• Get involved.
    We want your input!
    Apply for Membership and join the conversations about everything related to broadcasting.

    After we receive your registration, a moderator will review it. After your registration is approved, you will be permitted to post.
    If you use a disposable or false email address, your registration will be rejected.

    After your membership is approved, please take a minute to tell us a little bit about yourself.
    https://www.radiodiscussions.com/forums/introduce-yourself.1088/

    Thanks in advance and have fun!
    RadioDiscussions Administrators

Channel 8 missing in action during severe weather

Unlike some of the comments from DMN readers, I would not call TV meterologists incompentent.

However, I have stated and said for years, if you want the latest information on tornado warnings or watches or severe thunderstorms warnings or watches, you are better off relying on the National Weather Services which issues such statements.

Blaine Brooks was right when he said that cuts to the NWS might endanger lives.

Tony
 
BenB said:
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.
Click to expand...
coment paid for by the AH Belo Corp....
 
sidchase said:
BenB said:
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.
Click to expand...
coment paid for by the AH Belo Corp....
Click to expand...

Yes, A.H.

A few months ago, I made the mistake of referring to it simply as "Belo" to a DMN newspaper reporter there and was quickly corrected.

Tony
 
Wrong. A.H Belo is the newspaper. Belo Corp is the television stations.
They're two different companies.
Speaking of TV, what is this doing on the radio board? Shouldn't it be on the TEXAS TV board?
 
grantchester said:
Speaking of TV, what is this doing on the radio board? Shouldn't it be on the TEXAS TV board?
Click to expand...

I would think so, but Tony decided to throw his temper tantrum about WFAA's weather coverage on this board.
 
I can find plenty of opposing quotes from the people who were mad that (x) show on (5)(11)(4) was preempted for weather. Tony, just because they're only out of your favorite flavor does not mean the store has no ice cream.

KLIF's got a news dept. What were THEY doing?
 
MikeShannon914 said:
I can find plenty of opposing quotes from the people who were mad that (x) show on (5)(11)(4) was preempted for weather. Tony, just because they're only out of your favorite flavor does not mean the store has no ice cream.

KLIF's got a news dept. What were THEY doing?
Click to expand...

Where? Not one complaining about shows preempted on any channel on the DMN site I quote.

KLIF has a news department?

You call that a news department? You have a loose definition of the term.

Mike, I simply asked if you thought that WFAA-TV did a great job of covering last night's weather ... or not.

Tony
 
grantchester said:
Wrong. A.H Belo is the newspaper. Belo Corp is the television stations.
They're two different companies.
Speaking of TV, what is this doing on the radio board? Shouldn't it be on the TEXAS TV board?
Click to expand...

No, right.

Read my post again, Bob.

I said I was talking to a "newspaper reporter".

Newspaper.

If the moderator wishes to move it, so be it.

Tony
 
KMRD said:
grantchester said:
Speaking of TV, what is this doing on the radio board? Shouldn't it be on the TEXAS TV board?
Click to expand...

I would think so, but Tony decided to throw his temper tantrum about WFAA's weather coverage on this board.
Click to expand...

Just expressing my opinion.

Many posted on this board when Sams was fired from Channel 11, and no one complained.

Did they?

Tony
 
Hello All, I believe we see very big problem in DFW local TV news reporting. I vote for all major TV stations in DFW have to move normal programming to a subchannel like FOX4 add 4.2, NBC5 5.2, WFAA 8.3, KTVT CBS add 11.2, KTXA add 21.2 and KDAF 33 add 33.4. Then you can go wall to wall reporting on the weather and news on the main channels for the major TV stations in DFW TV market. This would have helped WFAA and KDFW on reporting and talking about the major severe weather events last night. We need to talk it up to the TV stations to add and use subchannels in HDTV the correct way...PERIOD!!!!

Dan the MAN!!
The North TEXAS RADIO MAN!!
 
That's what was going on up here in OKC. Granted it was a lot worse here(something I can attest to personally, as one twister just missed me), but all of the locals had their network programming in the sub channels and were running a crawl or caption to state that fact. NBC was really pounding the fact they were trying to get permission to re-run their shows later that night. I know many people will complain either way, but there is a reason it says in your programming license that you have to serve the public interest. Public Safety simply has to win out over ratings.

