DirecTV Dropping TWC

[IceManNYR]

Exactly, this is a management issue the OCMs should not be involved in just give us the forecasts please.

Kinda interesting timing 2 days before the TWC DTV contract is up they decide to go live to at least 11pm ET.

http://wattsupwiththat.com/2014/01/11/directv-to-drop-weather-channel/

[gt1racerlHDl]

If TWC doesn't want DirecTV to drop them, then they need to change. Extend LOT8s to 2 minutes, bring back smooth jazz, restore hours cut for longform, etc.

The fact the execs are whining over competition is pitiful. We will see how this will go but they will probably come up with something last minute. DirecTV however will lose a large number of subscribers if this does go out as planned.

Totally agree with everything you posted! the latest update to TWC became the last straw and i'm glad DTV is listening to their subscribers.

[Localonthe8s]

TWC is preempting programming now? For what reason? Just 3 days before DirecTV is scheduled to drop them?

[toxictwister00]

TWC is preempting programming now? For what reason? Just 3 days before DirecTV is scheduled to drop them?

Um...severe weather I would assume.

Seems like a lot of you think the timing is questionable, but honestly I'm sure it's just a coincidence.

[WeatherWitness]

As much as I would love to think DirecTV is dropping TWC because of the extended long-form and crappy reality stuff, I bet it's all about money.  Now if TWC is charging more to keep the channel, I think DirecTV should drop the channel if it's unreasonable.  But I guarantee an agreement will be made sooner or later (we may run into a Viacom situation again where the channel is gone for a few days, but it won't be gone forever.)

TWC likely pre-empted long form this afternoon because of severe weather in the southeast.

[IceManNYR]

The channel that broadcasts non weather related reality shows 8pm-4am weekdays and 2pm-4:30am on weekend is now trying to spin that they provide public service.
http://www.deadline.com/2014/01/tca-weather-channel-takes-campaign-against-directv-to-tv-critics/

[Charismatic Applesauce]

Now they added an annoying countdown clock to the upper right of the screen.
They also keep complaining about DTV possibly dropping them going to every break.
I'm waiting for them to add it as a slide on the LOT8s.

Here's the graphic.

[IceManNYR]

There's no way this was not planned in advance. The OCMs had to have time to be ready to be on air on a day they would normally be off.
I could understand staying live in the afternoon. There is no reason for them to be live 11pm-3am except to keep telling people that DTV is going drop TWC.

They are not even calling it storm coverage because there are no active storms to cover.
I'll bet they do the same thing Sunday so they are live to 12am Monday.

Amazing it takes the possibility of DTV dropping them for them to do what the should be doing, providing live weather shows after 2pm on weekends.

[IceManNYR]

As if the countdown clock on the top right, the scroll on the LDL and the notice on the top right of the HD wing are not enough, TWC is now spamming the screen during taped reports with a scroll above the lower thirds about DTV dropping TWC.

The more they do this the more foolish TWC becomes.

[WeatherSTARIII]

Regarding to the possible TWC dispute on DirecTV, I found this on DirecTV Promise page:

The Weather Channel has begun alarming DIRECTV customers unnecessarily about its potentially leaving the DIRECTV line-up as soon as Monday. Here’s what DIRECTV has to say about the campaign:

We remain in discussions with The Weather Channel on how to provide its service to our customers at the best value since people now use so many other ways to retrieve weather-related information. We launched WeatherNation (DIRECTV channel 361) as an alternative to provide 24/7 hard news weather coverage in response to numerous customer complaints that more than 40 percent of The Weather Channel’s programming is dedicated to reality television shows. DIRECTV also offers city-by-city weather coverage on more than 1,400 local broadcast stations and on DIRECTV’s emergency channels in times of severe weather.

Also, it appears that most DirecTV customers want it to be dropped permanently like what happened with G4 back in 2010. Here's the reactions:

@weatherchannel programing for Saturday Highway Thru Hell,Heavy Metal Monsters, Prospectors,etc ..where's the weather? I stand with #Directv

— Angel C (@alc965) January 11, 2014

@davidwkenny Maybe make it about weather and not terrible shows, marketing gimmicks or over the top personalities? No more wethertainment

— Tommy D (@TommyD0527) January 11, 2014

Weather Channel is saying viewers know the cost of DirectTV dropping then by posting storm damage pics. That's some mafia like negotiation

— Duke Williams (@Dastardly_Duke) January 11, 2014

Weather Channel whines if DirecTV drops them, people will miss "life-saving information"! "Ice Road Truckers" & "Prospectors" save lives?

— Judianna (@JUDIANNA) January 11, 2014

@weatherchannel you mean I can't get weather from my phone? Or local news? Or computer? Or by going outside and checking? Crazy…

— Lovie Time In Tampa! (@pewterpirate83) January 11, 2014

For you DirecTV customers, don't listen to The Weather Channel, just watch @WeatherNation for more accurate & unbiased weather information.

— Mark Spencer (@ohioweather) January 11, 2014

Source: http://directvpromise.com/disputes/weather-channel/

I also found an interesting story from the Salt Lake Tribune about the possible dispute:
http://m.sltrib.com/sltrib/mobile3/57382158-219/weather-channel-directv-public.html.csp

Honestly, I hope DirecTV permanently drops TWC like what they already did to G4. Recently, even other major cable providers (including Dish) had already dropped G4. I hope DirecTV wins this battle. As a long-time TWC viewer since the early '90s, I haven't watched TWC regularly like I used to ever since when they changed the logo back in 2005 and also after when NBC bought them out in 2008. I hate to say this (even on these TWC fan forums like this) I want TWC to crash and burn like what has already happened to G4. I'm so glad we already switched from Comca$t to DirecTV a few years ago. It's Comca$t's fault after all.

[IceManNYR]

To take the DTV discussion even further,
if The Weather Channel is a "Critical, life-saving resource in your local community" as the text related to DTV says,
how come I can't get a local forecast on TWC HD on FiOS? If TWC is that important would they not want to make sure every cable system can provide a local forecast in HD and SD.

There has also been times when my local area has severe weather while TWC is airing non weather related reality shows.

While I do tune into TWC for their live shows and storm coverage, TWC is over selling the value of their channel.

[Localonthe8s]

That's what I think. They purposefully preempted longform because of the DTV fiasco and to make it seem like they're doing the weather once again. The severe weather outbreak was minimal at best. They're live until 3AM and they very rarely preempt longform that late aside from Sandy and earlier in March.

[IceManNYR]

TWC is staying live through the overnight.

[Metarvo]

It just shows that at least someone is listening to customers here, and it isn't TWC.  DTV is saying what we've been saying for a while now when they mention the large amount of longform.  Customers got nowhere by complaining to TWC, so they must have gone to DTV instead.

the countdown clock on the top right

You mean a Disney Channel-style countdown clock like they use for premieres? Lol. 

[weatherfan_2013]

That's what I think. They purposefully preempted longform because of the DTV fiasco and to make it seem like they're doing the weather once again. The severe weather outbreak was minimal at best. They're live until 3AM and they very rarely preempt longform that late aside from Sandy and earlier in March.

This is just hallarious. Interestingly TWC's facebook has more people saying drop TWC you show no weather than directv's facebook. Probably because of TWC directing them to directv. Finally, TWC is now feeling the wrath of excessive long form because directv said it was part of the reason too, also money.  Lets see where this leads. Also TWC has no grounds with congress. You want local weather go to your local news stations. You want other peoples weather 24/7 go to weather nation. Nothing here needs congresses attention.