Messages

1516

Questions, Comments, Suggestions / Oops...

« on: August 14, 2010, 12:29:57 AM »

I made two posts in this section (tropical update maps and PSAs) that I probably should have put in the pre-2000 section.  Sorry about that slip... could someone move them for me?  I should have paid closer attention... I just saw the word "Classic" and I was off.

1517

OCMs / Meteorologist PSAs

« on: August 14, 2010, 12:28:29 AM »

Back in the day, it was a little difficult for TWC to attract so many advertisers (despite the localization that the WeatherStar could do in providing an address and phone number over a still image after the commercial, which was extremely common 20 years ago), so, to fill time, the on-camera metoerologists starred in their own "public service announcements."

What are your favorites, or, as the case may be, least favorites?

My favorites are...

1.) Marny Stanier explaining how a ceiling fan works.  This was guaranteed to be shown a million times a month, all throughout the year, for several years.  The only people I closely knew who had a ceiling fan back then were my grandparents, whom I visited each summer vacation.  So, the first opportunity I had, I climbed up on the guest room bed to flip the switch on the very top of the ceiling fan to watch it reverse direction, and then I waited to try to feel warmer instead of cooler air flowing. 

2.) Jeannetta Jones discussing the benefits of serving different kinds of cheese at a dinner party.  At about seven or eight years old, this was my first introduction to Monterrey Jack cheese, and I remember thinking how incredibly odd it was for a cheese to have that kind of "name." 

3.) A male OCM (maybe Jim Cantore early in his career?) explaining how to properly dress for outdoor activities based on the weather.  In particular, I remember Jim (if it was Jim) explaining (yes, believe it or not, someone felt this had to be explained!) that white cotton socks absorb sweat better than any other, so that's what you should wear if you're going to be jogging on a hot day! 

1518

Programming / Tropical Update maps

« on: August 14, 2010, 12:22:00 AM »

Back in the day, before all the maps on TWC were more or less standardized, there was greater variety in the maps used in programming.  One example of this was in the Tropical Update.

I'm talking specifically about the late 1980s-mid 1990s, when two types of maps were used: tracking maps that showed the weather icon of the tropical system, its track in yellow dots, and the NHC bulletin information superimposed; and a still satellite view with the tropical system circled (the rest of the satellite image being slightly dimmed) and the bulletin information superimposed in a somewhat jagged computerized-looking font.

I wasn't even a teenager back then, so, being so young, I had some very strong preferences.  I greatly preferred the tracking maps, since I found it fascinating to be able to look at the track of the storm and see its progression across the ocean.  I found the satellite-only presentation to be a bit "second-hand."  Not only did white text seem harder to read against the backdrop of white clouds, some of the weaker storms seemed so sorry-looking that one wondered why we were tracking them at all, but you were guaranteed to see an animated satellite view of the storm after the tracking map, anyway, so why start with a still image, dimmed, with text all over it?

For Atlantic storms, the satellite map was generally used only for unnamed tropical depressions and for dying storms, usually in the northeastern Atlantic graveyard.  Otherwise, the tracking map was almost exclusively used.  I remember one morning watching the "Good Morning Forecast" (or whatever it was called back in the early 1990s) with two tropical depressions in the eastern Atlantic, rather close to each other, so John Hope had the same still satellite image for both - first one storm was circled, and then the other.  Even though I wasn't a big fan of the satellite maps versus the tracking maps, I found this to be a rather interesting presentation.  However, there was one year (very rough guess would be either 1990 or 1993, or maybe a mix of the two) when even established storms were presented with the satellite maps only.  As a naive little guy, I even wrote TWC a letter asking what happened to my beloved tracking maps.  I just got a small card thanking me for writing, without ever actually getting a response to my question.

In the Eastern Pacific, the satellite maps were used 99% of the time.  It was truly an extremely rare occasion when a tracking map was used, and then, the storm had to be relatively powerful and about to make landfall in Mexico.

Thanks for allowing me to take this stroll down memory lane, and I'm sure there will be more.

1519

TWC Classics News / Re: New footage from 1991

« on: August 14, 2010, 12:10:37 AM »

I always looked forward to the Fall Foliage Report every year.  I love fall foliage, it was an opportunity for Jim Cantore to do something on his own early in his career before he became TWC's most favored OCM, it was an entirely new (and often redesigned each year) graphics set, and I enjoyed seeing the progression of the foliage across the country.

<sigh> I miss those early days for so many different reasons.  All I have left now are memories and videoclips.  I know certain members of this forum (and administration) don't like this said, but compare The Weather Channel in 2010 with The Weather Channel even 10 years ago, let alone 15+ years ago, and it's truly a different network.

All networks change over time, but sometimes change is for the better, and sometimes it's for the worse.  As far as I know, I'm one of only two regular contributors to this forum (at least those who have voted in my poll) who have been regular viewers of TWC since the 1980s, so I can say with some legitimacy that many of TWC's recent changes have been for the worse, and this began largely when NBC bought the network.  Since then, the focus has changed from the weather (with entertainment provided largely by talented on-camera staff as a welcome afterthought and just as part of their personalities) to a wannabe entertainment network that happens to have an interest in the weather.

People have offered their differing opinions about when TWC was at its peak, but I have to say it's from the late 1980s to the early 1990s, when "You need us for everything you do" was ending and "Weather you can always turn to" was beginning.  This is the most nostalgic era in TWC's history for me.  You knew who the OCMs were, the weather reporting was solid, special programs were actually welcomed and looked forward to because they were so rare, meaning there was ample time to make them GOOD, instead of rushing to complete another deadline.

Sorry for getting a little off-topic, but... I love nostalgia, and I've loved TWC for most of my life, and it does get painful at times to see such a major change, one that, in my own personal opinion, hasn't been an improvement.  And, yes, I do enjoy revisiting the days when I was 8 years old, not 28 years old...

