Messages

16

Programming and Graphics / Re: Sweeping Changes Coming: Champion Cancelled, Less Reality Shows

« on: October 23, 2015, 01:17:16 PM »

FTVLive.com reports AMHQ without Sam Champion will be fronted by Jim Cantore and Stephanie Abrams, with a 3rd anchor TBD - apparently NOT Jen Delgado.

The report goes on to say that Nick Walker may be brought back full-time and Anaridis Rodriguez's contract was re-upped.

http://www.ftvlive.com/todays-news/2015/10/22/cantore-to-take-over-for-sam-champion-at-amhq

17

Programming and Graphics / Re: Sweeping Changes Coming: Champion Cancelled, Less Reality Shows

« on: October 12, 2015, 12:47:47 PM »

"I didn't leave Good Morning America to do a morning show, I mean why would I do that?"
- Sam Champion

Starting in January, he will finally "fulfill his dream" of having his own primetime program. The longform interview program will air once a week, focusing on climate change and other environmental issues...

http://www.thewrap.com/sam-champion-to-host-weekly-primetime-show-on-the-weather-channel-exclusive/

I expect this will air on Friday nights and last as long as Champion's contract does.

18

Everything Else TWC / Re: General TWC Discussion

« on: October 02, 2015, 05:11:16 PM »

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IzLuOW5Vqzc

It looks like TWC did a "automated" tropical update at 2AM ET.

I wouldn't be surprised if there's something like this overnights whenever 24/7 weather returns.  I note that when David Clark was on Weatherbrains, he mentioned a 24/7 "weather stream" and not necessarily 24/7 live coverage.

I could see a "national current conditions/radar" thing with this.

19

Programming and Graphics / Re: Sweeping Changes Coming: Champion Cancelled, Less Reality Shows

« on: September 22, 2015, 03:10:24 PM »

Moving further away from the design cues introduced with WATT, I see.  Does it do more than just radar/almanac?

20

Programming and Graphics / Sweeping Changes Coming: Champion Cancelled, Less Reality Shows

« on: September 09, 2015, 11:25:37 AM »

http://money.cnn.com/2015/09/09/media/weather-channel-sam-champion/index.html

The Weather Channel is canceling Sam Champion's morning newscast, replacing reality shows with more weather coverage, cutting TV production costs and laying off some staffers in a sweeping adjustment to changes in the cable business.

AMHQ's last day is October 30, though Champion "will remain a full-time host with a focus on prime time and new digital ventures" - i.e., we'll find some stuff for him to do while he's still under contract or we agree to a buyout.

That means paring back its original programming investments (shows like "Prospectors" and "Fat Guys in the Woods") and lifestyle coverage. The priority is essential, live weather coverage -- particularly during periods of severe weather -- and local information.
"It's going to cost more money to do longer hours of live, so we have to be more efficient about it," he said.
Overall TV spending will be reduced as well. Kenny said "we're now a technology company that owns a TV channel, not a TV company."

Getting ready to sell?  Also:

The company is also prioritizing a localized weather, traffic and news channel it is calling Local Now. It wants to sell the channel to streaming cable-like services like Sling TV.

21

Everything Else TWC / Re: New 60 Second Local Forecast videos on weather.com

« on: August 20, 2015, 10:08:17 AM »

Yeah, I can't seem to find it on the local forecast page anymore.  And unfortunately the list they provide of all cities is in no order whatsoever (seriously, they couldn't even do alphabetical order? ), so it may take a while to find.  Fortunately, Dallas was on the first page.

Where is the list?

http://www.weather.com/forecast

22

Everything Else TWC / Re: General TWC Discussion

« on: August 17, 2015, 09:19:11 AM »

Now we know why TWC will continue to show reality shows instead of weather:

http://www.theweathercompany.com/newsroom/2015/08/04/season-two-finale-popular-survival-series-fat-guys-woods

"Season Two Finale of Popular Survival Series, “Fat Guys in the Woods,” Reaches 1.5 Million Viewers on The Weather Channel"

Wow, that's more viewers than AMHQ and WUWA combined.

