Has Storm Chasing Become an Entertainment Industry?

[JamesCaruso]

To the “broader public” storm chasing may be “purely about entertainment,” but so what? I think live streaming has simply expanded the reach and appeal of chasing to a mainstream audience that is never going to be interested or motivated enough to actually go out and do it themselves. With the livestream, they will never experience the satisfaction of accomplishment after a successful forecast and intercept, or the exhilaration of feeling inflow wind at their backs. And it’s still just a niche audience, as most people are not going to sit there watching an hours-long stream of a full chase. But the point is, it’s an incremental and separate audience. It does not at all diminish or cheapen what we do as actual chasers, or change the reasons we do it. And let’s face it, unless we are professional scientists or researchers, we, too, are only doing it for entertainment. It might be a deep intellectual curiosity and passion, but it’s still a discretionary recreational activity for most of us - i.e., entertainment.

 

[Warren Faidley]

I'm pleased that you have done this, and it takes a certain amount of courage to do something new, too.
I've seen some of your live streams and enjoyed them. I know I'm not likely to drive into all that dust like you!
You had easy-going, friendly, and frank voice-overs appropriate to your situations, providing good information as well.
But, don't get me started about trucks and drivers on I-10 !

Thanks so much. I’m still very much an amateur when it comes to live broadcasting, and it’s especially challenging as a solo chaser without a studio team to monitor the feed or provide commentary when I’m not speaking. My business instincts kick into high alert whenever my income depends on a third party like YouTube. It’s not hard to imagine them changing payment algorithms—or even banning live storm chasing altogether—if a significant tragedy were to occur.

 

[Warren Faidley]

To the “broader public” storm chasing may be “purely about entertainment,” but so what? I think live streaming has simply expanded the reach and appeal of chasing to a mainstream audience that is never going to be interested or motivated enough to actually go out and do it themselves. With the livestream, they will never experience the satisfaction of accomplishment after a successful forecast and intercept, or the exhilaration of feeling inflow wind at their backs. And it’s still just a niche audience, as most people are not going to sit there watching an hours-long stream of a full chase. But the point is, it’s an incremental and separate audience. It does not at all diminish or cheapen what we do as actual chasers, or change the reasons we do it. And let’s face it, unless we are professional scientists or researchers, we, too, are only doing it for entertainment. It might be a deep intellectual curiosity and passion, but it’s still a discretionary recreational activity for most of us - i.e., entertainment.

"It does not at all diminish or cheapen what we do as actual chasers."

I must respectfully, yet firmly, disagree. Having lived through the majority of modern storm chasing history, I’ve witnessed this issue first-hand more times than I can count. The most recent example came during my work on the Oklahoma chasing bill. I can state with absolute certainty that there is a large, silent undercurrent of scientists, law enforcement, politicians, EMS, emergency managers, fellow chasers, and members of the public who oppose live chasing when it involves reckless driving or dangerously close encounters done purely for entertainment. One thing is certain: if you chased in the late 1980s and 1990s, you’ve seen a profound shift in how the public views storm chasers.

Because I’m still active in the business, I encounter this sentiment regularly. I once had a $75,000+ spokesperson contract with a major home improvement company cancelled after the company’s vice president happened to see a clip of another chaser’s dangerous behavior. He concluded that the “corporate risk” of working with a storm chaser was simply too high. As a chaser, journalist, and EMT, I routinely hear from law enforcement about “bad behavior” in the field. Even many media outlets shy away from promoting “extreme chasing.” Look no further than what happened to The Weather Channel—both when they tried it themselves, and when they faced lawsuits after one of their chasing stringers was involved in a fatal accident. Some rental car companies have even stopped covering chase-related damage, regardless of waivers purchased. The examples go on.

Just because some chasers don’t personally experience this pushback doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist. Spend some time reading the uncensored comments following live chase streams—though most negative comments are now quickly removed by moderators—and you’ll see the criticism. Most chasers remain silent on the subject. I’ve been outspoken about my opposition to reckless chasing for years, and as a journalist, I consider it a responsibility. I couldn’t care less if it’s earned me a permanent ban from chase conventions or threats from individuals who say they’ll “run me off the road.”

To be clear, I have no objection to those who choose to earn a living through live chasing—so long as it’s done responsibly.