Public lashes back as meteorologist loses job for objecting live on air to Sinclair-mandated 'Code Red' weather alerts

Meteorologist Joe Crain has been fired from WICS-TV in Springfield, Ill., after criticizing the "Code Red" weather alerts that Sinclair Broadcast Group had ordered its stations to use. Crain, who had been at the station for 15 years and was a trusted local source for viewers, felt the Code Red days were alarmist, Matthew Cappucci reports for The Washington Post.

Sinclair confirmed to CNN Wednesday that Crain was "let go" but declined further comment. WICS wouldn't comment publicly, but issued a statement defending the Code Red alerts and stressing that the decision to declare a Code Red day was made locally. The statement obliquely acknowledged that viewers were unhappy, and aaid the alerts would now be called "Weather Warn." They also promised to "continue to work to more precisely define the specific geographic areas of greatest concern." 

Meanwhile, public support for Crain remains strong. A Facebook page called "Supporters of Meteorologist Joe Crain" has more than 15,500 members. And on Wednesday, comedian Stephen Colbert praised Cain and poked fun at the Code Red system.  "With Joe Crain gone, the problem of scaring viewers isn’t getting any easier,' said Colbert, as the screen flipped to a graphic reading 'Storm Team Death Cast.' The audience laughed and applauded," Cappucci reports. 

At least four businesses have pulled their ads from WICS in support of Crain, the State Journal-Register in Springfield reports. And Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., told reporters that Crain "said something that was obvious" in criticizing the Code Red alerts, and that WICS and Sinclair were "overstating the danger to our community . ..  and they want to blame it on him."

"A petition to reinstate Crain as WICS’s morning meteorologist has gathered more than 16,000 signatures, but the effectiveness remains to be seen," Cappucci reports.