THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, January 22, 1996 TAG: 9601200075
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E2 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Column
SOURCE: Larry Bonko
LENGTH: Long : 114 lines
IN THE WAKE of Duane Harding's abrupt dismissal last week, readers by the dozen are calling my Infoline number to say they intend to make WTKR pay for pulling their favorite meteorologist off the air.
One reader refers to the bosses at WTKR as ``corporate bullies.''
Another said they're swept up in a ``hatchet-wielding frenzy.''
No punches pulled there.
Several callers have mentioned the ``B'' word: ``B'' as in boycotting the CBS affiliate's sponsors until Harding is again up on the station's rooftop weather set and back on the air.
Others swear they'll never watch Channel 3's local news again.
Two callers in Virginia Beach, Mrs. Cecil Chapman and retired Navy forecaster Tim Haggerty, say they haven't decided on the best way to protest the departure of the weather guy everyone calls ``Dr. Duane.''
But protest they will.
Chapman called the firing ``obscene.'' In her words, Harding is Mr. Weather around here.
Haggerty has called and faxed his complaints to the station, and written a letter of outrage to the editor of this newspaper. He wants to do more.
Such as?
``Picketing the station in protest,'' said Haggerty. ``I'd probably be the only one there, but I'd be willing to show up at Channel 3's front door with my `bring-back-Duane' sign. He is an excellent forecaster.''
More than 75 Infoline callers swear they will never again watch the local news on WTKR after what was done to Harding - dismissed without warning by news director Barbara Hamm after showing up to work last Monday afternoon.
The outrage is threefold in one local household where grandmother (Louise Furman), daughter (Beverly Furman) and granddaughter (Laura Johnson) say they have sworn off News Channel 3. Johnson said it was ``heartless'' of WTKR not to renew Harding's contract.
``I'll never watch their local news again,'' said Susan Petran in Virginia Beach.
If Haggerty decided to proceed with his picketing, he would have more company than he thinks, judging by the volume of calls that have come to me on Infoline (640-5555, press 2486) and my newspaper extension (446-2486).
The capacity for calls on the Infoline number is 50. That number has been exceeded several times. No sooner do I tally the calls, clear the voice mail, and 50 more come in. As of this writing, the calls are running about 300-to-2 against Harding's firing.
One caller swimming against the tide: Theresa Binetti in Virginia Beach, who said she has no wish to see Harding fired, but WTKR is right in replacing the ``fuddy-duddy weatherman who doesn't fit in'' with the station's new and younger ``News Channel 3'' image.
Another woman from the Eastern Shore asks, ``Why the fuss? Why mourn the departure of that crabby weatherman?''
These two are very much in the minority.
I've had calls from North Carolina to the Eastern Shore, from Suffolk to the Peninsula, criticizing WTKR's recently appointed general manager Elden Hale for replacing the scholarly, gentlemanly Ph.D. with a couple of guys named Greg (Padgett) and Pete (Grigsby).
Sherry Smith in Virginia Beach, who was once a student of Harding's at Eastern Kentucky University, said she's in shock after Channel 3 fired a professional ``who is excellent at what he does.''
A caller who identified himself as ``B-Cat'' Graham checked in from his 36-foot boat, the Endeavor, tied up at a Little Creek marina, to say he'll be lost without Harding's forecasts.
``How can you fire a heck of a good meteorologist?''
Other reactions on Infoline:
``We regret the hatchet-wielding frenzy of the new management'' - Mr. and Mrs. Al DeMatteo, Suffolk.
``I'm very, very upset and sad about what has happened to Duane. I've switched channels.'' - Sandra Jansen, Virginia Beach.
``I'm objecting to the actions of the corporate bullies at WTKR.'' - Anita Jahr, Chesapeake.
``From this point on, we don't have a Channel 3 at our house. I am very, very upset Duane was let go.'' - Lucy Jastrebsky, Chesapeake.
``A basic injustice has been done to a a good meteorologist who supported efforts to preserve the environment, and had a large local following.'' - Tanya Tracy, Virginia Beach.
``Have they gone a little crazy at Channel 3? Getting rid of Duane is a decision that stinks. I'll no longer watch the station.'' - Ann Hawkins, Virginia Beach.
``My loyalty to Channel 3 has disappeared. It's gone, vanished, depleted. I'm switching channels.'' - Clyde Cooper, Virginia Beach.
``The firing of Dr. Duane was just too much. After 30 years of watching Channel 3, I'm changing channels.'' - Fran Smith, Virginia Beach.
``Channel 3 has let a gem get away. It's deplorable.'' - Ed Vickers, Chesapeake.
``We're mad as hell that Duane was canned. WTKR can kiss us goodbye.'' - Mickey Nixon, Virginia Beach.
``I've grown up watching Channel 3 for the past 30 years. But after what was done to Duane Harding, the station is no longer welcome in my home.'' - Fred Willams, Virginia Beach.
Brenda Radford, a caller from Portsmouth who is quite upset with the station for not renewing Harding's contract, said she believes she has some insight on why Harding is history. She's part of a 50-member weather club presided over by Harding.
At the last meeting on Jan. 5, said Radford, Harding was ``spitting nails'' because he was angry at his Channel 3 bosses who wanted localized neighborhood-by-neighborhood forecasts.
Harding didn't think he could do an honest forecast that way, said Radford. ``Is that why you dismiss a dependable forecaster who has served his community for 15 years or so?''
If 20-year-Navy veteran Haggerty doesn't get his picket-line protest going, perhaps it will be a 48-year-old Norfolk man who calls himself Dr. H. Know, social activist and campaigner for social justice.
If Harding gives him the word, Know says he will put together an organized protest that will get Harding's job back. ``A bad thing happened to a good man,'' said Know.
That sums up the firing of Harding very nicely. by CNB