Weathering the Storm

What gives ESPN its voice and its personality, he says, is its distinct point of view -- that of a fan, rather than a huge, impersonal sports network. He's still defining weather.com's point of view, but he knows it's not that of a fan. There's a broader, more emotional side to the weather, he says. The idea is to tap into that psychology, that latent appreciation for the weather and for the large and small ways that it affects us daily. The universal, emotional side of the weather reminds us that we're a part of something big. "The fact that the Grand Canyon was formed by weather is pretty cool," he says. If the Weather Channel brand reminds people of the times in their lives when weather was an important ingredient, "we'll vastly change people's perceptions of our role in the world."

Weather, he argues, is ultimately about life. "We're helping people prepare for severe weather, but we're also helping them plan for good times. For that bikes ride around the block with their daughter. For that afternoon when they can sit back in a chair and bask in a beautiful day. I think that we should get credit for some of that."