Weatherscan Topic

[Mike M]

In a monumentally stupid decision, TWC seems to have disabled straight passthrough of NWS warnings to the unit. A severe thunderstorm warning was issued just west of here and the ticker just says "a severe thunderstorm warning has been issued for a portion of the viewing area. Remember if a severe thunderstorm threatens; take shelter indoors. Stay away from windows." The alert tone has been updated to match the IS2 while Cantore narrates the text. Why was this in any way necessary?

This is part of the new FCC regulation requiring emergency messages to be read out loud.

This creates an issue especially with weatherscans that serve large areas, because then locations are not mentioned in the warning messages.

[Evan2015]

Not sure if anyone's noticed but the TWC logo has been removed from Weatherscan.

[SO7430]

Yeah I've noticed it too. Either a TWC logo change/update is coming, weatherscan is going to be more focused on being separate from TWC or an update to weatherscan is coming, or a glitch. The latter of which I think it is.

[Mike M]

Not a glitch, but removing of old branding from what I've heard.

[Evan2015]

Not a glitch, but removing of old branding from what I've heard.

"Old branding" huh? What's old about it other than maybe the shading of the logo?

[alex979]

I'm putting my money on the missing logo being a glitch.... I'm 99% sure this has happened before.

[cc17926]

I can affirm that Mike is correct on the change in branding. Nothing beyond that though on the reasoning and the developing purpose.. Thoughts of my own are having to do with Local Now stuff..

[luesjo12]

I'm putting my money on the missing logo being a glitch.... I'm 99% sure this has happened before.

I think the glitch you're thinking about is when Weatherscan lost the whole background, including both the TWC and Weatherscan logos. Weatherscan is only missing the TWC logo right now.

[TheRolyPoly]

I feel like Weatherscan is getting for the worse. TWC logo gone, channel disappearing from top cable companies, still not upgrading to HD, no upgrade to IS2 either.

I have no idea as to how long Weatherscan will last.

[boyercam]

As far as what I can make out, I'm pretty sure Local Now is going to be the successor to weatherscan. It's a bit odd that after 3 years since the new HD graphics launch, they still haven't upgraded the graphics.

Does anyone know if Local Now is a Sling TV exclusive? Maybe TWC are going to push this to other providers eventually.

[TWCKelby]

With the release of the LocalNow app on Android and iOS, TWC is allowing people to sign in with their cable provider accounts to watch it.

[Evan2015]

At this rate, my general feeling is that Local Now is obviously the successor to the Weatherscan service but for at least the near future, they'll operate concurrently. Even up to last summer, TWC was still signing agreements with cable providers and co-ops that included a Weatherscan clause. The channel is pretty cheap, even with maintenance of 13 year old computers. The way I see it is pretty much in line with what someone around here said a few years ago. Weatherscan will continue, as is, no major changes until all the machines stop running or so few are in operation that TWC can't justify the cost anymore. Even with the migration to online weather information and Local Now, Weatherscan remains a very popular service when available to subscribers. I mean here, the channel gets numbers on par with ESPN, that also makes it a very enticing option for businesses who want to advertise.

So yes, the channel has to go off-air eventually, just not for a few more years at the least.

[Jonathon]

At this rate, my general feeling is that Local Now is obviously the successor to the Weatherscan service but for at least the near future, they'll operate concurrently. Even up to last summer, TWC was still signing agreements with cable providers and co-ops that included a Weatherscan clause. The channel is pretty cheap, even with maintenance of 13 year old computers. The way I see it is pretty much in line with what someone around here said a few years ago. Weatherscan will continue, as is, no major changes until all the machines stop running or so few are in operation that TWC can't justify the cost anymore. Even with the migration to online weather information and Local Now, Weatherscan remains a very popular service when available to subscribers. I mean here, the channel gets numbers on par with ESPN, that also makes it a very enticing option for businesses who want to advertise.

So yes, the channel has to go off-air eventually, just not for a few more years at the least.

This is what I wanted to post. You just phrased it a hell of a lot better.
The fact that it's still popular proves that there's still a demand for it. I just think TWC needs to advertise it for once, and maybe more cable providers would take up an interest in it (if it happens, which I doubt).

And I'm shocked that the ratings for it where you are rival ESPN. That's surprisingly good for a looping local forecast! Lol

EDIT: one more thing: if Local Now is weatherscan's replacement, then they should update the graphics to look more like the concept video instead of whatever they're doing with it now. I thought they wanted some sort of graphical continuity between everything?

[Mike M]

Even with the migration to online weather information and Local Now, Weatherscan remains a very popular service when available to subscribers. I mean here, the channel gets numbers on par with ESPN, that also makes it a very enticing option for businesses who want to advertise.

I think partly the reason why Weatherscan draws more viewers where you are is the fact that it is on a two digit channel, and included with your company's basic service. Where I live it's been exclusive to the premium digital tier on channel 101 since Weatherscan came to our neighborhood in 2001, so ratings had always been mediocre at best (a lot of people couldn't afford digital cable back then). Of course in the mobile age we are at now it's only gotten worse from there.

[Mike M]

Weatherscan now reads alerts on the weather bulletins (instead of just using the generic message). Video to come.