A video on WTMJ-TV’s newscasts this week is teasing a new staff member joining the Channel 4 team June 15 – and many online commenters believe it’s former WISN-TV meteorologist Lindsey Slater.
The teaser depicts TMJ4’s meteorologist team greeting a woman walking toward them who’s only shown from behind.
“The weather is about to change in southeast Wisconsin,” a voiceover on the teaser says. “Somebody’s back on local TV.”
The video then shares the date June 15.
Several comments on Slater’s social media accounts show viewers’ excitement about the meteorologist’s apparent return to TV screens. On one Facebook comment asking “Any time line for being back on tv?” Slater simply replied “yes.”
Slater told the Journal Sentinel on Tuesday, June 2 that she isn’t able to confirm anything at this time. Her attorney, Robert Corris, declined to comment.
WTMJ station manager Gregg Schraufnagel also declined to confirm if the teaser depicts Slater.
“We’ll be making an official announcement on June 15,” Schraufnagel said in an email. “We are aware of the speculation but are not confirming or denying any specific names at this point. Please stay tuned.”
Earlier this year, Slater abruptly left WISN, where she was a longtime, fan-favorite meteorologist. Slater stopped appearing on the station’s morning newscasts the week of Feb. 23-27.
Since then, Slater had remained quiet about what led to her departure. However, she continued to share weather forecasts on her social media and hinted at a return to local television.
She hired Corris, who specializes in non-compete contracts. In March, Corris told the Journal Sentinel he’s confident she would be able to defeat a non-compete clause in her WISN contract, which is aimed at preventing staff from working for competing news stations for a period of time after their employment ends.
Slater started with WISN-TV since June 2016, and became the station’s early morning meteorologist in July 2019.
Contact Kelli Arseneau at (920) 213-3721 or karseneau@gannett.com. Follow her on X at @ArseneauKelli.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: TMJ4 teases a new meteorologist. Could it be Lindsey Slater?
Reporting by Kelli Arseneau, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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