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Jennifer Zeppelin named first female chief meteorologist for a Tulsa TV station
Published: 9/21/2012 1:37 PM
Last Modified: 9/21/2012 2:17 PM


Jennifer Zeppelin COURTESY

Jennifer Zeppelin has been named chief meteorologist of Tulsa's KTUL, channel 8, effective with Sunday's 10 p.m. newscast.

Zeppelin, who has been a freelance meteorologist for the ABC-affiliated station since December, becomes the first female chief meteorologist for a Tulsa TV station, according to press information. She is replacing longtime channel 8 chief meteorologist Frank Mitchell who retired Tuesday.

A graduate of Mississippi State University with a bachelor of arts in communications and a bachelor of science degree in geosciences, she moved to Oklahoma in 2011 when her husband Jim Berscheidt took a position with the Oklahoma State University Foundation in Stillwater. They have a 10-year-old son.

Pat Baldwin, president and general manager of the station said Zeppelin was named to the chief position for several reasons.

"One, I think she has a real commitment to weather and I know everybody will say something like that but when she says it, she looks me in the eye and she says 'I know how to communicate it and make us better in weather,'" he said in a phone interview Friday.

"Also, obviously, what a huge advantage that she has been with us for eight or nine months because the outpouring from everyone, from clients to viewers, has been 'Wow.'

"And she has a certain presence about her that's very unique."

Before Tulsa, Zepplin worked as a meteorologist in Hattiesburg, Miss., Jackson, Miss., Shreveport, La., San Antonio, Texas, and most recently for the morning and noon newscasts in Denver. She holds seals of approval from the American Meteorological Society and National Weather Association.


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Rita Sherrow grew up with TV. Yes, it was the ever-present “sister” from another techno mother. At first look, it was instant "Like." From then on, the TV had to be on in every room while she studied, elementary school through college. An Air Force brat, she attended school in three states (Oklahoma, Montana and Georgia) and two foreign countries (Germany and Bermuda) and graduated from Broken Arrow High School and the University of Tulsa with a degree in journalism/advertising. She first interned in the advertising world but, when a J-School professor (who also covered politics for the Tulsa World) offered her an internship at the newspaper, she took him up on it. The rest is history. She has served as bridal editor, senior features writer for the women’s section, food editor and is television editor of the Tulsa World. In addition to writing about TV shows and interviewing the stars for “Scene” stories, she also writes a TV column for Weekend and produces the Sunday TV World listings magazine.

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