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Present - The Weather Channel 2000 => Programming and Graphics => Topic started by: NYwxguy on November 21, 2008, 09:47:11 AM

Title: Forecast Earth cancelled, entire environmental unit laid off
Post by: NYwxguy on November 21, 2008, 09:47:11 AM
From Newsblues:

On the same week NBC celebrated “Green is Universal Week” by jetting crews to four distant locations, ostensibly to report on the environment, the Weather Channel, which is owned by NBC Universal, laid off the entire TWC Environmental Unit.

"Forecast Earth" aired weekends and was fronted by former CNN anchor Natalie Allen with contributions from TWC climate expert Heidi Cullen. The staff includes several producers and a photog.

In perhaps the ultimate irony, Allen urged viewers, in her final blog post on Monday, to embrace NBC's "Green is Universal event."

Tipsters in Atlanta says cuts continued yesterday and will most likely exceed the 50 job losses initially reported.
Title: Re: Forecast Earth cancelled, entire environmental unit laid off
Post by: lfmusiclover on November 21, 2008, 09:49:44 AM
Hooray!!! Whilst I hate to see anyone lose their job, I love to see Forecast Earth go bye bye.  :dance: :dance:
Title: Re: Forecast Earth cancelled, entire environmental unit laid off
Post by: tpirfan28 on November 21, 2008, 09:51:02 AM
Okay, they are forgiven for letting Dave go.

I might actually watch an entire FE today.  Might tape it too.
Title: Re: Forecast Earth cancelled, entire environmental unit laid off
Post by: lfmusiclover on November 21, 2008, 09:55:57 AM
Okay, they are forgiven for letting Dave go.

ROFL.  :rofl2:
Title: Re: Forecast Earth cancelled, entire environmental unit laid off
Post by: TWCToday on November 21, 2008, 10:44:06 AM
TWC did you read my post? Best news I have heard since they went HD. Now if only they increased OCM air time. :yes:
Title: Re: Forecast Earth cancelled, entire environmental unit laid off
Post by: Spring Rubber on November 21, 2008, 11:58:48 AM
Sadly, I have a bad feeling we'll be seeing canned episodes of Forecast Earth or some other crappy long-form programs during FE's timeslot; they couldn't even afford to be live in the studio on weekends as it was, and they certainly can't afford it with this layoffs; we might wind up seeing either more solo shifts on the weekends or even more long-form hours.
Title: Re: Forecast Earth cancelled, entire environmental unit laid off
Post by: tpirfan28 on November 21, 2008, 01:01:38 PM
HEY!!!

They can't go to the Forecast Earth desk anymore...because it doesn't exist!!!
Title: Re: Forecast Earth cancelled, entire environmental unit laid off
Post by: Zach on November 21, 2008, 01:40:10 PM
This is a shock to me. :thrilled:

I may be into climatology but Natalie and Heidi make it boring. :thumbdown:
Title: Re: Forecast Earth cancelled, entire environmental unit laid off
Post by: jtmal0723 on November 21, 2008, 02:13:12 PM
I don't believe it one bit. I need to see press releases for these things, and until then, I won't believe them one bit. I'm sorry. Call me old fashioned or an asshole, but I want to see some press releases.
Title: Re: Forecast Earth cancelled, entire environmental unit laid off
Post by: lfmusiclover on November 21, 2008, 02:15:04 PM
I don't believe it one bit. I need to see press releases for these things, and until then, I won't believe them one bit. I'm sorry. Call me old fashioned or an asshole, but I want to see some press releases.

Your not getting them. TWC isn't talking. My source is getting the info straight from the horses mouth, so to speak. If you choose not to believe that, its called denial.  :happy:
Title: Re: Forecast Earth cancelled, entire environmental unit laid off
Post by: Mike M on November 21, 2008, 03:16:36 PM
Wow, I thought Forecast Earth would attract tons of viewers! :o Didn't expect it to be cancelled.
Title: Re: Forecast Earth cancelled, entire environmental unit laid off
Post by: lfmusiclover on November 21, 2008, 03:25:05 PM
Wow, I thought Forecast Earth would attract tons of viewers! :o Didn't expect it to be cancelled.

