Minnesota's KTTC News Chief Meteorologist Nick Jansen recently received some backlash from viewers after he was caught texting his wife during a live broadcast on July 28.
A reporter offscreen was finishing up a segment when the camera moved back to Jansen, and when it came time for him to take over the broadcast, he quickly explained that he was just finishing up a text to his wife to make sure she and their 6-month-old baby were awake and in their safe place before he continued on with the report.
Afterwards, Jansen received a negative email criticizing the moment as unprofessional, but the weatherman defended his actions in a Facebook post that has since gone viral.
Jansen later told TODAY that this isn't the first time he's received this type of backlash. Just a few years ago, he texted his wife to check on her safety during a tornado outbreak that impacted their home.
He went on to explain,
So when I received this latest email, I was like, you know what? I don't think it's acceptable that I can't take a second to make sure my loved ones are OK. I'm sure a lot of viewers were texting their families. And we always say on-air, ‘If you know someone in such-and-such a town, make sure to let them know this is coming.' So I was kind of taking my own advice.
Thankfully, in this case, Jansen's home and family made it through the storm safely, and the positive feedback has far outweighed the criticism.
And come on, who could look at this sweet face and stay mad about a dad checking on his baby girl!
KTTC vice president Stephanie Hendrick also released a statement in support of the meteorologist, saying,
KTTC knows that when our meteorologists, anchors and reporters are delivering the news, they are also talking to their own families- informing them and helping to keep them safe. In this case, viewers saw that happen live — Nick being a good husband and dad by taking a moment and making sure they were safe.
Consider this a win for Chief Meteorologist Nick Jansen!
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