.

I think Micheal Armstrong would be the best, but thats just me.

I think Micheal Armstrong would be the best, but thats just me.

Yes, I was truly payned upon knowing that I'd have to flip away from News9 in the future just to watch the weather. Dude sniffs his own poo too much and thinks it smells good, lol.

That's a bummer. Gary was always the voice of reason in an increasingly chaotic race to prove ones ability to portray panic on the air. Don't get me wrong, storms are dangerous, but the last few years it's been 'who can best yell newly invented terminology at the audience with the most concern to instill maximum fear'.

I get most of my weather from news9.com. They've got the best storm tracker options. I don't watch local evening news anymore, but Gary was legend. I've forgotten dozens of anchors and sportscasters, but I'll never forget Gary. Hope he gets more money and less work out of this VP position.

David will probabbly have someone manning the station during severe weather while he is out tracking the storms. I cant see him giving that up. Especially with the decked out truck channel 9 gave him this past storm season.

David will probabbly have someone manning the station during severe weather while he is out tracking the storms. I cant see him giving that up. Especially with the decked out truck channel 9 gave him this past storm season.

That's my feeling. I think we will see Michael be the lead on storm coverage and David in the field. The problem is though there really isn't much quality to the supporting cast behind Michael. Matt Mahler just comes across as too timid and yellow. Nick Bender is an arrogant punk - but he's been like that since my friends have known him at Penn State.

The more hysterical the delivery - whether it be from the studio, ground vehicle or helicopter - the faster I'm changing the channel.

When things turn dangerous, I need current, accurate information so I can take the action that's best for me. Starting September 1 that's going to be from Venture on this board, and whatever chat he's participating in.

What are the chances we can lure Rick Mitchell back into town?

What are the chances we can lure Rick Mitchell back into town?
About the same as a forecast for snow within the next 7 days.

What are the chances we can lure Rick Mitchell back into town?

slim to none

The more hysterical the delivery - whether it be from the studio, ground vehicle or helicopter - the faster I'm changing the channel.

When things turn dangerous, I need current, accurate information so I can take the action that's best for me. Starting September 1 that's going to be from Venture on this board, and whatever chat he's participating in.

Yeah I'm a bit concerned if the Payne hype machine completely transforms KWTV. We'll see. It sounds like Gary might still step in front of the camera on severe weather days, so we'll see.

I guess I need to start figuring out the chat room situation more now. LOL ScribbleLive is quoting me stupidly high rates based on the traffic we do.

Then maybe David will clean out the dead wood so to speak before next seasons severe weather starts and have a top notch team put together.

It did indeed say in the paper this morning that he will jump back in front of the camera when things turn dicey. That's good to know.

I've always liked David Payne. I'm really hoping that as Chief, he'll reign in some of that hype that has permeated Channel 4 and 9. I went with Damon Lane this storm season, I think more people will do the same if he can't calm down a bit.

What are the chances we can lure Rick Mitchell back into town?

I watch him here in DFW and he's got it made... Hot and humid everyday with a 15% chance of rain. Not sure why they even have the weather down here.

OKC pays in weather drama.

Dallas pays in weather money.

It did indeed say in the paper this morning that he will jump back in front of the camera when things turn dicey. That's good to know.
this is what Gary says about him doing Severe storms this is from his FB page
At the end of August I will no longer be forecasting and doing severe weather. Sorry. Love ya all. But I will still be at News9 but in a different role.

Yeah I'm a bit concerned if the Payne hype machine completely transforms KWTV. We'll see. It sounds like Gary might still step in front of the camera on severe weather days, so we'll see.

I guess I need to start figuring out the chat room situation more now. LOL ScribbleLive is quoting me stupidly high rates based on the traffic we do.
I'll be chipping in, Venture. I was going to do that back around tornado time but you had shifted to asking us to click on ads to help others. Darn classy of you.

I'm sorry, but David Payne is a goofball. He was somewhat restrained on channel 4 but after their morning newscast when they would shift the team from 4 to their sister UHF station, he was insane. That was always confusing seeing channel 4's people on the other station (even think they would have the channel 4 graphics up). Just as when you see an ad for NBC on one of their sister cable networks.

No Gary at all in severe weather! Don't know if I like that idea at all. He is the Oklahoma King of Weather. In a few years the movie "Twister" will lose it's nostalgic kick for us Okies.

We used to go tornado hunting before the days of live tornadoes on multiple channels. TV storm chasers are living our dream (sort of). We get excited, which probably explains our tolerance for the antics of excited weather people.

I watch him here in DFW and he's got it made... Hot and humid everyday with a 15% chance of rain. Not sure why they even have the weather down here.

