KSHB TV 41's (NBC affiliate) and Chief Meteorologist Gary Lezak preempted a new episode of NBC's hit new series "Friday Night Lights" on Wednesday, Mar, 21, 2007 for a half hour "Extreme Weather" special in an attempt to justify interrupting primetime programming for weather.  We question whether this programming would have been more appropriate for broadcast 5, 6, or 10:30 PM or anytime during the day or weekend for that matter.  It's just yet another example of how local affiliates are sensationalizing severe weather and putting viewers lives in danger for the sake of racking up air time during primetime. 

On a side note, they were kind enough to provide a crawl during the hour long flashback to severe weather that occurred 4 or 5 years ago to inform viewers to tune in at 2:05 AM on Thursday to catch the pre-empted episode... less than 12 hours notice.

Gary is quick to remind viewers that local stations only interrupt network programming an average of five times per year.  And that we should all calm down because TV is not more important than warning people of possible severe weather.  But, here we are less than a month into this year's storm season and he has already done it twice and no one can argue that this most recent incident had anything to do with viewers' safety.

Gary Lezak responded on his Action Weather Blog to the complaints:

"[C]oncerning the special, and I have taken a lot of heat tonight. More than ever before in my career. I have to explain what happened.

NBC had a Dateline repeat scheduled for tonight and then late last week they decided to put in a brand new episode of Friday Night Lights. This is where everything got messed up. I wish we would have moved the special to another night that had a repeat on. So, this is why this controversy developed. I HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH IT. I didn't even know until tonight what had happened. But, there are a lot of angry viewers saying some ridiculously angry things to me."

"[T]here are a lot of angry viewers saying some ridiculously angry things to me," and rightfully so Gary.  This sort of "special" has no business in primetime.  If the special was only a half hour, there is a perfect time slot for it right after the 6:00 PM newscast.  It could have also been broken up into 5 minute segments for broadcast during your regular news programming.  KSHB has 21 other hours of programming to fill and this sort of self promotion belongs there and not in primetime. 

Whether it was Gary's decision or not to air this "special," Gary is the one in front of the camera and it is he who rightfully deserves criticism along with what ever news director authorized this waste of air time.

Tell the local TV stations you've had enough!

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"Gary Lezak had a new theory of weather prediction he touted at a conference over the summer and came back to present his predictions to KC in Sept. Poor Gary has had to reformat and adjust his theory twice now, because almost nothing he stated then has come to fruition." - DeAnn