An earlier WeatherPlus?

[WeatherSTARIII]

I found this on the Internet Archive website. While I was looking at old web archives of NBC WeatherPlus' website, I found this -- what appears to be an early concept of WeatherPlus. They didn't mention anything about NBC, but they do mention TWC. Here's the logo:
 

 
This was taken from May 12, 2000 (also the last known date that shows this website). The earliest archive was taken on October 12, 1999 -- nearly ten years ago. The earliest NBC WeatherPlus archive dates back to December 5, 2006 -- two years after its launch and two years before its shutdown.
 
Here's the link:
http://web.archive.org/web/20000512021140/http://www.weatherplus.com/
 
I'm not sure what had ever happened to the orginal WeatherPlus (not to be confused with NBC WeatherPlus), but since its been nearly a decade since its perposed launch date -- July 4, 2000.
 
Here's were they talk about TWC:
http://web.archive.org/web/20000713020942/www.weatherplus.com/press51899.htm
 

In a recently completed survey of local cable system managers in 20 large markets, conducted by Frank N. Magid & Associates, 96% rated weather as important or very important to their customers. Cable customers agree with that assessment, according to a parallel national viewers study performed by Hase/Schannen Research Associates. But while 94% of cable customers declared that local coverage is the most important type of weather information they are seeking, only 20% felt that the current national cable weather channel is their preferred source for that information—nearly all respondents turn to the local TV news instead. And operators agree: only 25% of the respondents to the Magid survey felt that The Weather Channel does a good job with local weather and local severe weather coverage.

 
More about WeatherPlus' reaction to TWC:

Cable customers would clearly embrace a new full-service national and local weather network. Given the choice, 78% of viewers said that they were likely to substitute WeatherPlus™ for their current use of The Weather Channel. Remarkably, given its "monopoly" status on the cable weather category for nearly 20 years and the presumed power of its ubiquitous brand name, a mere 2% said they would switch multichannel providers in order to retain The Weather Channel if their current provider replaced it with WeatherPlus™.

 
Again, I'm not sure what had ever happened to the orginal WeatherPlus, but we never had it in our area. We did had NBC Weather Plus from 2005-2008 on my NBC affilate WEEK-TV. After the NBC takeover of TWC, WEEK desided to keep their weather station on the air after NBC Weather Plus' shutdown. As far as my former NBC Weather Plus station, they now show replays of their newscasts along with the old "L" bar still showing local forecasts. WEEK even kept the old branding. It is now known as "WEEK Weather Plus."
 
Anyways, as for the other WeatherPlus, I'm not sure what had ever happened to that network. Maybe it was never launched at all. Maybe they went bankrupt before its launch. I don't know. But I beleve this was a failed project or something.

[Darr'chelle]

Probably never launched. By 2000, TWC did have a pretty good hold on things. While 1998 and 99 were the best graphics years, 2000 was kinda the beginning of the decline. They got rid of their old VO guy too (the one they used since 1996).

All the patents and trademarks were registered to New Horizons Telecasting, Wycombe, PA.

[Nick]

I remember the talk about "WeatherPlus" back in 2000. Their service was available on cable in several European countries at the time. The July 4, 2000 came and went with no launch in the U.S. (far as I know). No idea what happened to the company (www.weatherplus.com redirects to www.weather.com). In their press releases back then, they promised to provide audio narration of the local forecasts...I recall this was a reason why TWC pushed to get "vocal local" on the WeatherStar XL in March 2000. You can find some old discussions about them on Google Groups from 2000/2001.

[TWCToday]

I remember the talk about "WeatherPlus" back in 2000. Their service was available on cable in several European countries at the time. The July 4, 2000 came and went with no launch in the U.S. (far as I know). No idea what happened to the company (www.weatherplus.com redirects to www.weather.com). In their press releases back then, they promised to provide audio narration of the local forecasts...I recall this was a reason why TWC pushed to get "vocal local" on the WeatherStar XL in March 2000. You can find some old discussions about them on Google Groups from 2000/2001.

I guess TWC bought up the domain. Interesting

[twcclassics]

I guess TWC bought up the domain. Interesting

Or maybe NBC acquired it when they bought Weather Plus. And since they folded the channel, they decided to redirect it to TWC.

[beanboy89]

I guess TWC bought up the domain. Interesting

Or maybe NBC acquired it when they bought Weather Plus. And since they folded the channel, they decided to redirect it to TWC.

I believe that's what happened. I can remember weatherplus.com going to an actual WeatherPlus website last year, and after WeatherPlus shut down, the URL was redirected to weather.com.

[Tyler]

Yes, Matt and Billy are right.

[WeatherSTARIII]

I remember looking up NBC WeatherPlus' website too shortly before its shutdown.

[Darr'chelle]

Turns out they used two logos - both designed by John Christopher Burns (a legendary Atlanta designer known for his work for television stations around the country and the world, especially Gannett stations, and more recently KOIN, FiOS1 New Jersey, and WKBN). (They also had their weather design contracted out to him - the Logos and Custom Weather Design sections do feature some of his work for WeatherPlus).