He's set to take the biggest job in DFW weather when the guy who has been the Gary England of Dallas steps down. It's all a done deal for Rick. $$$$

He's set to take the biggest job in DFW weather when the guy who has been the Gary England of Dallas steps down. It's all a done deal for Rick. $$$$

HE could probably buy himself a tornado to rip through an unpopulated area of DFW just to get exclusive coverage :)

This is how one should act while filming a tornado. How is it that this amateur storm chaser (I presume) can maintain his cool while capturing on camera the tornado that struck Moore, and yet David Payne loses his mind every time at the slightest circulation?

Moore, OK Tornado - May 20, 2013 - YouTube (http://youtu.be/G15Vg-5Q7c0)

You can't really compare amateur videos like that with a veteran met who is chasing live on air for a tv station. Payne has to relay live information fluently and quickly to save lives. Nobody is listening to these amatuers as they describe a few shingles falling out of the sky.

Yes it can be toned down a bit, but when it is your job to get information out promptly on a life/death situation - the way you handle it is completely different.

That is possibly the best report and coverage I've yet seen. And I speak as one who chased storms back in the mid-50s, worked closely with the weather bureau, and helped develop some of the real-time video links from chase vehicles. I agree with the comment on the site that the TV folk should learn from this how to act during a crisis!

You can't really compare amateur videos like that with a veteran met who is chasing live on air for a tv station.Did you note that this was done by a NSSL researcher? I wouldn't consider those folk to be as "amateur" as the TV presenters...

One of the first rules drilled into a would-be military officer (regardless of service branch) is the importance of at least appearing to remain cool, calm, and confident during any crisis situation. On-air hysteria only leads to panic and irrational behavior on the part of the audience -- as witness the fact of the "get underground" advice during a later storm causing an entire extended family to take refuge in a storm sewer, where most of them drowned...

Did you note that this was done by a NSSL researcher? I wouldn't consider those folk to be as "amateur" as the TV presenters...

That's my mistake. Since there are so many storm chaser videos on YouTube, I fell guilty to assuming that this videographer and storm chaser was one of them.


One of the first rules drilled into a would-be military officer (regardless of service branch) is the importance of at least appearing to remain cool, calm, and confident during any crisis situation.

I almost used the phrase "maintain his bearing" because of just that. The directive to "maintain your military bearing" is ubiquitous in military training and service, but to leave out the "military" qualifier would have likely left several readers scratching their heads due to the ambiguity of the term "bearing." "Why would he need to 'maintain his bearing' when the tornado is straight ahead? Wouldn't that run him straight into the funnel?" But you and I were obviously thinking alike when considering how one should act with a cool demeanor in situations like these.

Rick isn't coming back because he just tweeted that he is back in OKC packing to move his family to Dallas Area

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/11/magazine/the-weather-god-of-oklahoma-city.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/11/magazine/the-weather-god-of-oklahoma-city.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

Good story

That is one awesomely written feature piece. In an era of blog-blurbs and content aimed for eighth-grade intellects, that was an old-fashioned piece of real feature writing. Very special.

That was an amazing article. I agree with some of the commenters, considering all his contributions to the weather community overall...a medal of freedom award should be a given at some point.

FWIW, the author of this article, Sam Anderson, wrote the Thunder-themed "Fairy Tale Rise" article for NYT Magazine back in 2012, and has temporarily moved to OKC to write a book about the city.

Very much enjoyed the article.
Liked his comment about Emily Sutton's chaser:

He yelled at her again, more strenuously, to back up.
I suspect that his strenuous encouragement couldn't be repeated in a church.

The story is featured on The New York Times - Breaking News, World News & Multimedia (http://www.nytimes.com/)
Front page of the website! Thats pretty cool.

That was one of the best articles I've ever read. I'm floored at the talent of this writer.

How cool that the New York Times is featuring such flattering, authentic content about OKC!

Not so sure Ms. Sutton would find her mentions all that flattering, but overall, yeah, nice kudos to Gary E and dang decent overall.

FWIW, the author of this article, Sam Anderson, wrote the Thunder-themed "Fairy Tale Rise" article for NYT Magazine back in 2012, and has temporarily moved to OKC to write a book about the city.

How lucky we are to have him here to cover our city! Is he truly an out of stater that is drawn to OKCs rise, or does he have connections to the area?

His article was honestly one of the best I have read in a long time. To be quite honest, I've had very few, if any, responses to any form of literature that brought about such an emotional reaction as his article did.

kellyogle: Gary @garyeOK will be back the week after next for a few days, but it was emotional tonight watching his last "FRIDAY NIGHT IN THE BIGTOWN".

kellyogle: Gary @garyeOK will be back the week after next for a few days, but it was emotional tonight watching his last "FRIDAY NIGHT IN THE BIGTOWN".


I thought he wasn't retiring until Aug 30th!

I thought he wasn't retiring until Aug 30th!
Something is happening behind the scene at News 9

perhaps as simple as a summer vacation?

perhaps as simple as a summer vacation?

Pfft. That doesn't make for good gossip!