On the flip side, 1.5 million total viewers on a Sunday night doesn't sound all that impressive.

23

Local Forecast / Re: IntelliSTAR units to be retired this October...???

« on: August 14, 2015, 04:00:28 PM »

Cox New Orleans now letterboxing HD on the SD channel.  Not sure if it's the existing IS2 or if they got an IS2 XD unit.

24

Programming and Graphics / Re: TWC Updates Graphics

« on: August 04, 2015, 12:40:29 PM »

If anyone's interested, WUWA and AMHQ also now have the updated L3s.

25

Local Forecast / Re: General LF Discussion

« on: July 13, 2015, 04:40:28 PM »

All IntelliStar SD's are gradually being replaced by one of the newer models.

So are you saying the current IS models can go into Weatherscan mode?

26

Everything Else TWC / Re: General TWC Discussion

« on: June 02, 2015, 06:55:05 PM »

TWC has apparently made some changes to their daytime schedule. Alex Wilson posted on Facebook that she and Dave will be on 4-7pm every week "due to severe weather. "
https://www.facebook.com/twcalexwilson/posts/910749808968420

So, it seems that the new Weather Center Live shifts are 10-1, 1-4, 4-7, and 7-8 PM eastern. I have no idea why they would do this; it doesn't make sense to have another team (usually Alex Wallace and Keith Carson) come in for just one hour, unless they're planning to regularly extend live programming into the primetime hours. Another possibility is that this is setting up for the supposedly forthcoming Bettes show: maybe they decided to make it one hour at 7:00?

I imagine the 7-8 team is on standby in case they need to go live during longform programming.

27

Local Forecast / Re: IntelliSTAR units to be retired this October...???

« on: May 29, 2015, 04:28:28 PM »

Maybe this whole thing of buying an IntelliStar 2/ IntelliStar 2 Jr. is why Verizon FiOS decided to drop the weather channel. I'm not sure when this notice was sent to the cable headends, but alluding to the fact that cable companies are forced to upgrade, I infer that this was prolly the reason FiOS dropped TWC.

The statement says the replacement will be at no cost to affiliates.

If a system drops TWC, it's because the two sides couldn't agree on how much the system would pay per subscriber to TWC. Period. 

28

Local Forecast / Re: IntelliSTAR units to be retired this October...???

« on: May 29, 2015, 03:47:17 PM »

pardon my ignorance but I thought the Intellistar was discontinued already? And everyone has the IS2 at least in SD??

Cox Cable in New Orleans still has a IS on SD. It might be on its last legs, noticed a lot of late cues lately.

Wonder if they will just downconvert HD to SD or actually grab a Jr.

29

Programming and Graphics / Re: TWC Using Old Map for Radar?

« on: May 28, 2015, 12:23:59 PM »

Apparently there's a big internet problem for TWC in Atlanta. Perhaps that has something to do with it.

30

Everything Else TWC / Re: General TWC Discussion

« on: April 06, 2015, 06:53:45 PM »

When you have a quote like this in the WSJ article:

In an interview, Weather Co. Chief Executive David Kenny said the company has been aggressively diversifying into digital advertising and business-to-business services so it isn’t so reliant on TV. Those areas combined have already eclipsed TV revenue, he said.

“I feel really supported to finish this transition that we have started,” he said. “We are on a very different path to become a data and tech company.”

It's going to be less likely that The Weather Channel will change its ways and more likely the network as we know it is shut down or completely rebranded. The Weather Company will go where the money is, and whomever owns the network could completely re-shape its focus, like how TVGN (the former Prevue Guide/TV Guide Channel) recently rebranded to Pop!, completing its overhaul from a scrolling program guide channel.

The weather information is available through too many outlets, and local weathercasters now have the same tools TWC has, which was not the case years ago. New networks like WeatherNation and AccuWeather show that no one is beating down the door for all weather forecasts, all the time and with that, neither side is going to pour tons of money into it.

But the second a major outlet rides out the wave of complaints and walks away from The Weather Channel completely and the company isn't too broken up about it, the end is sooner rather than later.