Journalism School Awards Highest Honor to WTVA's Matt Laubhan

The school presented its Silver Em award to the Tupelo-based meteorologist Wednesday (April 9) evening at The Inn at Ole Miss. The ceremony also celebrated UM journalism and integrated marketing and communications students who have earned excellence awards.

The Silver Em is bestowed to Mississippians who have notable journalism careers or journalists who have had notable careers in Mississippi. Laubhan is the first meteorologist ever to receive the honor.

"The fact that Ole Miss would recognize me in this way is a huge honor," he said. "One I'd easily say I don't deserve, but ultimately, I'm very, very humbled that they would consider me for this."

Laubhan is the only Certified Broadcast Meteorologist in northeast Mississippi. He grew up in a rural "Tornado Alley" town, and the blaring sirens perched right by his family's home planted a seed of fear that transformed into curiosity about the weather.

"You feed a fear with information," the Kansas native said. "Because most things we fear, about anything we fear, are incorrect. If you if you have the right information, then you're not going to be as scared.

"You're empowered to know how to protect yourself and your family."

Laubhan began weather forecasting for local TV stations in Lubbock, Texas, in 2004. This month marks 14 years since he began his job at WTVA.

As he filled the position formerly held by a 30-year veteran forecaster at the station, Laubhan knew that it might take viewers time to warm up to him.

It didn't take long.

On April 26-27, 2011, a historic severe weather super outbreak barreled through the area and everything changed, he said.

"All of a sudden, people go from being wildly disappointed and frustrated and angry and mad to incredibly supportive and nurturing and saying, 'I'm sorry; we were wrong,'" he said. "I've got to give God the credit on that, because he used me."

Laubhan's life-saving forecasts and community support underscore the importance of journalism, said Andrea Hickerson, dean of the School of Journalism and New Media.

"The public outcry over the proposed termination of Matt and his weather team from WTVA by Allen Media Group earlier this year demonstrated the value and appreciation of local news," she said. "Matt epitomizes the ideal trustworthy relationship between newscaster and audience."

Laubhan was the keynote speaker for this year's Mississippi Scholastic Press Association's spring High School Journalism Convention at Ole Miss.

He encourages budding journalists and meteorologists to embrace the changing landscape of modern journalism. Fears over that change can be calmed the same way he cured his uneasiness over severe weather, through education and finding ways to leverage new technology, he said.

"There's so many national pressures that are detrimental to freedom of speech in this country that local journalists, specifically, are more valuable now than maybe they've ever been in the past because there are local stories, there are local politicians and there are local groups that need to be held accountable," Laubhan said.

"I'm excited for what the future of journalism looks like. I don't want people to be scared about the changes, because they are scary, but nobody chooses change willingly."

Top: Matt Laubhan, chief meteorologist at WTVA in Tupelo, speaks with high school student journalists before giving his keynote speech at the 2025 Mississippi Scholastic Press Association’s spring convention at Ole Miss. Laubhan is the 2025 Silver Em recipient, becoming the first meteorologist to receive the School of Journalism and New Media’s top honor. Photo by Hunt Mercier/Ole Miss Digital Imaging Services