If Al Roker wasn't enough...

[Travis(:]

Yepp another sad move for the weather channel what else is new.   

[TampaMillTWC88]

At this point I really don't care anymore. TWC has made up their mind the direction they are going in, so the best thing is to watch the times when they actually cover weather.

[twcclassics]

At this point I really don't care anymore. TWC has made up their mind the direction they are going in, so the best thing is to watch the times when they actually cover weather.

So 4 in the morning?

[twcfan68]

Ha-ha, that's actually when I watch. I really like Sunrise Weather. I wish TWC did coverage like that more often.

I still can't imagine how ratings for these weather entertainment shows can be so high. Maybe if they weren't so reptitive, they wouldn't be so annoying. But I can learn to cope and watch when they cover the weather. I should have better things to do than watch TWC all day anyway.

[TWCToday]

My question is why is TWC airing shows like that? Do they get high ratings, or is it because they can't afford to do as much live weather coverage? Everyone I talk to about TWC watches for the weather, not shows about a tornado that happened 50 years ago. I don't watch TWC constantly anymore, so this doesn't really affect me that much.

That's a very complex question. Lets first look at ratings.  If 100 people watch TWC for 5min and 75 watch for 30minutes, then the show that got 75 would be higher rated. It's about keeping people watching longer. Typically people tune in for 5min, get their weather and leave. From the perspective of TWC, if you can provide an automated forecast on the8s with an ldl, you can satisfy the needs of those 5min viewers. To the average person they could care less what the weather is like across the nation unless they are travelling. Now with longform you have the ability to attract people for longer periods of times, which means longer view times, higher ratings and thus higher revenue from ad sales.

So lets pretend you are a business executive and you own TWC. You need to find a way to continue to grow the network in the face of an exploding technological world. Fewer and fewer people tune into The Weather Channel just for weather. And why would they? I can get all the information I need from my phone or computer anytime I want. Unlike us here people don't find weather fun to watch. So you are losing viewers to technology but the people you are losing probably only watched for 5minutes. By producing a long form show you grab those viewers looking for something interesting on TV to watch and still probably get most of those 5min viewers if you keep local on the 8s. So do you A. keep the same business model the company had through the late 90s and continue to see viewership decline or B. add alternative content to grow the audience diversity and at the very least sustain viewership?

As weather channel junkies we know the choice we want but what would you decide if you were in the place of the executive seeing falling numbers? I don't agree with some of the programming decisions but details decide the decisions made were reasonable. Hopefully we can see a good balance between longform and weather programming come back.

[TWCmatthew]

Let's not forget a childrens cartoon weather show, a game show and Law and Order. Maybe some adult late night programming too

Law and Order: Weather Edition...

But, seriously, there is enough long-form programming.

[twcfan68]

Wow, thank you for your post, Martin. The ratings for the entertainment shows must be higher than I originally thought then. I guess I would do the same thing if I were the owner of TWC, too, because it is all about the money in the end. I'm okay with the weather entertainment programming, but I just watch for the weather and the Tropical Update. I also watch for the music on the LOT8's, lol. I actually think they have a good blend of weather coverage and entertainment right now. They do the entertainment when I'm mostly busy with school-related work, anyway. (I just don't like it how, say, Samantha Mohr will do a live weather update, and she'll say something like, "While you're watching Storm Stories, we'll be watching the severe weather across the North Dakota." I want to watch the severe weather in ND...lol.)

I'm sure, in time, I'll get more used to TWC's ways of adapting to the new technological world. Again, thank you for your insight. That clears a lot up for me.

[WeatherSTARIII]

I still would rather see live weather coverage and forecasts. I always still find it to be more entertaining than the long-form shows. 

[Anistorm]

Maaaaybe some sort of a "Forensic weather" show, since meteorology also affects forensics...I wouldn't be surprised if they did that.

Wasn't something like that already in the works?

Yeah...but it never aired or anything. xD

Forensic Weather – See how Mother Nature helps solve crimes with forensic meteorologists who take viewers on a fascinating step by step journey to uncover the evidence and the impact of weather  on the investigation. The show revisits crimes and accidents reconstructing actual weather conditions using high-end graphics and dramatic, stylized re-enactments. Interviews with witnesses and victims bring these compelling stories to life.  (Launch date: 1Q 2011)

[Eric]

I still would rather see live weather coverage and forecasts. I always still find it to be more entertaining than the long-form shows. 

I completely agree!

[TampaMillTWC88]

I still would rather see live weather coverage and forecasts. I always still find it to be more entertaining than the long-form shows. 

I completely agree!

Me too. We just have to get used to it. After 5pm, look elsewhere for weather. 

[Charismatic Applesauce]

*bump*

Turns out Coast Guard Alaska is coming out after all. I just saw a promo of it.