Katie Tutrone: From yesterday’s weather to today’s climate story
kate tutroneHer interest in the natural world began with her love of the weather – both the phenomenon and the daily ritual of listening to the forecast.
“I think it’s really interesting that people wake up every day and look at the weather, and it’s such a mundane part of a lot of our conversations,” Tutrone said. She also found the whole spectacle of weather forecasting — green screens and dramatic forecasts — amusing.
Katie Tutrone produced Cloud in a Bottle for CBS’ Mission Unstoppable.Photo: Katie Tutrone
Tutrone sees humor in weather forecasts as a way to engage more people with an important topic that is often taken for granted.
“I also thought it was funny that everyone kept blaming the local meteorologists for having the wrong weather and cursing them,” she said. So Tutrone decided to create her own Instagram account, where she would report on something she could never get wrong — yesterday’s weather (aptly named @cirrus yesterday).
former vice news Producers and Recent Graduates Columbia Climate Schoolof MSc Climate and Society The program incorporates her background in comedy into her work as a video creator, journalist and climate educator.For her next venture, Tutrone will be at weather channel.
In the Q&A below, Tutrone discusses what fuels her insatiable curiosity about weather and climate reports, and how she uses comedy to invite new audiences into difficult conversations.
What sparked your interest in climate science?
The sky is our cinema, which means everyone has access to it. But I wanted to find a way to bring the weather to a younger audience, and one of those ways was by talking about climate change.I have noticed that people are afraid to associate natural disasters and events with climate change On the radio, I found it very interesting.So my first piece of work is vice An investigation is underway into why some local meteorologists avoid talking about climate change.
Since then, I’ve spent about five years trying to market several versions of the weather show on: vice Just look at the different blind spots in the narrative. One of the shows looks at failed disaster recovery of a city or town, and what happens years after a disaster. I piloted a show called “Weathered” where I looked at different disaster hotspots around the world. For example, I studied failed disaster recovery efforts in Puna, Hawaii, where the Kilauea volcano erupted. Once the press leaves, the story is ignored. When disaster strikes, people become obsessed with these images of devastation for two weeks. Years later, that’s the real story — the real disasters are sometimes recovery.
IIt sounds like when you start out with comedy, you use it to talk about some really serious issues.
Yes, it’s hard to handle such a sensitive issue with comedy. Not all stories can contain these elements, but where comedy and irony can be used is in pointing out who is responsible. I focus mostly on failed government actions, oil companies, and different greenwashing tactics.
Besides that, I also make weather forecasts and make my own satirical videos on Instagram. My boss recognizes the value in me of having an independent career as a scientific creator. I started a TikTok account and made a lot of videos go viral. I now have about 840,000 followers, so I feel a responsibility to stay on top of trends and use my platform to inform people about different issues, not just climate-related, but wacky scientific facts as well.
My goal is to spark curiosity and share the sense of “wow” I get from my climate school lessons – what I learn that blows my mind. This is how I connect my work on climate school with my TikTok.
Climate and Society alumna Katie Tutron poses with her “weather machine.”Photo: Katie Tutrone
When and why did you decide to go back to school for a climate and society project?
I am here vice For two years, I’ve been holding off, partly because of the pandemic, but also because I wanted to generate more savings so I wouldn’t go into debt. From 2021 to 2022 I am studying full-time at the Climate School and have been in vice part time.
This is great because I got to incorporate what I learned in climate school into my storytelling. It made me feel more at ease with the science of climate change and gave me more credibility. But I’d say the most important thing I’ve taken from there is getting to know my peers and being around people who know a lot more about all of these topics than I do. They taught me how to discuss across disciplines, how to see how many different issues are interconnected, from food systems to racial justice to conservation genetics, and many others.
It was so inspiring to be able to use my conversations with my classmates as the sounding board they provided to their colleagues in the newsroom. I am learning every day. I think the most important thing we can do right now is better educate each other about the values of solidarity and collective action, which cannot be separated from communication.
can you talk about your new role weather channel?
In all of my storytelling, my highest priority is character-driven storytelling. So to find the most compelling people and voices on the front lines, but also to see the weather as its own character, and how the two interact.this is what i hope to bring weather channel.
Although my boss is very supportive of my weather and climate story vice, I am ready to move to a place that is as excited about these topics as the organization. So it’s a bit of a coincidence that I was fired in May, and it’s also a sad sign for journalism and journalism right now. But this was a moment of forced and necessary change for me.
exist weather channelI’ll be doing a number of different roles as a severe weather producer, but will also be doing climate coverage for a daily show called Pattrn, as well as additional writing, producing and hosting.
My contribution is to bring my social savvy and knowledge of a young audience to their platform and do so through climate coverage. I’m really excited to work with my childhood idols like Jim Cantore. I have vivid memories of him standing outside during a storm and listening to the thunder and snow. I have also had the pleasure of working with Marshall Shepherd, who is an incredible meteorologist and climate communicator. It all seems a little too good to be true, and the 17-year-old me must be pinching myself now.
Do you have any advice for someone entering this field, or any words of wisdom that you think will help you along your path?
My advice to anyone is to talk to as many people as possible and don’t be afraid to ask stupid questions.In my off hours I reach out to a lot of people – direct DMs [direct messages] is a very powerful action.
I took the time to learn about waste management, different groups and organizations that promote local climate solutions, such as the Billion Oyster Project, the National Audubon Society, and beekeepers. I would offer something, like using my video skills to document their work, in exchange for allowing me to be there. So if you’re interested in something (a person, a project, an organization), reach out and don’t be afraid to express your interest. Another thing I’ve learned after getting fired is not to be completely tied to one job or company; you should always have interests, or preferably passion projects, going on.
