Messages

106

TWC and your Cable Company / Re: DirecTV Dropping TWC

« on: February 26, 2014, 05:07:00 PM »

I disagree. I've watched a bit of WeatherNation. Looks like a joke to me.

I agree. I'm not impressed with WeatherNation. I wish I was. Of course, they're a new company, so I'm willing to wait and see if they improve.

Give them time, they may be small for now, but I'm sure WeatherNation will eventually grow a few years from now. That's exactly how TWC started back in 1982. DirecTV at least finally got the local weather feature working again.

107

Local Forecast / Re: General LF Discussion

« on: February 21, 2014, 04:32:28 PM »

Where's the "like" button for that post?

About my rant about the local cable commercials interrupting the WATT bar? That would have been a nice feature to these forums.
Either way, it's no wonder why cable companies are getting too much ad revenue. That might be one of the reasons why our monthly bills are rising. 

108

Local Forecast / Re: General LF Discussion

« on: February 20, 2014, 03:10:57 PM »

I also notice that a lot of commercials are being overlaid on top of WATT.

Maybe your cable headend might be cueing local commercials during the commercial break. Most cable companies had been doing this since the dawn of cable television. If the headend stopped cuing local commercials during the commercial break, you would have seen the WATT bar uninterrupted. Most cable companies also do this on CNBC during the stock market coverage. Whenever a local commercial is cued on CNBC, the cable system interrupts the stock ticker. The same thing also happens on all of the ESPN networks. Whenever a local cable commercial is cued on one of the ESPN channels, the "Bottom Line" score ticker also gets interrupted during the local commercials before returning to the main national feed.
TWC had always been like that since the WeatherStar III era back in the '80s. Whenever any STAR model receives a local severe weather message (Watches/Warnings/Advisories, etc.), the cable company could interrupt the severe weather crawl or scroll every time a local commercial is cued. Local EAS alerts are like that too.

109

TWC and your Cable Company / Re: Is cable TV going downhill?

« on: February 19, 2014, 02:27:30 PM »

http://www.mediabistro.com/tvnewser/rebranded-hln-introduces-new-shows-fueled-by-social-media_b213990

HLN (formerly CNN Headline News) is now taking the TWC/MTV path to airing Reality Porgramming, Game Shows and yes, Cartoons.

Great, there goes more news time...

110

Everything Else Classic TWC / Re: Dan Chandler outside of TWC

« on: February 10, 2014, 07:36:35 PM »

I've found this website called "Atlanta Models & Talent Inc." and among one of the personalities includes Dan Chandler himself.

http://amtagency.com/display/dan-chandler-narration-vo/

It does seem like he spent most of his voice-over work in Atlanta. He also once did voice-overs for the History Channel as well as a few local and regional Georgia-based companies.

I've also always wondered when he left TWC. Back during the revised-era of "No Place on Earth Has Better Weather" (circa April 1996-March 1998), TWC seemed to use Dan Chandler less often compared to how he was back in the '80s and all the way through the late "Weather You Can Always Turn To" era. During the late '90s, he continued to be featured in the "Weathering the Seasons" filler segments. I wounded if he retired from doing voice-overs?

111

Local Forecast / Re: General LF Discussion

« on: February 01, 2014, 07:25:48 PM »

I'm sure the staff at TWC finally realized that playing the same two production tracks over and over again gets really annoying. At least I still don't mind the long Dan Chandler narrations that they used to have back in the autumn of 1987. That only lasted for two months.

http://www.twcclassics.com/files/updates/12-16-09/3000/unk7.flv

112

TWC and your Cable Company / Re: DirecTV Dropping TWC

« on: January 31, 2014, 01:05:48 AM »

I think you misread. NETWORK WEATHER wants to acquire TWC.

Ooops... Thank you for correcting that.
Anyways, I don't even think that Network Weather Channel even has the money to buy TWC. Either way, they might already be doomed.

113

TWC and your Cable Company / Re: DirecTV Dropping TWC

« on: January 30, 2014, 06:53:31 PM »

Network Weather Channel posted this on Facebook:  " *** URGENT MESSAGE FROM NETWORK WEATHER CHANNEL ***
There have been rumors running around that our company should buy The Weather Channel. Yes, we are heavily considering that option and a press release will be put out to the press explaining this situation. More in the coming days. STAY TUNED"

Whaaaaaaaatttttttt. Would NBC even consider that? Can't wait to hear more..

