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Wash Post: TWC battling "perception problems" over non-weather programming

whit979

whit979

An interesting article in The Washington Post notes that NBCU's executives seem to be stepping back from comments that the network is significantly drawing down its traditional weather coverage. The article also notes that former hurricane specialist Steve Lyons left the network because of its programming changes:

"'I was really planning to be at TWC for a long time," [Lyons] said. "It got just slowly but steadily a little more long-form programming and a little less, in my opinion, of the public service aspect ... It was just getting a little frustrating.'"

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/capitalweathergang/2010/10/twc_says_it_is_battling_percep.html
 
Re: Wash Post: TWC battling "perception problems" over non-weather programming

whitfm said:
An interesting article in The Washington Post notes that NBCU's executives seem to be stepping back from comments that the network is significantly drawing down its traditional weather coverage. The article also notes that former hurricane specialist Steve Lyons left the network because of its programming changes:

"'I was really planning to be at TWC for a long time," [Lyons] said. "It got just slowly but steadily a little more long-form programming and a little less, in my opinion, of the public service aspect ... It was just getting a little frustrating.'"

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/capitalweathergang/2010/10/twc_says_it_is_battling_percep.html
Click to expand...

With many, if not most markets having at least one OTA weather channel (Phoenix has three), not to mention plenty of places on the interwebs to get weather info, why does The Weather Channel even need to exist anymore?
 
Re: Wash Post: TWC battling "perception problems" over non-weather programming

KeithE4 said:
With many, if not most markets having at least one OTA weather channel (Phoenix has three), not to mention plenty of places on the interwebs to get weather info, why does The Weather Channel even need to exist anymore?
Click to expand...

How many of these OTA weather subchannels are carried on cable or satellite systems?
 
Re: Wash Post: TWC battling "perception problems" over non-weather programming

M.J. said:
KeithE4 said:
With many, if not most markets having at least one OTA weather channel (Phoenix has three), not to mention plenty of places on the interwebs to get weather info, why does The Weather Channel even need to exist anymore?
Click to expand...

How many of these OTA weather subchannels are carried on cable or satellite systems?
Click to expand...

In Phoenix, all three are if you have Cox digital cable, but I don't think any of them are on DirecTV or Dish Network.
 
Re: Wash Post: TWC battling "perception problems" over non-weather programming

M.J. said:
KeithE4 said:
With many, if not most markets having at least one OTA weather channel (Phoenix has three), not to mention plenty of places on the interwebs to get weather info, why does The Weather Channel even need to exist anymore?
Click to expand...
How many of these OTA weather subchannels are carried on cable or satellite systems?
Click to expand...
They are on cable here in Nashville.
 
Re: Wash Post: TWC battling "perception problems" over non-weather programming

One of the problems with success is often the accompanying desire to profit from it. The Weather Channel is a good example. It was originally meant as a simply a 24/7 weather service. Then it became the go-to channel for weather. It became a brand. That's what NBCU bought.

At the same time, as others have noted, a lot of local TV stations have discovered there's money in using their weather staff to do 24/7 LOCAL weather for cable companies. This may also become a digital subchannel, as those things begin to take off.

The reason for the long form programming is, obviously, it gives the on air staff a break. But it also increases the time spent watching. Let's face it: It's hard to spend more than ten minutes with TWC, unless there's a hurricane, because it's pretty repetitious. Long form programming ends the repetition, and allows viewers to stay with the channel longer.
 
Re: Wash Post: TWC battling "perception problems" over non-weather programming

Comcast Gary carries no subchannels at all, except for WCIU's FBT & MeTV & MeToo (via WCIU & not low power WWME-LD & WCUU-CA). I don't believe Comcast Lake County Indiana carries the weather subchannels at all either. They do carry most other subchannels though in the digital tier. Chicago has 2 weather radar subchannels, but WMAQ is eliminating theirs in favor of carrying Chicago Nonstop (modeled after WNBC's New York Nonstop). WLS-TV has their own customized Accuweather, which I don't find as good. So as of Monday, Chicago will only have Accuweather from WLS-TV. WMAQ has a good weather radar channel, but I like the one WMVS Milwaukee has on 10.4 much better. For th4e few times that station came in in Gary Indiana OTA, they had a great channel as it updated itself as quick as the info came in. I don't really need the NOAA radio that they include in the audio. That channel isn't something I expect to see on a PBS station.

