John Coleman (meteorologist)

John Coleman (meteorologist)
Name	John Coleman
Birth date	February 15, 1934
Birth place	Alpine, Texas, United States
Death date	January 20, 2018
Death place	Las Vegas, Nevada, United States
Occupation	Meteorologist, television personality
Years active	1953–2018
Known for	Co-founder of The Weather Channel; television weather anchoring

John Coleman (meteorologist) was an American broadcast meteorologist and television personality, best known as a pioneering on-air weather presenter and a co-founder of The Weather Channel. Over a broadcasting career spanning more than six decades, he worked at major markets and national outlets, becoming a familiar figure in Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and New York City. Coleman was also notable for his outspoken skepticism of mainstream climatology and global warming consensus, which generated controversy among scientists, media figures, and institutions.

Early life and education

Coleman was born in Alpine, Texas, and raised in the American Southwest region, with formative years that included residence in Dallas, Fort Worth, and San Antonio. He attended Texas A&M University briefly before beginning a career in broadcasting during the 1950s, training with regional radio and television stations in Texas and the Southwest. Early mentors and colleagues included local station managers and engineers who had worked during the expansion of commercial television in the post-World War II era, and Coleman developed on-air skills alongside contemporaries who later worked in major markets such as Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York City.

Broadcasting career

Coleman began as a radio and television reporter and weathercaster during the 1950s and 1960s, moving through markets including Dallas–Fort Worth, Chicago, San Francisco, and Los Angeles. He served as chief meteorologist and weather anchor at stations such as KPIX-TV in San Francisco and WLS-TV in Chicago, collaborating with personalities from broadcast newsrooms tied to organizations like ABC News, NBC News, and CBS News. In Chicago, he worked alongside anchors and reporters who had been associated with institutions like NBC, ABC, and local affiliates; in Los Angeles he developed an on-air style that influenced later television meteorologists who worked for stations including KTLA and KCBS-TV.

Coleman's national visibility increased through regular appearances and syndicated segments that intersected with programs produced by networks such as ABC, NBC, and CBS. He was an early adopter of satellite and radar imagery in television weather segments, following technological advances pioneered by agencies and companies including the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, NOAA Weather Radio, and private radar manufacturers that serviced television stations. Over decades Coleman trained and mentored younger forecasters who later moved to stations in metropolitan areas such as New York City, Philadelphia, Boston, and Miami.

The Weather Channel and later ventures

In 1982 Coleman co-founded The Weather Channel with partners from cable and telecommunications industries, launching a 24-hour service that transformed televised weather coverage much as cable networks like CNN changed news. The channel's creation involved collaboration with cable operators, industry executives, and engineers who built distribution systems similar to those used by networks such as Discovery Channel and MTV. Although Coleman left executive involvement after the network's founding, his role connected him to later ventures in broadcast production, satellite distribution, and meteorological consulting that associated him with companies and markets across North America.

After The Weather Channel, Coleman returned to local broadcasting, anchoring weather at stations in Chicago and Las Vegas, and producing syndicated weather segments that aired on local affiliates tied to networks like Fox Broadcasting Company and ABC. He also engaged with print and online media outlets, contributing commentary to regional newspapers and websites that covered topics intersecting with energy policy, regional infrastructure, and agricultural interests. Coleman remained a visible figure in meteorological broadcasting communities and alumni networks connected to university programs such as those at Penn State University, University of Oklahoma, and Colorado State University that train broadcast meteorologists.

Controversies and climate change views

Coleman became widely known for his public rejection of the scientific consensus on climate change and global warming, publicly disputing assessments issued by organizations such as the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. He authored op-eds and made broadcast statements criticizing climate models and reports by institutions like the IPCC and national academies, prompting responses from scientists affiliated with universities and research centers including Harvard University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, and NOAA.

His views attracted criticism from climate scientists, environmental groups such as Greenpeace and the Sierra Club, and media outlets including The New York Times, The Washington Post, and The Guardian, which cited scientific literature and consensus statements from professional societies like the American Meteorological Society and the American Geophysical Union. Debates over Coleman's statements involved policy organizations and governmental bodies that reference climate science, ranging from state agencies in California and New York to federal advisory committees. Supporters of his positions included commentators and organizations in conservative media networks and think tanks, aligning with broader public policy debates involving institutions such as The Heritage Foundation and others.

Personal life and death

Coleman lived in Las Vegas, Nevada in his later years, where he continued occasional media appearances and commentary. He was married and had children; family members included relatives who worked in broadcasting and related professions in cities such as Chicago and Los Angeles. Coleman died on January 20, 2018, in Las Vegas, and his death was noted by major news organizations including NBC News, CNN, USA Today, and regional publications in markets where he worked. His legacy remains part of the history of American broadcast meteorology and cable television, intersecting with institutions and debates that shaped late 20th and early 21st-century media and climate discourse.

Category:American meteorologists Category:Television personalities from Texas Category:The Weather Channel founders Category:1934 births Category:2018 deaths