Once again...

I can't believe it, Network Weather Channel considering buying TWC?! They haven't even launched yet!

...well this is novel.

The Weather Channel properties cost about $3.5 billion to acquire.  How Network Weather, a very small startup, would be able to swallow such a big fish is beyond me.  It has happened - tiny Capital Cities Communications ended up buying ABC, thanks in large part to Warren Buffet - but it's still unlikely.

That said, I can see The Weather Channel being sold.

Yet, not only did Capital Cities acquired ABC, but the Walt Disney Company eventually swallowed up both Capital Cities and ABC with it in 1995, like what Comca$h did to NBC back in 2011. I feel sorry for Network Weather Channel. I just hope TWC doesn't acquire WeatherNation TV like what they did to WeatherUnderground, IntelliCast, and WSI. Either way, it seems like TWC is becoming a monopoly to the television weather business like how ESPN and Fox Sports are to the sports television business.

114

TWC and your Cable Company / Re: DirecTV Dropping TWC

« on: January 22, 2014, 06:18:09 PM »

Any word on negotiations between TWC and DirectTV? Was the ball fumbled or just dropped and no one is willing to pick it up?

Something just came in now - they've written an open letter asking DTV to waive cancellation fees.  It's in PDF format, so I've included the text - in full - below.

Just before midnight on January 13, DIRECTV customers lost access to The Weather Channel.

Since then, over 4 million customers have come to keeptheweatherchannel.com to express their frustration. Over 400,000 have called and emailed DIRECTV. And over 90,000 have pledged to switch providers.

Many thousands have called your customer service centers asking to terminate their contracts since they are now getting less content for the same price. But DIRECTV is threatening them with termination fees of $200 to $400.

We have heard from viewers across the country, like Heather in Texas who wrote, “We just signed on with DIRECTV.…Had I known this was going to happen I would NOT have signed up. I read the fine print (too late) and found that they can do that. It’s wrong.”

We agree. Fairness ought to trump the fine print in your contracts.

The decision to switch providers is never taken lightly. Those who are trying to do so clearly believe The Weather Channel is a valued resource for their families. They are people like @jlawson2011, who tweeted “The Weather Channel saved my life when there was severe weather in my area. Tornado imminent + TWC warning to hide.”

These viewers—your customers—value the fact that since 1982 The Weather Channel has been relying upon the National Weather Service for watches and warnings, which we deliver on a hyper-local basis through our proprietary localization technology.

Your customers were never given a vote about DIRECTV’s decision to drop The Weather Channel. The least you can do is allow them to vote now with their feet by waiving termination fees for those seeking to switch to a provider that still carries The Weather Channel, as every other pay-TV company in the nation does.

Our preference would be for DIRECTV to come back to the negotiating table and restore The Weather Channel to your line up. But as you seem intent on proving a point at the expense of your customers’ interests, then at least allow them to make their own choices without unaffordable penalties.

As our team of more than 220 expert meteorologists tracks winter storms, wildfires in Southern California, and many other potential weather emergencies, a prompt reply—not to me, but to your customers—would surely be appreciated.

....excuse me one more time.

Yet, TWC stopped using the NWS data for the 36 hour forecast segments on all STAR models. I still dispute TWC's claims of saving lives.

Also for my own reaction about TWC's claims of "saving lives"...

"Gotta palm ém all!"

115

TWC and your Cable Company / Re: DirecTV Dropping TWC

« on: January 20, 2014, 08:38:39 PM »

The hilarious thing about that video?  The Weather Channel aired the first part of it.

In other words, AN NBC-OWNED PROPERTY ACKNOWLEDGED THE EXISTENCE OF CONAN O'BRIEN.

But Conan's with TBS now.

116

TWC and your Cable Company / Re: DirecTV Dropping TWC

« on: January 18, 2014, 10:29:57 PM »

Look 4 posts up and you will see who made that site

So given that I'm the one that's been doing droptheweatherchannel.com, I might as well explain and respond to some stuff.

I didn't know that, that you for reminding me.

