Channel 8 missing in action during severe weather

[Tony Williams]

It's 9:02 p.m., Tuesday, and I turn on Channel 8 for severe weather reports, and 8 is airing "Dancing with the Stars".

All the other channels I checked, 4, 5. 11 were airing continuous weather reports.

And it is not just heavy rain, but hail reported as large as softballs, several reports of tornadoes, etc.

So Channel 8 is missing in action.

If people are hurt, what will be Channel 8's excuse?

Money?

Tony

 

[sidchase]

You beat me to the post . I was shocked. For years WFAA was the market leader in NEWS coverage. Now they are the Market leader in CHA CHA. While your primary coverage area is under tornado warning! ???

 

[Tony Williams]

Below is a comment on "The Dallas Morning News" website:

LatinoTX
10:15 PM on 5/24/2011

I CANT NOT BELIEVE CHANNEL 8 KEPT SHOWING THAT STUPID SHOW DANCING WITH THE STARS OVER THE SAFETY OF THE PEOPLE OF DALLAS COUNTY. THIS SHOWS HOW MUCH THEY CARE FOR THE RATINGS AND ADVERTISING AND NOT FOR THE PEOPLE OF DALLAS.

 

[Tony Williams]

In fairness, I must say Channel 8 had a written summary running at the bottom of the screen.

However, when tornadoes have been sighted repeatedly in the area, that seems totally inadequate coverage.

I do think it is fair to say that Channel 8 blew off tornado coverage because "Dancing with the Stars" was on the air.

Channel 8's coverage was pathetic. As someone posted, Channel 8 used to be the station to go to for news.

That era obviously is long gone.

Tony

 

[Tony Williams]

Another comment from the DMN website:

SportsNut
10:50 PM on 5/24/2011

Wow! Pete Delkus usually can't wait to get in front of the camera. Even when one of the other meteorologists is on duty.

The guy is right.

Never get between Delkus and Hansen and a camera, or you will get badly hurt.

Tony

 

[MikeShannon914]

Air the weather warnings instead, and "Dancing" fans would have exploded just the same way. Delkus sounded a little exasperated during one report where he said, "We're trying to get you back to 'Dancing with the Stars' as quickly as we can." He was aware of that, and I guess this was the season finale (wish it was the SERIES finale) but, hey, you just can't please everyone. This really was a no-win situation for Ch 8. Guess they figured there were 3 or 4 other stations covering the weather ad nauseum already, so solid coverage was there at all times. (And YES, it was severe, important, live-threatening...that hasn't been lost on my 'take' here.) But during sweeps, it seems pointless to fight over showing the same radar, when you've got one of the few diamonds in ABC's stable on the air at that same moment. Unless you're in a house with one TV and a die-hard "Dancing" fan that won't relinquish the remote control, I guess there's really nothing to be PO'ed at. Me, I'd rather see Steve McCauley over any other weathercaster, but that wasn't even a choice tonight, anyway.

For those OTA people like me, Delkus was doing cut-ins on 8.2 anyway, even while the dancing freakshow was playing.

 

[MikeShannon914]

Looking over this thread again, I'm just not clear on why someone can't just change the channel. All the stations have roughly the same terrestrial coverage, are beamed from the same antenna farm, etc, and all appear equally and similarly-accessible on the same cable, satellite and FIOS systems. What difference does it make that WFAA wasn't there? Tony, you imply that blood would be on Ch 8's hands if someone got hurt during this event because Pete wasn't there. Give me a break. Dan and David and Jeff and Rebecca would all certainly welcome your weather concerns at their respective channels. You want a real beef? Where's the radar and NOAA on Ch 5.2 now? Sometimes I like to read my own radar without the embellishments. 5.2 is showing an endless stream of local newsmagazine garbage packed with self-promoting ads 24/7. Had I been killed by a tornado this evening, I would want my survivors to sue NBC for taking off 5.2. :

(BTW, 8.2 is now some AccuWeather national-based crapola now...as useless as The Weather Channel. But at least they shut it off and pipe in NOAA over a splitscreen radar during times of bad weather.)