What ever made you think that?  :blink:
Title: Re: Forecast Earth cancelled, entire environmental unit laid off
Post by: Mike M on November 21, 2008, 03:27:17 PM
Well, global warming is a concern to many so I figured a lot of viewers would tune to the show. I'm not saying that I liked the show, though.
Title: Re: Forecast Earth cancelled, entire environmental unit laid off
Post by: WeatherWitness on November 21, 2008, 06:50:33 PM
Hurray! Goodbye Forecast Earth! :clap: I wonder if any long-form programming will be discontinued?
Title: Re: Forecast Earth cancelled, entire environmental unit laid off
Post by: Jae on November 21, 2008, 06:56:02 PM
This comes as no suprise. If I were part of the upper hierarchy management unit of TWC, I would have done the same exact thing to save money in these tough economic times. The environmental unit of TWC is almost like 'fluff,' and it takes away the focus from TWC's main mission which was in mind when it launched in 82. The purpose of TWC is to deliver current weather information and forecasts, not to in-depthly describe and disect the characteristics of environmental issues/problems. Smart move on TWC's part to do away with the environmental segment of the station. Now if only we could remove that damn Green Logo.
Title: Re: Forecast Earth cancelled, entire environmental unit laid off
Post by: lfmusiclover on November 21, 2008, 06:56:55 PM
Hurray! Goodbye Forecast Earth! :clap: I wonder if any long-form programming will be discontinued?

I doubt it. Long form is cheaper than live.  :yes:
Title: Re: Forecast Earth cancelled, entire environmental unit laid off
Post by: ABC7 on November 23, 2008, 04:51:34 PM
Hooray! I hope they can air less long-form programming, especially on the weekends and weekday afternoons!
Title: Re: Forecast Earth cancelled, entire environmental unit laid off
Post by: Spring Rubber on November 23, 2008, 08:58:41 PM
Hooray! I hope they can air less long-form programming, especially on the weekends and weekday afternoons!

They'll probably air more now with less OCMs to work all these shifts.
Title: Re: Forecast Earth cancelled, entire environmental unit laid off
Post by: crp88 on November 23, 2008, 09:08:26 PM
So is this the last week for FE?
Title: Re: Forecast Earth cancelled, entire environmental unit laid off
Post by: lfmusiclover on November 23, 2008, 09:10:47 PM
Unfortunately, I'm sure we'll see plenty of re-runs, even if they did can the FE crew.  :rolleyes:
Title: Re: Forecast Earth cancelled, entire environmental unit laid off
Post by: toxictwister00 on November 23, 2008, 09:13:15 PM
That's worse than having it as a returning series. :pinch:
Title: Re: Forecast Earth cancelled, entire environmental unit laid off
Post by: crp88 on November 23, 2008, 09:19:45 PM
Unfortunately, I'm sure we'll see plenty of re-runs, even if they did can the FE crew.  :rolleyes:

 :no:
Title: Re: Forecast Earth cancelled, entire environmental unit laid off
Post by: Mike M on November 23, 2008, 09:36:50 PM
Unfortunately, I'm sure we'll see plenty of re-runs, even if they did can the FE crew.  :rolleyes:
That's what I'd say.
Title: Re: Forecast Earth cancelled, entire environmental unit laid off
Post by: tpirfan28 on December 02, 2008, 10:54:21 AM
Well, they haven't banwhacked Forecast Earth yet...they are doing a FE Climate Scorecard right now.   :thumbdown:
Title: Re: Forecast Earth cancelled, entire environmental unit laid off
Post by: jtmal0723 on December 02, 2008, 01:59:59 PM
Well, they haven't banwhacked Forecast Earth yet...they are doing a FE Climate Scorecard right now.   :thumbdown:
My guess is the Forecast Earth desk isn't going to go away... The show and the climate team may have...
Title: Re: Forecast Earth cancelled, entire environmental unit laid off
Post by: lfmusiclover on December 02, 2008, 02:31:49 PM
According to my source everyone but Heidie Cullen got axed. They kept her, but my source doesn't know yet what their going to do with her.  :no:
Title: Re: Forecast Earth cancelled, entire environmental unit laid off
Post by: tpirfan28 on December 02, 2008, 02:34:22 PM
According to my source everyone but Heidie Cullen got axed. They kept her, but my source doesn't know yet what their going to do with her.  :no:
You have got to be damn well kidding me.
Title: Re: Forecast Earth cancelled, entire environmental unit laid off
Post by: Spring Rubber on December 02, 2008, 04:34:09 PM
She was there before the rest of the team, so I guess she gets to stay and continue the propaganda on her own; heck, maybe she'll become a global warming frontend for the whole NBC family of networks.