WINK News in Florida is suing its former meteorologist, Matt Devitt, claiming he was building a competing weather business while he was still employed by the company.
Devitt, who was fired by WINK in January, is now facing a $100,000 lawsuit.
On Monday, Fort Myers Broadcasting Company filed a 60-page lawsuit naming Devitt and his new business, WeatherView Inc. The filing asks for $100,000 in damages and asks a judge to force Devitt to halt his independent business.
An attorney representing the broadcaster told the News-Press that “the lawsuit speaks for itself” when asked for comment.
WINK News declined to offer a comment to The Independent.
On January 10, Devitt announced on Facebook that he had been terminated from his job and made clear his departure wasn’t a mutual decision.
“This decision was not one that I expected or agreed with and [I] was not given the opportunity to say goodbye on-air. It was a complete shock to me, my family and fellow coworkers,” he said at the time.
Devitt is a popular media figure in South Florida, and his firing was met with furor among his fans. The lawsuit claims that WINK employees have faced “considerable public backlash” in the wake of his firing, up to and including “death threats.”
The lawsuit disputes Devitt’s claim that his firing was unexpected. It claims that there had been internal disciplinary meetings with Devitt in the months leading up to his termination.
“Mr. Devitt publicly stated that his termination was a ‘complete shock.’ That characterization is inaccurate. Over the past year, WINK News and Human Resources met with Mr. Devitt on multiple occasions regarding off-air conduct,” WINK General Manager Jamie Ricks wrote in a memo included in the filing. “He received written warnings, was recently suspended, and acknowledged in writing that he understood continued violations could result in termination.”
The lawsuit says Devitt was given a three-day unpaid suspension between November 3 and 5, 2025, which followed a disciplinary meeting concerning his conduct and schedule expectations. Devitt reportedly signed a suspension notice acknowledging the disciplinary action.
WINK claims in its filing that Devitt had a pattern of attendance problems, including late arrivals to work, early departures, and longer-than-allowed breaks. It also included an email between Devitt and a leader at the station that WINK’s management argues was unprofessional.
It also alleges that Devitt was gambling at the station and had a “gambling problem.”
The major sticking point of the lawsuit appears to be the claim that Devitt built his independent venture using company resources and attempted to recruit colleagues who worked at WINK to join him.
“Devitt’s creation of, and working to develop and build, [Matt the Weatherman Inc] while he was employed by FMBC is a violation of the Agreement,” the lawsuit states.
The lawsuit is asking for a permanent injunction that would force Devitt to “stop competing and to take down and/or remove his various social media channels.”
The Independent has requested comment from Devitt.
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