This was posted January 20, 2012 by Rodney Ho on his AJC Radio & TV Talk blog
Six months after his final day at 11 Alive, Paul Ossmann has landed a part-time weekend weather forecasting job at CBS Atlanta.
He starts tomorrow, Saturday, January 21, 2012, at 6 p.m. He will be on regularly at 6 and 11 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays.
“They have a young staff,” said Ossmann, 54, who was at CBS Atlanta studios when I called him. “I’m kind of the old guy.” At the same time, the preternaturally sunny Ossmann added, “I’m excited to be here.”
Ossmann was on Atlanta TV for 23 years, first at WAGA-TV, then WXIA-TV until last July. He has since worked in real estate and plans to continue to do so.
"He has the credentials, the experience," said Kenny Lawrence, CBS Atlanta director of programming and audience development. "People know of him for all the right reasons. He brings local cache."
11 Alive informed him early in 2011 that he should start looking for another job. Last spring, he had talks with CBS Atlanta's news director Eric Ludgood at the time but there were no openings. But once there was one a few weeks ago, Ludgood called Ossmann. "I truly appreciate him giving me this chance," Ossmann said.
While many contract clauses have a non-compete clause which prohibits them from appearing on air at a rival station for a particular time period, typically six months, Ossmann said he had no such restriction. The timing in this case, he said, was coincidental.
Ossmann had a rough 2011. Last February, he filed for Chapter 7 personal bankruptcy protection. (It was discharged last October). He lost his $900,000 home to foreclosure in July. His wife Faith and he separated at the time. And his job at 11 Alive ended that same month.
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