TWC's new Rival?

[gt1racerlHDl]

http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/466013-WeatherNation_TV_Cuts_Distribution_Deal_with_NCTC.php

In a move that will create more competition in the weather news programming sector, the National Cable Television Cooperative (NCTC) and WeatherNation TV, Inc. have reached a new, long-term agreement for carriage of WeatherNation.

As part of this deal, NCTC members will be able to launch the 24 hour weather news service to their subscribers in the second quarter of 2011.

"Members have asked for options in their choice of weather networks, and we are pleased to provide our members an agreement with WeatherNation," noted Frank Hughes, senior VP of programming for NCTC in a statement. "This new service provides excellent weather coverage at a very reasonable cost, helping members fight against ever-increasing programming costs."

The launch of the new channel grew out of a 2010 deal by Performance One Media to acquire the rights to the trademarks and brand from WeatherNation, a provider of centralized weather services for local stations and web sites around the U.S.

That company has been rebranded as Broadcast Weather. It continues to providing weather feeds from its centralized studios to a number of stations and web sites around the country and is producing the weather news programming for the new weather channel, WeatherNation, using HD studios and staff of meteorologists located ath Broadcast Weather's Excelsior Minnesota facility.

The initial carriage deal with NCTC is for a national weather service but the company ultimately plans to offer the option of customizing the service to local markets, notes Michael Norton, vice president, of WeatherNation TV, who expects to announce additional carriage deals in the upcoming months

At launch, WeatherNation TV, which is headquartered in Denver Colorado, will offer a weather news format 24 hours a day that will not be interrupted by documentary, entertainment or reality programming, Norton says.

[tpirfan28]

I believe this is not applicable to at least Time Warner and Bright House Networks (since they are not members of NTCT).

[gt1racerlHDl]

i guess this is the channel

http://www.weathernation.net/weather/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=87&Itemid=65

and their team

http://www.weathernation.net/weather/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=72&Itemid=53

Icons attached below

[Eric]

At launch, WeatherNation TV, which is headquartered in Denver Colorado, will offer a weather news format 24 hours a day that will not be interrupted by documentary, entertainment or reality programming, Norton says.

Sounds like a good deal!  Throw in localized forecasts like The Weather Channel has, and I'll certainly watch!

[curtjr4]

At launch, WeatherNation TV, which is headquartered in Denver Colorado, will offer a weather news format 24 hours a day that will not be interrupted by documentary, entertainment or reality programming, Norton says.

Sounds like a good deal!  Throw in localized forecasts like The Weather Channel has, and I'll certainly watch!

I second that! All I said when I saw this was, "Hey, look! A network that still talks about the weather! I want this NOW."

[TWCToday]

Wont happen. And in the remote chance it does it wont get enough support to keep it. You saw how Dish networks "TWC competitor" worked out.

[gt1racerlHDl]

Release is supposedly Q2 '11 i wonder how long it would take for comcast to carry it.

[Localonthe8s]

This is great news but as Martin said, I don't know if the support and funds will be out there to keep this channel. As long as they play smooth jazz (and not production music) on their local segments (like WFMZ accuweather) then i'm all for it

[Zach]

Weathernation owned TWCast so i dont see it working one bit

[toxictwister00]

I don't see them being a rival for TWC, but if it were to be successful and they could draw viewers away from TWC in large numbers maybe that wold be a wake up call for them, but like I said I don't think this will be successful. TWC is a monopoly in cable.

[Eric]

Release is supposedly Q2 '11 i wonder how long it would take for comcast to carry it.

From one Comcast subscriber to another, I think the network will have folded by the time Comcast even THINKS of carrying it.

[Eric]

TWC is a monopoly in cable.

CNN used to be a cable monopoly, too, until MSNBC and some other network whose name I can't remember joined the group.

[gt1racerlHDl]

http://www.weathernation.net/weather/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=80&Itemid=59

Enter at Change Zip Code

it looks exactly like TWN Canada.

[Tyler]

Release is supposedly Q2 '11 i wonder how long it would take for comcast to carry it.

From one Comcast subscriber to another, I think the network will have folded by the time Comcast even THINKS of carrying it.

Comcast won't carry it. Their purchase of NBC is about to be finalized, so why would they want to purchase rights to carry a channel that would compete with one of their own networks (TWC).

[gt1racerlHDl]

just because Comcast is almost done acquiring NBC doesn't mean they're trying to protect TWC, Competition in cable make sense (especially in the News/Weather category) and i wont be surprised if they end up acquiring WeatherNation TV just for extra money from paid subscribers.

We all know Comcast looks for every little way to make money and adding a channel like this is the way to go.