 

[DToTheJ]

...You want a real beef? Where's the radar and NOAA on Ch 5.2 now? Sometimes I like to read my own radar without the embellishments. 5.2 is showing an endless stream of local newsmagazine garbage packed with self-promoting ads 24/7 ...

They don't call it "Non-Stop" for nothing...

 

[idiggraves]

Totally agree with you, Mike. As I usually do.

This was a no win for Channel 8. I personally think they handled it beautifully. I got both- DWTS and an idea of what was going on weather wise. I've watched Ch 8- and at times have found myself yelling at the TV because Delkus seemed pretty stoked to get on the air...unnecessarily.

 

[Tony Williams]

Air the weather warnings instead, and "Dancing" fans would have exploded just the same way. Delkus sounded a little exasperated during one report where he said, "We're trying to get you back to 'Dancing with the Stars' as quickly as we can." He was aware of that, and I guess this was the season finale (wish it was the SERIES finale) but, hey, you just can't please everyone. This really was a no-win situation for Ch 8. Guess they figured there were 3 or 4 other stations covering the weather ad nauseum already, so solid coverage was there at all times. (And YES, it was severe, important, live-threatening...that hasn't been lost on my 'take' here.) But during sweeps, it seems pointless to fight over showing the same radar, when you've got one of the few diamonds in ABC's stable on the air at that same moment. Unless you're in a house with one TV and a die-hard "Dancing" fan that won't relinquish the remote control, I guess there's really nothing to be PO'ed at. Me, I'd rather see Steve McCauley over any other weathercaster, but that wasn't even a choice tonight, anyway.

For those OTA people like me, Delkus was doing cut-ins on 8.2 anyway, even while the dancing freakshow was playing.

Well, Mike, if a station is not going to cover tornadoes in the area, then why have a news department?

Your take may be different since you have never worked in news.

Channel 8 loses credibility when it fails to cover a story like this. 8.2? Come on.

Seriously, I doubt you would make the same comment if Dallas had become another Joplin last night.

Do you think Haag would have been overruled on this?

We just disagree.

Tony

 

[Tony Williams]

From the DMN website:

mikew717

8:45 AM on 5/25/2011


I thought the same thing about Ch 8 last night! I remember them having NON-STOP coverage a few weeks ago for a tiny storm cell that was threatening a town of about 100 people 90 miles from Dallas, but here we have tornados and baseball sized hail bearing down on a city of over 1 Million and somehow Dancing with the "stars" is more important?!?!?? Pathetic!

+++++++++++++++++++++

People complained I guess that their shows were being pre-empted for a storm. I still do not know what you were watching however as I saw a lot of coverage from channel 8.

 

[Tony Williams]

From the DMN website:

WILLARD JOHNSON
7:40 AM on 5/25/2011

Yes, I agree with the one comment about channel 8 staying with "Dancing with the Stars" while all of the networks are informing the public of the dangerous weather conditions. The area was getting pounded by hail and tornadoes were all over the place but they seemed to think it was more important for the public to see "THE DANCING STARS" while they getting blown away. Shame on Channel 8.

 

[Tony Williams]

From the DMN website:

RightBrain
5:45 AM on 5/25/2011

Who won Dancing with the Stars? I don't know because I was tracking the weather on channels 4, 5, and 11 in case I needed to prepare. Channel 8 didn't even break in on their sister channel 52 - what a joke.

 

[Tony Williams]

From the DMN website:

Repub
4:48 AM on 5/25/2011

It would be nice to know if a tornado or baseball-sized hail is in the area and if it's headed for you.

Fortunately, Channels 4, 5, and 11 were there to tell us.

 

[Tony Williams]

From the DMN website:

killer d
3:24 AM on 5/25/2011

Bad enough that while the problems were beginnng that NO TV STATION could interrupt the crummy shows they were showing, like Biggest Loser, but after they finally did, Channel 8 kept showing Dancing with the Stars, just another of the stupid shows that dominant american prime time TV.

