Best of ORL 2022: People & Media
The very best of Orlando's people and media.
(COURTESY OF WFTV)
Best TV Weather Forecaster
Tom Terry
Celebrating twenty years as Orlando’s meteorologist at WFTV.
Tom Terry was born to be a weather guy. “I had a weather radio that doubled as my alarm clock when I was ten years old. When that thing would go ‘Dingle, Dingle, Dingle, Dingle,’ I would listen and would draw the weather out on a map. Then I would run outside and show my folks, ‘Hey, it’s coming!’ I was prewired for this.”
Growing up in Oklahoma City was another stroke of luck for Tom. “I grew up watching the meteorologist in Oklahoma City. That’s where a lot of the new technology we use today started. The first television weather radar was on channel 9 in Oklahoma City, and the first storm tracking system was also developed there. A lot of what we do today started in Oklahoma City, and that’s what I watched when I was growing up.”
Tom feels that his job is the perfect combination of social and science. “I love the broadcast and the ability to have a one-way conversation with my viewers daily. I also love the science, so it’s a fifty-fifty split. I enjoy the broadcast side, where it’s just me and a camera. I try to project through that like I’m talking to my neighbor and try to take something complicated and boil it down to what you need to know. That’s the best part of my day, all those short snippets that I have a chance to talk to the audience.”
TV Weather Forecaster
1 Tom Terry
WFTV
2 Tom Sorrells
WKMG
3 Troy Bridges
WKMG
Athlete
1 Marta
Orlando Pride
2 Markelle Fultz
Orlando Magic
3 Johnathan Isaac
Orlando Magic
Good Day Orlando, FOX 35. (COURTESY OF FOX35)
TV News Team
1 Good Day Orlando
FOX 35
2 Lisa Bell and Matt Austin
WKMG
3 Ybeth Bruzual and Julie Gargotta
Spectrum News
Local Band
1 bengali 600
Big, groovy soul
2 Mark Houghton
Country cover artist
@facebook fusionbandorlando
3 Cacique & The Shamanic Rootz
Reggae artists
Local Podcast
1 The Dis Unplugged
All things Disney
2 Tenor and Toneless
Classical music
Boris Douglas Garbe
Rafael Cavero
3 What a Day Kids
Special-needs education
Melissa Winston
Local Podcaster
1 Boris Douglas Garbe
Tenor and Toneless
Classical music
2 Melissa Winston
What a Day Kids
Special-needs education
3 Patricio Solano
With a Side of Chaos
Local Radio Show
1 Curtis Earth Show
WPRK 915
2 Johnny’s House
WXXL 106.7
3 Chad & Leslye
WMGF 107.7
(COURTESY OF ORLANDO GUY)
Local Social Feed
Orlando Guy
Orlando’s popular Youtube travel host
What started as a small, independently produced Youtube program has become an immensely popular enterprise called Orlando Guy.
“I love this city, and I truly believe our best years are ahead of us,” says Orlando Guy, AKA Richard Howard. “The fact that I can make a living showcasing the City Beautiful while having fun doing it doesn’t hurt.”
Richard feels fortunate to live in such a vibrant, happening city, and there’s no better spokesperson for everything Central Florida has to offer. “There is so much to do in Orlando and Central Florida. Sometimes I think we forget how lucky we are to live here.”
Orlando Guy is quick to point out the non-theme park offerings that are available. “If you love hiking or mountain biking, you have Ocala National Forest just north of us. If you love beaches, we are 45 minutes from the Atlantic Ocean or 80 minutes from the Gulf Coast. If you are a foodie, we have some of the best culinary talents in the United States right here – Orlando now has four Michelin-starred restaurants! Add to the mix, professional and collegiate sports, stellar music venues, world-class shopping and on any given weekend you’ll find some festival, farmer’s market or civic activity going on-and I haven’t even mentioned we are the theme park capital of the world. If you can’t find something to do here, you just aren’t trying hard enough.”
Local Social Feed
1 The Orlando Guy
Orlando
Central Florida travel guide
2 Bungalower
Orlando
Community-focused local news
3 Sarah Grafton
Winter Park
Financial adviser, motivational speaker, author, community activist
Music Radio Station
1 Z88.3 FM
Christian Music Station
2 XL 106.7 FM
Hit Music Station
3 1011 WJRR
The Rock Station
Photographer
1 Jessie Dee
Orlando
2 Macbeth Studio
Orlando
3 Arlene Laboy
Orlando
Social Media Influencer
1 Jessie Dee
Orlando
2 Christina Thomas@GoEpicurista
Orlando
3 The Orlando Guy
Orlando
Spiritual Leader
1 Pastor David Uth
First Baptist Orlando
Orlando
2 Pastor Derrick Williams
Shiloh Baptist Church
Orlando
3 Rabbi Steven Engel
Congregation of Reform Judaism
Orlando
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