117

TWC and your Cable Company / Re: DirecTV Dropping TWC

« on: January 17, 2014, 09:22:38 PM »

I know the dual-feed is at least a step in the right direction, but I wish they wouldn't use it.  I would much rather watch what the latest is on hazardous weather in some other part of the country then watch Highway Through Hell or some other stupid crap.

Hopefully the return on WCL in the evening hours on weekdays, as well as more coverage on weekends, will be a permanent change.  The WATT schedule was just crappy.

I agree with you on that. If it wasn't for the IntelliStar/IntelliStar 2, we wouldn't have to deal with that reality show garbage (especially for satellite subscribers and legacy STAR models). That's what previously made TWC useful. I too have always been interested in what part of the country is getting severe weather. I also love to look at maps a lot too. As for the current music, I also agree that the same promo music being played over and over again gets really annoying. At least it beats watching Honey Boo-Boo or any other crappy reality show.

118

TWC and your Cable Company / Re: DirecTV Dropping TWC

« on: January 17, 2014, 06:56:11 PM »

I still think they should show the severe weather coverage nationally even outside of the affected area (especially for legacy STARs that are in the affected area as well as both DirecTV and Dish subscribers that are in the affected area). Because neither DirecTV nor Dish cannot beam a localized IntelliStar/IntelliStar 2 (including localized commercials and EAS messages like on most cable systems), both satellite providers would to have launch separate beams for each one of the 200 or so media markets nationwide. Think of it like the local broadcast channels and network television affiliates that both satellite providers carry (such as your local ABC, CBS, CW, Fox, NBC, PBS, etc.). That would of cost both providers millions or even billions of dollars to launch and both satellite providers doesn't even have the room to put all of that bandwidth in outer space. That's the only thing I miss from cable.

Personally, if it wasn't Comca$h's refusal to carry some of my favorite channels that they don't carry (especially when it comes to the availability of HD channels that they don't carry if they only have it in SD, I still would of been a cable subscriber. Besides, my local Comca$h system didn't even get TWC HD until around 2011 or so, DirecTV was way ahead of them.

Also, even in the severe weather affected area, your DirecTV or Dish satellite would suffer from "rain fade" anyway. Usually when there are thunderstorms, heavy downpours, or even wet heavy snow that can lose the signal. HD feeds of the same channel (including TWC) are more sensitive to "rain fade" than their SD duplicates (unless if it’s severe weather).

Even cable companies sometimes loose its signal too, but rarely in severe weather. My local Comca$h system is neglected anyway.

119

TWC and your Cable Company / Re: DirecTV Dropping TWC

« on: January 16, 2014, 06:15:34 PM »

I've read over at the SatelliteGuys forums that between 1988-2001, The Weather Channel was one of the most profitable cable channels out there by percentage. Low expenses, with good return on investment. At the time, the channel was held by a private company (Landmark Communications) so the numbers did not have to be released. However the shows it was turning 50% profit for nearly two decades. In 1999, TWC had a gross revenue of nearly a quarter billion dollars against expenses of just over 100 million. The channel was still profitable, though the trend was WAY down in 2007. What was worse was that the trend was showing no signs of reversing. Eventually, Landmark decided to cash in and sell since the channel was no longer making as much money as it was. TWC went on the market and sold for 3½ BILLION dollars (including the web site which is a gigantic revenue source). Many analysts say this means the entity was still earning close to $150 million dollars in net profits a year.

Its possible that nearly five years after NBC took over TWC, Landmark likely misses their old gem.

Source: http://www.satelliteguys.us/threads/326898-The-Weather-Channel-GONE?p=3353035#post3353035

120

TWC and your Cable Company / Re: DirecTV Dropping TWC

« on: January 14, 2014, 12:39:39 AM »

DirecTV also put a message channel on 362-2 saying:

DIRECTV currently does not have permission to offer The Weather Channel. As an alternative, please enjoy WeatherNation on Channel 362 for dedicated 24/7 weather news coverage. For more information, go to directvpromise.com.

I'm glad TWC is finally gone on DirecTV! I hope this lasts permanently. What still makes me wonder about this dispute, Why would DirecTV put a duplicate of WeatherNation on TWC's location on 362 when they already have it on 361? I hope Dish reconsiders dropping TWC too.