John Coleman

John Coleman

KUSI-TV

John Coleman

Weatherman, executive
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John Coleman

Weatherman, executive

October 15, 1934

Alpine, Texas

January 20, 2018

John Coleman was an American TV weatherman and co-founder of The Weather Channel.

After receiving his journalism degree in 1957, he became the weather anchor for WMBD-TV in Peoria, Illinois. Coleman was also a weather anchor for KETV in Omaha, WISN-TV in Milwaukee and then WBBM-TV and WLS-TV in Chicago.

In 1972, Coleman and his stage crew craftsmen at WLS-TV created the first chroma key weather map ever in use.

Coleman became the original meteorologist on what was then the brand-new ABC network morning program, Good Morning America. He stayed seven years with this top-rated program anchored by David Hartman and Joan Lunden.

In 1981, he persuaded communications entrepreneur Frank Batten to help establish The Weather Channel, serving as TWC's CEO and President during the start-up and its first year of operation. After leaving TWC, Coleman moved to Southern California to join the independent television station, KUSI-TV in San Diego, in what Coleman fondly calls "his retirement job."

He retired from broadcasting in 2014 after nearly 61 years, having worked the last 20 years at KUSI-TV in San Diego.

Coleman died January 20, 2018, in Las Vegas, Nevada. He was 83.

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