TV station drops ‘Code Red’ weather alerts after on-air clash with meteorologist

The TV station whose “Code Red” weather alert drew an on-air reproach from its meteorologist last week says it is softening the name and developing stricter guidelines.

WICS-TV posted a video to its website Monday night in which general manager Rick Lipps responds to meteorologist Joe Crain’s on-air comments June 5. Crain said during a morning forecast for a “Code Red” weather alert that he understands viewers’ complaints about the brand. Critics say the moniker is overused, unnecessarily alarms people, harms businesses and marks the entire viewing area with the alert regardless of how isolated the storm threat.

Lipps says he can’t comment on Crain’s status. But he says managers will change the community-minded storm alerts to “Weather Warn” because “Code Red may no longer be fitting.” And he says they will work to better define the geographic region “of greatest concern.”

Several prominent advertisers have pulled spots from the station.

Crain declined comment Monday. Representatives from WICS owner Sinclair Broadcast Group, which developed the “Code Red” brand, did not return messages seeking comment.