Now I know WSBT-TV's weather radar channel is carried on Comcast South Bend/Elkhart, as they sponser the channel. That one is a good one too, and I can pickup WSBT OTA most of the time.
 
Re: Wash Post: TWC battling "perception problems" over non-weather programming

NBC benefited from acquiring The Weather Channel because they received the services of TWC's meteorologists during the Today show, and maybe at other times. But TWC only got Al Roker in that deal! ::)

The subchannels are relatively boring (except during severe weather!), only updated about once every six hours, maybe not even that much. But it's all on tape, so it is not that much extra work for the meteorologists, and of course, the TV station can sell advertising on it.
 
Re: Wash Post: TWC battling "perception problems" over non-weather programming

There have been times when I went to the Weather Channel, only to find some show on about floods, tornado chasers, when weather changed history, etc.

The weather channel seems to be more focused on weather from the states level (except on the 8's). The locals are more able to break it down to the level you really need it to be, when you REALLY need weather info.
 
Re: Wash Post: TWC battling "perception problems" over non-weather programming

firepoint525 said:
NBC benefited from acquiring The Weather Channel because they received the services of TWC's meteorologists during the Today show, and maybe at other times. But TWC only got Al Roker in that deal! ::)

The subchannels are relatively boring (except during severe weather!), only updated about once every six hours, maybe not even that much. But it's all on tape, so it is not that much extra work for the meteorologists, and of course, the TV station can sell advertising on it.
Click to expand...

Agreed on both points. About the subchannels, I often see them cited by posters here on the board as 'the answer' when it comes to where to get weather info on TV. Well, they're not so good. It's been my experience that the NBC and ABC 'weather' subchannels feature live radar/satellite, but canned weather reporting that is often several hours old. And, none are particularly slick.

The best option seems to only be available via Comcast and that would be TWC's Weatherscan channel. I find myself stopping for an update there far more often than TWC. In fact, I rarely bother with TWC anymore.
 
Re: Wash Post: TWC battling "perception problems" over non-weather programming

KeithE4 said:
M.J. said:
KeithE4 said:
With many, if not most markets having at least one OTA weather channel (Phoenix has three), not to mention plenty of places on the interwebs to get weather info, why does The Weather Channel even need to exist anymore?
Click to expand...

How many of these OTA weather subchannels are carried on cable or satellite systems?
Click to expand...

In Phoenix, all three are if you have Cox digital cable, but I don't think any of them are on DirecTV or Dish Network.
Click to expand...
Digital cable is even more expensive than regular cable.
 
Re: Wash Post: TWC battling "perception problems" over non-weather programming

BRNout said:
firepoint525 said:
NBC benefited from acquiring The Weather Channel because they received the services of TWC's meteorologists during the Today show, and maybe at other times. But TWC only got Al Roker in that deal! ::)
The subchannels are relatively boring (except during severe weather!), only updated about once every six hours, maybe not even that much. But it's all on tape, so it is not that much extra work for the meteorologists, and of course, the TV station can sell advertising on it.
Click to expand...
Agreed on both points. About the subchannels, I often see them cited by posters here on the board as 'the answer' when it comes to where to get weather info on TV. Well, they're not so good. It's been my experience that the NBC and ABC 'weather' subchannels feature live radar/satellite, but canned weather reporting that is often several hours old. And, none are particularly slick.
Click to expand...
Here in Nashville, whenever we have severe weather, they simulcast their storm coverage over their weather subchannel. They even simulcast it over their partner radio stations. This is apparently in case anyone loses their electricity during a storm.
 
Re: Wash Post: TWC battling "perception problems" over non-weather programming

You want good, reliable weather information on demand? http://www.weather.gov. The Weather Channel is for the most part, useless anymore. Like an earlier poster said, when I have gone to the Weather Channel for weather information, they are usually in some form of long form programming.
 
Re: Wash Post: TWC battling "perception problems" over non-weather programming

Another good website is http://www.wunderground.com * - they've got reliable, hour-by-hour weather breakdowns.

* - Not to be confused with that Bill Ayers thing... ::)
 
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