DirecTV Dropping TWC

[Trevor]

Not confirmed...but a friend just shared this on Facebook:

HEADLINE: DirecTV returns to the table after Weather Channel promises to scale back on the reality shows and use split feeds.

[skian]

I write this with a heavy heart. Long time viewer of TWC. As a matter fact I watched it from the begin. I watched it flounder in its infancy. I watched slowly stand on its own. I watched it mature and I watched it set a new standard for reporting the weather. Its always been on in my house. If the T.V. is on, the default channel has always been TWC.
The last couple years have been very painful to watch. First came the lay-offs and the programming struggle. I believe this all happened when NBC and all its parent companies took over. Which was right around the recession. It makes sense now if Bain Capitol had something to do with it. The hatchet men were swinging wildly. Heads were rolling and jobs were lost. Those who still had a job had hours slashed. Bad enough to lose alot of great on-air personalities but at the same time the programming went down, down, down. Remember, they actually tried to air movies. They changed the programming to reduce hours of the on-air personalities.
The programs have only gotten worse. Reality shows are terrible to begin with. For them to show the same stupid episode over and over is classless and beyond cheap.
It reaks of corporate slim these days. Like so much does in our world. Its not about the quality of the product anymore. Its all about the return of the investment and the shareholders. (Nothing personal, its just business.)
As I write this, WeatherNation is on my T.V. Its just background noise but it reminds of the old days of TWC. They are just talking about weather. They show maps, give tempurature and a forecast over and over.
I sure hope the folks over at TWC are paying attention. DirectTV just might have done them a favor. Wake up Weather Channel! You are not alone in the world of weather.
 

[WeatherSTARIII]

I've read over at the SatelliteGuys forums that between 1988-2001, The Weather Channel was one of the most profitable cable channels out there by percentage. Low expenses, with good return on investment. At the time, the channel was held by a private company (Landmark Communications) so the numbers did not have to be released. However the shows it was turning 50% profit for nearly two decades. In 1999, TWC had a gross revenue of nearly a quarter billion dollars against expenses of just over 100 million. The channel was still profitable, though the trend was WAY down in 2007. What was worse was that the trend was showing no signs of reversing. Eventually, Landmark decided to cash in and sell since the channel was no longer making as much money as it was. TWC went on the market and sold for 3½ BILLION dollars (including the web site which is a gigantic revenue source). Many analysts say this means the entity was still earning close to $150 million dollars in net profits a year.

Its possible that nearly five years after NBC took over TWC, Landmark likely misses their old gem.

Source: http://www.satelliteguys.us/threads/326898-The-Weather-Channel-GONE?p=3353035#post3353035

[Joe The Dragon]

Not confirmed...but a friend just shared this on Facebook:

HEADLINE: DirecTV returns to the table after Weather Channel promises to scale back on the reality shows and use split feeds.

Split feeds as feeding directv the alt / severe weather feed all the time?

Weather scan? Maybe even some kind of Weather scan national? Maybe even in HD?

[HulkieD]

HEADLINE: DirecTV returns to the table after Weather Channel promises to scale back on the reality shows and use split feeds.

Even though it's speculation, from what I'm seeing the scaling back on the reality shows part might be right.  Just getting rid of the afternoon block and running straight from 4am to 8pm is on the right track.  There needs to be some weather presence during primetime, though, and at least a 5pm to 8pm block on weekends.  (At least do a national Weather All The Time feed that runs during long form).

If there's anything to this, it tells me that someone higher up the food chain - I'm thinking 30 Rock or even 1 Comcast Center here - took notice.

Unlike most of you guys, I actually like Comcast and NBCUniversal.  Probably because Comcast is, well, the largest company located in the city.  Say what you will about Comcast, they're well managed and they've done a good job turning around a lot of the things they got wrong under General Electric.  Since they bought NBCU in 2011, my local NBC O&O, WCAU, has experienced a remarkable increase in quality.  This past week they announced that WCAU and newly-acquired WWSI will be moving downtown to a brand new studio in a new skyscraper that will be built right next door to the current corporate headquarters.

When they're engaged, they show a willingness to change things around, even at great expense.  They scrapped a completed studio essentially because it sucked, they revived and reinvested in their local stations, they planned a total rebrand of one of their networks and then switched the network it was replacing at the last hour, and even the NBC network is doing a bit better.  (A bit.)

