Local on the 8s Major Change Beginning Tomorrow

[yourweathertoday]

Per an email from weloveweather.tv:
“Many of you have told us that you want to see more of our trusted weather coverage and we've taken note. Starting tomorrow, we will be extending our live coverage by up to 10 minutes per hour, giving you a chance to dig even deeper into the weather affecting you each day!

In order to give you more screen time with your favorite meteorologists from The Weather Channel, we figured out a way to collapse some of our Local on the 8s so that they run during our live segments. Where you used to see our traditional Local on the 8s segments, you will start to see the same weather information displayed along the right side and/or bottom of your screen.

We hope you love the changes and we look forward to hearing your feedback! Many of you have been loyal fans for over 35 years and we are excited to continue to evolve along with you to create an even better weather experience!”

[GolfDude]

As per an Email They sent out to Insiders:

Starting tomorrow, we will be extending our live coverage by up to 10 minutes per hour, giving you a chance to dig even deeper into the weather affecting you each day!
In order to give you more screen time with your favorite meteorologists from The Weather Channel, we figured out a way to collapse some of our Local on the 8s so that they run during our live segments. Where you used to see our traditional Local on the 8s segments, you will start to see the same weather information displayed along the right side and/or bottom of your screen.

[WeatherWitness]

I merged these two topics together since they are the same.  We'll keep all discussion regarding the Local on the 8s change here.  Thanks!

[yourweathertoday]

Gracias, Andy!

[Tyler]

Reminds me of the days where the LDL took up 30% of the screen 

[WeatherWitness]

Well, it seems like the return of the L-Bar/squeezeback days, except there technically already IS that concept (weather all the time).  So I'm very curious as to what more they're going to add to the screen, since the LOT8s is technically always there.

Needless to say, I wonder if this is the start of the demise for the traditional, full-screen LOT8s segments?  I remember the days of 2-3 minute forecasts, but in the age of "instant" weather information via computer, tablet, phone, whatever, one could claim that LOT8s as we know it would soon become obsolete.

[Mike M]

Ironically, this announcement comes almost exactly 5 years when TWC replaced the remaining 1:30/2 minute LFs with one minute segments (April 1, 2013).  It's disappointing, but certainly not surprising given the digital age we're in now, as Andy mentioned.

[WeatherSTAR]

This isn't a good idea for those of us with letterboxed HD feeds on SD. It's really difficult to read the LDL already, and now there won't be full-screen forecasts anymore? Seems like they neglected the fact that many cable companies have chosen to go down that path- even stranger is the fact that my cable headend had the i2jr for SD but switched to the xD only a week later, so I've barely tuned into TWC since. Unless tomorrow's results are surprisingly good, I won't be on board with this.

[TWCSteven]

I would be interested in the new change only if it brought some new stuff to the LDL. But really, discontinuing the Local on the 8s product seems like a bad idea. Just imagine not having your local forecast from Local on the 8s during hurricane coverage, meaning no radar or detailed forecasts. Of course, during winter storm or hurricane coverage, they replace the right side with the current statistics and future conditions.

What I believe the problem with the coverage time is the fact that they are reducing it to show more ads. Longform starts at primetime, so I guess that's why it starts at 8 PM EDT. Weather Underground has been showing ads more often than Weather Center Live and AMHQ.

In my honest opinion, throughout the years of TWC's broadcasting, more and more features are getting removed. And this product really means to us, and it has existed all along since The Weather Channel was founded. And now it meets it's fate on April 3rd.

[WeatherSTAR]

Here's some clarification direct from TWC, as a reply to a tweet I sent them asking about the new update:

LO8s are not exactly being removed, just reimagined.  The same information you know and love will still be available!  Thank you for the feedback!

[Lotologist492]

This will make the satellite feed LF interesting!  Anyway - this also means the demise of smooth jazz, production music, storm alert music, and holiday music.  The only tunes we will likely hear are the songs playing during live segments when they lead in or out.  The 35+ year tradition of local forecast music appears to be in jeopardy but who knows.

[GolfDude]

hmm it appears they still have a local on the 8 segement, but only  at the 18's and 48's.. with the live feed version on the other 8's..

[iKJames]

My comment to TWC Classics group on Facebook: "I've watched for the first hour and 15 minutes of the changes, the traditional LOT8's cues at :18 and :48 otherwise it's relegated to the LDL always, and sidebar for a minute on the other 8's.. the logo is now LOT8's all the time, TWC logo itself is directly above the time only when they aren't on commercials.. also, if there's a commercial when the sidebar is suppose to cue.. they will do it momentarily after arriving back from commercials"

[mightynine]

All this did was cut back to two fullscreen LOT8s an hour during live. Same info on the bottom of the screen, sidebar cues up the local radar/almanac. Advertiser scroll covers up the news ticker.

[twcfan68]

This morning, the Weather Channel logo is being replaced with a constant Local on the 8s on the lower bottom corner. Only one I've seen is at the :18 and :48 on the hour (at least on the morning shows so far).

There hasn't been one positive change to this network in the last 7 years. It's a shame, because this forum was once so lively with passion. It has died along with the network.

They appear to only care about ad revenue, and they will cut anything that gets in the way, even royalty rights to jazz artists.

I'm sick of the same production music they've been playing for five years. It is completely stale, and it's awful they've gotten away with it for so long. However, I guess it doesn't matter, because they're just trying to phase out the local forecast anyway.

Damn shame what has happened to this once great network. The good days were when we'd complain about them keeping a music playlist longer than a month and getting rid of the XL icons.