I know this is a sports site (well, it's supposed to be anyways), but every once in a while there's a general media story that's too good/juicy/bizarre not to share with you. While this one isn't quite as raucous as the infamous David Petraeus screengrab, it's one of the more unique news stories I can ever remember.
At the local NBC station in Columbus, Channel 4, morning weatherman Bob Nunnally (left) has filed a libel lawsuit against NBC co-worker and chief meteorologist Jym Ganahl (right). That's right. Weathermen at the same station are involved in a lawsuit. Weathermen! Libel! Lawsuits! From the Columbus Dispatch…
"A legal storm is brewing between two weathermen at WCMH-TV (Channel 4).
Bob Nunnally has filed a libel lawsuit against fellow forecaster Jym Ganahl in Franklin County Common Pleas Court.
The lawsuit says that Ganahl and perhaps “an unknown individual or individuals” made false statements that injured Nunnally in his “trade or profession” and exposed him to “ridicule, hatred or contempt.”
The complaint, filed on Nov. 5, says the statements were written in June, but does not reveal what Ganahl is accused of writing or where he wrote it."
Having watched and listened to these guys do the weather since I was young enough to delineate colors and shapes, I can tell you these are the last two media personalities I would ever expect to be pitted in a lawsuit against one another. Both Nunnally and Ganahl have worked on TV and radio in Columbus for decades and always seemed like your prototypical cheery midwestern weather reporters. Maybe even cheerier than average. What's even more incredible is that this libel suit seems to go far beyond Ganahl mocking Nunnally for overlooking a line of thunderstorms or area of high pressure. Nobody has details of what's involved in the lawsuit and the only insight into what exactly happened is that it's "really sensitive."
Imagine Mike Wilbon suing Tony Kornheiser. Or Al Michaels suing Bob Costas. Then imagine them continuing to work in the same newsroom! That's got to be an awkward enviornment for the other member of Storm Team 4, Ben Gelber. This whole story makes that other Channel 4 News Team seem like a cohesive unit.
Whatever the case, it looks like there are still cloudy skies over the NBC 4 newsroom. No wait, that's terrible. There's a storm brewing in Columbus! Man, that sucks too. This thunderous weatherman showdown of the ages will continue to flash lightning across the sky! Dang it! Someone get me Jim Nantz to end this article with a decent weather related pun!
Comments are closed.
About Matt Yoder