1520

TWC Classics News / Re: New footage from 1991

« on: August 13, 2010, 04:08:24 PM »

There was an "International Weather" segment I used to love, from the late 1980s or very early 1990s.  Focusing on all the changes in Europe back then ("Our country has a new name, your visa is invalid," a customs officer tells an impatient traveler in the commercial), we were told that, even though the weather also changes, The Weather Channel will help keep us prepared.

You mean this one?

Wow... you are GOOD!  Many thanks!! 

1521

TWC Classics News / Re: New footage from 1991

« on: August 13, 2010, 11:36:26 AM »

There was an "International Weather" segment I used to love, from the late 1980s or very early 1990s.  Focusing on all the changes in Europe back then ("Our country has a new name, your visa is invalid," a customs officer tells an impatient traveler in the commercial), we were told that, even though the weather also changes, The Weather Channel will help keep us prepared.

1522

TWC Classics News / Re: New footage from 1991

« on: August 13, 2010, 11:33:28 AM »

Wow - thank you so much for posting these!  Some of these clips I practically remember verbatim, even after 19 years!  Whoa... now I have to start thinking about how much things have changed between 1991 and 2010!!

1523

TWC and your Cable Company / Re: Comcast Sucks.

« on: August 13, 2010, 11:27:46 AM »

People get all bent out of shape because they actually have to change something.

You just hit the nail on the head! 

It doesn't matter what kind of change it is, or how incredibly beneficial it will be - there are just some people out there who are categorically opposed to any kind of change whatsoever, and they'll always view it as a bad thing.

1524

General Discussion / Re: When did you start watching The Weather Channel?

« on: August 13, 2010, 11:25:47 AM »

At the earliest for the satellite version of the looping "Travel Cities Forecast" WeatherSTAR 4000, I beleve it came out some time between August-September 1990 (likely around the same time when the local cable version of the 4000 started displaying the "Travel Cities Forecast" banner on top of the screen around mid-August 1990). I think TWC would continue using the satellite 4000 up until either 1998 or 1999.
 
As for the early days of the LFs, maybe it was just a plain black screen with only audio playing durring the LFs if there was either no WeatherSTAR I/II hooked up or if it fails to cue its LF.

I could have sworn the "Travel Cities Forecast" started earlier.  In fact, I'm sure of it.  Maybe the WeatherStar 4000-style "TCF" started in 1990, but a different format certainly existed before - I've actually seen it.  At first I couldn't figure out what it was, but after a while I figured out that the "regular" local forecast wasn't working, so I'm seeing this instead.

As for ending the "TCF" in 1998 or 1999, that's definitely too late.  Again, I know this from personal experience.  During summer vacation I visited my grandparents, I specifically remember seeing a map-based national broadcast instead of a WeatherStar while in one of their guest rooms.  The last time I stayed in that particular guest room was either 1996 or 1997 at the absolute latest.

And I've already said that, before the animated local forecast backgrounds and before the "Travel Cities Forecast," viewers with a malfunctioning WeatherStar or no WeatherStar at all saw only a black screen and heard the local forecast music with narration, since that was broadcast along with the music nationally.

1525

WeatherSTAR Tech Support / Re: IntelliStar Glitch on Unit #22204

« on: August 12, 2010, 08:38:08 PM »

Wow, you're lucky enough to get the old IS icons back. I would've kept them if I were you

And I prefer the new ones.  Каждому свое - To each his own!

1526

TWC and your Cable Company / Re: Comcast Sucks.

« on: August 11, 2010, 09:22:26 PM »

This "digital migration" is a complete disaster.  EVERYBODY is pissed, I've never seen anything like it.

I don't understand what the problem is.  So long as people are prepared, then there's no problem at all.

In my family, most of the TVs already had digital cable boxes.  Those that didn't were equipped with the free digital converter boxes from Comcast before the cut-off date, so our house never lost service on any of its TVs.

1527

General Discussion / Re: What is the last thing you bought?

« on: August 10, 2010, 10:53:28 PM »

The brand-new computer I'm typing this message on now!

1528

Local Forecast / Re: General LF Discussion

« on: August 10, 2010, 10:52:56 PM »

Someone a LOOOOOOOONG time ago asked

Is it possible to have a Record High Screen and a Record Low Screen on the same day?

Well, it just so happens that on my TWC calendar that gives monthly weather facts that

On August 11, 1984, Miami had a record high of 96 degrees F and a record low of 70 degrees F on the same day, due to a thunderstorm.

Well, it can happen, but you wouldn't see a Record Temperature Screen back then. 

Are you sure?  The WeatherStar I and WeatherStar II local forecasts way back in the day actually had some "narrative" screens that got dropped in the mid-1980s (around 1986), so it's quite possible that something like that could have been on the local forecast!

1529

Everything Else TWC / Re: Blooper Thread

« on: August 09, 2010, 12:55:24 AM »

pre-March 2010 icon sets are used for select graphics on the network, and will probably remain unchanged, so don't be surprised. The WC/YWT 5 day forecast graphics still use the old ones, because, well, it looks better on them.

It does seem to be a challenge to get one unified graphics set and stick with it, doesn't it?  Heck, even the WeatherStar 4000 had two sets of weather icons - one for current conditions and extended forecasts and one for regional maps and the "Today's/Tomorrow's Forecast" line on the LDL.

1530

Hurricane Central / Re: Tropical Storm Colin

« on: August 08, 2010, 09:28:13 PM »

RIP Colin. Poor guy never had a chance

Kinda just a small fizz and a lot of fizzle out in the Atlantic.   Still, I'm sure residents of Bermuda are relieved they're getting nothing more than a passing breezy rainstorm.