Change at TWC

[MatthewCarman]

The only people that would watch a truly dedicated weather Chanel are people like us who have an interest in the weather. Most people I know could care less and don't even check the forecasts. So how many viewers would a true weather station get? Maybe a couple thousand weather enthusiasts and chasers but that won't be enough to keep the station running. I could be wrong though.

 

[Mike Hollingshead]

The only people that would watch a truly dedicated weather Chanel are people like us who have an interest in the weather. Most people I know could care less and don't even check the forecasts. So how many viewers would a true weather station get? Maybe a couple thousand weather enthusiasts and chasers but that won't be enough to keep the station running. I could be wrong though.

Travelers. About every motel and truck stop has a tv running The Weather Channel in the waiting areas. It also seems to be a popular channel in the rooms themselves. Pretty big market right there that is always there. At least until Joe vs the Volcano is showing for a couple hours. Not sure whose market that is lol.

 

[cdcollura]

Good day all,

Why won't they just have a "storm chasing" channel?

 

[Nathan Withrow]

Even though you have all the info you can possibly ever want on the internet these days, I think I'd still actually watch TWC if it were like the "old" days. Like I've said in previous TWC threads, it'd be nice if a new channel was launched by a new company. With TWC continuing to go downhill, I think it's gonna happen eventually. Think of all the worthless channels on TV today, yet there's really only one cable channel that is dedicated to weather. Even with the info widely available on the internet, people are lazy and would rather zone out in front of the TV and have it delivered to them. There's certainly a market for a truly dedicated 24 hour weather network.

Before I even seen this thread yesterday, on last Sunday I took it upon myself to contact SPC, NWS about what if. I told them maybe it was time to have another company to step up, and I even told them why not them. Why not have the SPC have a channel for weather since TWC is on a downfall. You know bring that public weather awareness back into the subject. I told them about my frustration with how TWC was showing shows, and movies now, and that sometimes there has been severe weather not covered when it needed to be. They told me back in the 80's they had a public weather show on PBS, but TWC kind of took over, so they decided to just stick with what was possible for them. As you know they are the real weather authority, and their site NWS, and SPC has been great. I do not see them launching a weather channel though the way they were talking. I wish they did, because I think they should be the ones in charge of any weather channel out there.

But with that said this thread is suppose to be about Dr. Steve Lyons and who has replaced him at TWC. So I did not mean to get off topic.

 

[rdale]

It would violate the separation of government and private sector if they were to do so. And WAY outside of their authority.

In any case, search the archives here as nothing in this thread about a new weather channel hasn't been discussed already. One extensive thread was all about a new channel that was all ready to launch with many cable customers back in 2007.

Oops

 

[Robert Dewey]

It would violate the separation of government and private sector if they were to do so. And WAY outside of their authority.

In any case, search the archives here as nothing in this thread about a new weather channel hasn't been discussed already. One extensive thread was all about a new channel that was all ready to launch with many cable customers back in 2007.

Oops

It would really suck if real-life conversations were like the ones here on this forum.

John Doe: [flips on TWC] Hey Rob - wouldn't it be nice if TWC had actual weather-related programming?

Rob Dale: [rolls eyes] We discussed this extensively over three years ago. Next time, please rewind your Dictaphone and check for previous conversations.

 

[rdale]

It would really suck if real-life conversations were like the ones here on this forum.

Tell me about it. My next suggestion for ST is a "search" function.



Only made more amusing by the fact that the movies on TWC thread got about 10 pages of posts when it was first announced...

 

[Mike Hollingshead]

Tell me about it. My next suggestion for ST is a "search" function.



Only made more amusing by the fact that the movies on TWC thread got about 10 pages of posts when it was first announced...

I wonder if they'll start airing JACKASS episodes. I might watch then.

 

[Danny Neal]

I wonder if they'll start airing JACKASS episodes. I might watch then.

I thought Storm Chasers was on Discovery though..... I keed I keed.

 

[rdale]

Respect the abominator.

 

[Jeff Passner]

The next thing we'll see is forecasts for Obama's flights.... They have deviated so far from the original purpose that they have lost almost all their loyal viewers.... VORTEX might get some interest and so will the hurricanes but it's over if you actually like meteorology.

 

[IAN GIAMMANCO]

Back to a comment from Rich H., I didn't realize he was at NHC in the past. I knew he was a prof somewhere, I know he was adjunct for a while at Texas A&M. I recall at a few recent AMS tropical conferences he had made some comments about not being thrilled with the current direction of NHC. Not sure what that meant, but going to San Angelo WFO is an odd office to get back into the NWS. There have been some rumors floating around the community about any new specialists would have to come from within TAFB or a local WFO. Anyway, interesting change of scenery there.

 

[Josh Morgerman]

Cantore needs to rethink his storm stories thing--they are all the same-Jim talking tense, then the stock videos and then the stuff flying around and the shaking camera superimposed--B O R I N G

Agreed. I find TWC documentaries on historic tornadoes and hurricanes completely unwatchable. Tornado and hurricane footage is so inherently dramatic, it doesn't need any help or dramatic "enhancements"-- and yet they seem compelled to show shaking still photographs and the cheapest special effects in place of actual footage-- with excessive helpings of the "human interest" angle and teary-eyed discussion of lost pets.

Their live coverage of tropical-cyclone landfalls is also lame-- someone standing in a rain slicker pretending to be knocked down by 40-kt gusts. Lots of manufactured drama-- and very little actual info of any use.

I don't even bother with them, anymore.

 

[Joe Dorn]

The weather channel has gone useless which was probably one of the motivating reasons for Steve Lyons moving to San Angelo. (Our gain since many of our systems come from that direction.)

Friday night I decided to take a nap in anticipation of a long night and did a quick check of TWC before doze time... Some kind of 'who cares' 'Flick' was running while severe weather was crossing Texas...

Saturday night The South is being battered by the same system a day later and the fifty-first rerun of one of TWC 'classics' was in progress...

I don't even bother surfing TWC while Al Roker and friends deliver the latest non-weather news and global warming update in the morning slots...

The affirmative action types replacing some damn good OCM's is another PO.

RIP TWC

Thanks NBC...

 

[Jordan Bell]

Couple of points i would like to hit on:

1. Yes the weather channel has deviated off course in the past 10 years or so. They may have had to make changes in order to keep selling ads that bring in revenue.

2. I was watching them yesterday and actually thought they did pretty decent coverage of the outbreak during the day. I was impressed that Storm Master G was using and explaining velocities on GR2A. I also like their Breaking News banner at the bottom showing reports and damage information. Only problem was there were too many commericals and then during the later half the evening they were not on live.

I only watch the Weather Channel during hurricanes and I may now more during severe weather but that a big may.