Local students’ weathercast on cable channel receives national honors

Charter Communications program earns Association of Cable Communicators Beacon Award                      

The weekly weather forecast program produced by two Western Connecticut State University meteorology students for Charter Communications’ community access channel has received recognition from the Association of Cable Communicators as the winner of a 2016 ACC Beacon Award honoring excellence in cable industry public affairs and educational programming.

The national prize, presented on June 21 to Charter Communications’ Community TV Station CTV-192 in Newtown during the ACC annual conference in New York, cited “Weather with Class: The CTV Weathercasts” as one of three Beacon Award recipients in the “Education Comprehensive Campaign” category. The weekly weather forecasts, reaching western Connecticut communities served by Charter and shared through streaming and social media on the Internet, have been produced by WCSU students Zachary Duhaime, of Hamden, and Nicholas Uhlman, of Meriden, as part of a collaboration between Charter and the WCSU meteorology program.

“Duhaime and Uhlman have contributed to the local community by consistently producing solid weathercasts to share with our coverage area,” said Greg Van Antwerp, Charter Communications community television supervisor. “The quality of their educational training enabled us to enter the Beacon Award competition. We hope that their participation will create enthusiasm among fellow students to generate a legacy of continued involvement and experience to be gleaned by all.”

Van Antwerp noted that the collaboration between Charter and Western on production of the weekly weathercasts has been made possible through the contributions of Gary Lessor, assistant to the director of meteorological studies and the Weather Center at WCSU. In addition to the weathercasts, Lessor provided the opportunity in his role as director of the Meteorology Bridge Program for Charter staff to participate in Western’s “Junior Weather People” program offered to middle school students in Danbury and Bethel.

“Lessor invited CTV staff to speak with students, encouraged them to get involved with the program and, most importantly, allowed us to be a part of the Meteorology Bridge Program, which extended the collaborative benefit to pre-college students,” Van Antwerp said. “We appreciate Western Connecticut State University’s faculty and administration for creating the kind of atmosphere where organizations such as ours can meet and speak with students.”

Lessor expressed pride in the weathercasts produced by Duhaime and Uhlman, and optimism that the program will set the foundations for expanded collaborations with Charter involving WCSU meteorology students as well as the bridge program. “Nick and Zach have certainly lifted the exposure of the WCSU meteorology program through community access TV,” he said.