PD
 
I have to agree with pittdave that the coverage is more important than the revenue, even though people will complain either way. I don't think "DWTS" or "Glee" or "The Voice" are shows designed to "serve the public interest as a public trustee". And if I have the possibility of a tornado bearing down on me, I need to know now. My house may be demolished, but at least I'll be safe.

Also agree with dantheman about putting the network programming on a subchannel, with this caveat: Cable providers, satellite providers, and FIOS/U-Verse must at least consider carrying those subchannels for those subscribers who are not in the path of one of those thunderstorms. This way they can get their network programming, and everyone wins.

I always tell the story of when I worked for KAUZ/Channel 6 in Wichita Falls, when the Challenger blew up. The little old ladies who were missing "Guiding Light" and "Search for Tomorrow" threatened to burn the station to the ground because of our coverage of the disaster (which CBS joined a bit late since by then shuttle launches were so routine). I was off that day, thankfully. But we had our fair share of people questioning why CBS didn't cover the launch live. Goes to show you can't please everyone...or even anyone.
 
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.
Click to expand...
 
I have been following this thread and I think I take a little different approach to this topic.
10 years ago I would have said that any weather, safety or national story should interrupt normal broadcasting but not any more. Didn't we go to digital TV a few years back? So anyone watching channel 8 could have went up one channel to 8.2 and watch all the weather updates their little heart desired. Put a ticker across the bottom of the screen with the alerts and tell people to go to the next channel for more info. It seems to me this is the best of both worlds... People can watch the programing (show) uninterrupted if they so choose and people can watch non stop weather coverage if they choose, best of both worlds. And on top of the channel choices we have the internet for 24/7 for instant information as well.
 
I used to be the biggest booster for broadcast coverage of severe weather events, but oddly enough, I didn't even tune in the other night. I got all I needed from the local weather service (starting with the forecast discussions predicting the event) at http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?site=fwd&zmx=1&zmy=1&map.x=176&map.y=103

then I followed the storm reports athttp://www.weather.gov/view/prodsByState.php?state=TX&prodtype=public
If the power went out, I was ready to crank up my portable radio, and listen for the warning sirens, or that rumbling freight train sound...
 
Allshookup said:
So anyone watching channel 8 could have went up one channel to 8.2 and watch all the weather updates their little heart desired. Put a ticker across the bottom of the screen with the alerts and tell people to go to the next channel for more info. It seems to me this is the best of both worlds... People can watch the programing (show) uninterrupted if they so choose and people can watch non stop weather coverage if they choose, best of both worlds.
Click to expand...

I agree, CH 8 should have put a running scroll on the bottom of the broadcast to turn to 8.2 or "WFAA Weather" on Cable...

To not put that scroll was an unfortunate oversight. I did not think to go to 8.2 at that time. I just wanted to keep scrolling through 4, 5, 8, & 11 to get the best and latest information on that dangerous and unfolding event (The hail core and funnel activity, not DWTS...)

A Side Note: As I was watching the Miami Heat/Chicago Bulls games on TNT, the Weather Service Alert came on the screen.... when it did that, I wanted to immediately turn to CH 8, but while the Service Bulletin airs, the Cable Box locks down and does not allow you change channels... (Thanks, Big Brother !)
 
TheRover said:
A Side Note: As I was watching the Miami Heat/Chicago Bulls games on TNT, the Weather Service Alert came on the screen.... when it did that, I wanted to immediately turn to CH 8, but while the Service Bulletin airs, the Cable Box locks down and does not allow you change channels... (Thanks, Big Brother !)
Click to expand...

all Cable TV providers are required to have an EAS Recv installed.. Now weither they pass along anything beyond the RMT/RWT that's another thing but yes.. they can program it to interupt the programming on whatever channel your on and provide you the weather information.
 
Status
This thread has been closed due to inactivity. You can create a new thread to discuss this topic.


Back
Top Bottom