I think that, if they realize something is wrong at The Weather Channel - and let's be honest, something is wrong - they'll move, at least in part, to fix it.

[gt1racerlHDl]

for those who don't remember what the Dual Feeds look like here's one from 2010 courtesy cc17926

TWC Dual-Feed - Local Flooding - 3/13/2010

[GEAUXmedic]

dual feed sucks, I like watching when there's severe weather in other areas, rather than be stuck watching longform.

[jrhtwc]

Just looked on zap2it, and it looks like TWC is going back to their schedule before WATT on Monday Jan 27th. Hopefully that happens.

[Trevor]

Well, Storm Stories wasn't that bad. At least it was weather related.

Off topic, but that outbreak featured in that SS episode is what got me into weather.

[IceManNYR]

Got a confirmation that TWC is staying live 4am-8pm from Kelly on FB.

"Kelly Cass, yes we are live throughout the day all next week!"

[WeatherSTARIII]

I still think they should show the severe weather coverage nationally even outside of the affected area (especially for legacy STARs that are in the affected area as well as both DirecTV and Dish subscribers that are in the affected area). Because neither DirecTV nor Dish cannot beam a localized IntelliStar/IntelliStar 2 (including localized commercials and EAS messages like on most cable systems), both satellite providers would to have launch separate beams for each one of the 200 or so media markets nationwide. Think of it like the local broadcast channels and network television affiliates that both satellite providers carry (such as your local ABC, CBS, CW, Fox, NBC, PBS, etc.). That would of cost both providers millions or even billions of dollars to launch and both satellite providers doesn't even have the room to put all of that bandwidth in outer space. That's the only thing I miss from cable.

Personally, if it wasn't Comca$h's refusal to carry some of my favorite channels that they don't carry (especially when it comes to the availability of HD channels that they don't carry if they only have it in SD, I still would of been a cable subscriber. Besides, my local Comca$h system didn't even get TWC HD until around 2011 or so, DirecTV was way ahead of them.

Also, even in the severe weather affected area, your DirecTV or Dish satellite would suffer from "rain fade" anyway. Usually when there are thunderstorms, heavy downpours, or even wet heavy snow that can lose the signal. HD feeds of the same channel (including TWC) are more sensitive to "rain fade" than their SD duplicates (unless if it’s severe weather).

Even cable companies sometimes loose its signal too, but rarely in severe weather. My local Comca$h system is neglected anyway.

[WeatherWitness]

I know the dual-feed is at least a step in the right direction, but I wish they wouldn't use it.  I would much rather watch what the latest is on hazardous weather in some other part of the country then watch Highway Through Hell or some other stupid crap.

Hopefully the return on WCL in the evening hours on weekdays, as well as more coverage on weekends, will be a permanent change.  The WATT schedule was just crappy.

[Localonthe8s]

I don't care if TWC has longform but the amount they have currently is ridiculous. Hopefully the pre WATT schedule with WCL on at 4pm and 7pm (weekends) and 10pm,1am (daily) will resume. Wish they could change the music too. I can't be the only one who is tired of the same two songs playing on the LF

[WeatherSTARIII]

I know the dual-feed is at least a step in the right direction, but I wish they wouldn't use it.  I would much rather watch what the latest is on hazardous weather in some other part of the country then watch Highway Through Hell or some other stupid crap.

Hopefully the return on WCL in the evening hours on weekdays, as well as more coverage on weekends, will be a permanent change.  The WATT schedule was just crappy.

I agree with you on that. If it wasn't for the IntelliStar/IntelliStar 2, we wouldn't have to deal with that reality show garbage (especially for satellite subscribers and legacy STAR models). That's what previously made TWC useful. I too have always been interested in what part of the country is getting severe weather. I also love to look at maps a lot too. As for the current music, I also agree that the same promo music being played over and over again gets really annoying. At least it beats watching Honey Boo-Boo or any other crappy reality show.

[twcclassics]

Wish they could change the music too. I can't be the only one who is tired of the same two songs playing on the LF

I got tired of hearing the song in videos. I can't imagine what it would be like to actually watch TWC and hear that for hours on end!