MONEY MONEY MONEY

Then you go to Dallas Morning News, and these greedy folks want you to pay to read about what happened

 

[Tony Williams]

From the DMN website:

Plano Mike
8:51 AM on 5/25/2011

It's nice to see all the comments in support of the few unfortunate souls who either lost their TV remotes or couldn't change their channel for some reason and were forced to watch Channel 8 last night.

First, it's unfortunate for them they were exposed so long to Dancing With The Stars, but then they had to wait so long for the commercial breaks to see the cut-in of radar images of the violent storms they were warned repeatedly about in the weather warnings and descriptions at the bottom of their screens.

Thankfully the other 99.9999% of people could change their TV channel to 4,5,11,or 21 to watch continuing weather coverage if they were interested and/or view the radar and warnings on their PCs and smartphones or listen to news radio or weather radio coverage to keep informedAt least those viewers that were stuck on and forced to stay and watch Channel 8, apparently uninformed and obliviously to the weather dangers, were safe inside their homes and not stepping outside to view the storms or risk injury retrieving a large hail sample.

 

[Tony Williams]

From the DMN website:

Tony Williams
9:26 AM on 5/25/2011

To Plano Mike,

Perhaps the real question:

Is Channel 8 going to have a bonafide news department?

Or not?

Last night, the station did not.

Tony

 

[BBontheRadio]

Channel 8 was breaking in very often, and keeping DWTS in a box on the screen as well when they were doing weather. I thought they did a fine job.

 

[Tony Williams]

Tony, you imply that blood would be on Ch 8's hands if someone got hurt during this event because Pete wasn't there. Give me a break. Dan and David and Jeff and Rebecca would all certainly welcome your weather concerns at their respective channels. You want a real beef? Where's the radar and NOAA on Ch 5.2 now? Sometimes I like to read my own radar without the embellishments. 5.2 is showing an endless stream of local newsmagazine garbage packed with self-promoting ads 24/7. Had I been killed by a tornado this evening, I would want my survivors to sue NBC for taking off 5.2. :

(BTW, 8.2 is now some AccuWeather national-based crapola now...as useless as The Weather Channel. But at least they shut it off and pipe in NOAA over a splitscreen radar during times of bad weather.)

As you say, give me a break Mike and at least quote me correctly.

I simply asked what would Channel 8's excuse be if someone were hurt. It is a legitimate question to ask of a news operation and management.

You and I have over-the-air reception and can receive 8.2. That's not an option for many.

Further, in your first post, you said viewers should have turned to 8.2 and now you call it "crapola".

Do you think Channel 8 provided great coverage and did its job as a news department last night?

Yes or no?

Here's a radar site for you:

http://www.weather.com/weather/map/...m=8&interactiveMapLayer=radar&animation=false

Tony

 

[Bob E. Nelson]

Looking over this thread again, I'm just not clear on why someone can't just change the channel. All the stations have roughly the same terrestrial coverage, are beamed from the same antenna farm, etc, and all appear equally and similarly-accessible on the same cable, satellite and FIOS systems. What difference does it make that WFAA wasn't there?

One technical aspect of this is worth mentioning. Of the D/FW majors, only WFAA is using VHF as its underlying RF channel.

When the power goes out and viewing is limited to a portable television, WFAA is the most challenging to receive. The UHF frequencies (KDFW 35, KXAS 41 and KTVT 19) are relatively easy to receive with even the modest unipole supplied with the little 7-inch portable televisions. The longer wavelength of VHF frequencies requires a substantially larger antenna for WFAA.

The DTV transition (now about to reach the two-year mark) vastly changed the landscape for OTA viewing and when emergency conditions arise that cause cable and satellite reception to be useless. VHF was thought to be the prime band for digital transmission. As WFAA (as well as hundreds of others) found out, the once-marginalized UHF band is the now the new beachfront property.