Wednesday 2 January 2013

Another 'sour' post about the weather predictions in the Express

Express hack Nathan Rao appears not to have enjoyed this post about his not-very-reliable articles about the weather.

Despite claiming it made him 'chuckle' he took to his personal blog to label it 'sour', 'yawn-inducing' and 'pointless drivel'.

Well, if anyone knows pointless drivel when he sees it...

The 'yawn-inducing' insult is curious, too, given he's been following Tabloid Watch on Twitter since 6 November 2011.

Apart from those insults, Rao had nothing to say about the post. He didn't challenge or debunk it in any way - he just indulged in petty name-calling.

Twenty-eight people decided to post comments in response to Rao's outburst - every one is critical of him and challenging him to point out where this blog was wrong. He hasn't responded on his blog, but tweeted:

Chuckling at how many people have so much to say that they are unwilling to put their names to. Carry on chaps.

So let's look at Nathan's articles about the possibility of a White Christmas in 2012. 

On 21 November, the Express said:


Nathan explained:

Britain is on course for a White Christmas with snow likely as far south as London, say forecasters.

And:

Much of Britain can expect its snowiest winter for 100 years, according to James Madden, forecaster for Exacta Weather.

On 7 December, Nathan went further - a White Christmas was not just 'odds-on' but a 'dead cert'.

Less than a week later, the prediction changed to a 'wet Christmas'.

By 22 December, the Express had decided Christmas Day 'won't be a white-out' and on the big day, the paper reported:

Hopes of a white Christmas have been washed out

And the Met Office's verdict on Boxing Day about a White Christmas?


Some 'dead cert'.

And yet another blemish on the record of - ahem - 'unmatched' and 'accurate weather updates' from Rao and the Express.

2 comments:

  1. Have appended this to his article, but thoroughly expect him to remove it, so posting it here as well.

    -------------------
    So Nathan, when on Saturday 17th November, your paper headlined with an article written by yourself:

    "COLDEST WINTER IN 100 YRS ON WAY"
    "Forecasters Warn snow could bring Britain to a standstill"
    "Britain will grind to a halt within weeks as the most savage freeze for a century begins"

    just when exactly can we expect this to happen?

    Or perhaps let's take the front page headline for Friday 7th December 2012:

    "COLDEST WEEK FOR 20 YEARS IS ON WAY"
    "-15c blast will make us colder than North Pole"
    "Britain is braced for its coldest winter in 20 years next week when a 'beast from the east' roars in from Siberia"

    If Tabloid Watch is apparently being unfair, let's hear your views on exactly what they got wrong, and exactly how right you were with the above two articles?

    I realise you're clearly embarrassed by how woefully wrong your 'forecasting' turns out to be, but at least man up and admit that you're not doing your job very well. If your 'journalism' isn't accurate, then don't be too surprised when people hold you to account for it.

    ReplyDelete
  2. And again today.
    SNOW CHAOS TO CRIPPLE BRITAIN WITH -15C WEATHER PREDICTED
    BRITAIN is braced for weeks of heavy snow set to trigger the worst whiteout for years and cause chaos across the country.
    http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/369790/Snow-chaos-to-cripple-Britain-with-15c-weather-predicted.

    ReplyDelete

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