They've ruined the Weather Channel

[happygirl]

I like some of the specials like a lot of the tornado specials, and when weather changed history

 

[donaldduck352]

I like some of the specials like a lot of the tornado specials, and when weather changed history

I do to.As long as they show the local on the 8's Im happy.

 

[bicker]

which depending on your provider means an additional cost to get that tier, to receive those channels.

Absolutely... the more profitable channels generally go on the lower tiers -- the less profitable channels generally go on the higher tiers... until you get the premium tiers... those are pretty darned profitable as well.

 

[crazelion]

I know what mean. I miss actually weather on the weather channel. If want the news cut on one news channels.

 

[Angelhalo]

OP I totally agree. I HATE that they show news in the morning now. I specifically watch the weather channel so that I DON'T have to start my morning with a bunch of bad news, politics etc etc. I like to read up on that later in the day. I just want the freakin weather and nothing but the weather!

 

[Shutterbug]

I dont watch weather channel in the morning because the local news station weather girl love is waaaaay cuter than al roker.

 

[Rora]

My mother loves the weather channel-- she secretly wants to be a weather girl! However, I cannot stand it. Now I just check the weather online before I go.

I miss the old weather channel!

 

[minnie1012]

Remember, when all these channels were showing the programming they were supposed to and the point of paying for cable was because there were no commercials. Now we have them too and pay a small fortune for cable : )

 

[Flight]

I was a huge Weather Channel fan. I would have it on all the time in the house.

Now, I will quickly check the weather, then turn it off as fast as I can.

 

[JerseyJanice]

I dont watch weather channel in the morning because the local news station weather girl love is waaaaay cuter than al roker.

I'd estimate 90% of the U.S. population is waaay cuter than Al Roker. Seriously, of all the weather people on TV, they give him his own show on the Weather Channel? I don't see or hear one thing about him that's appealing.

 

[Micca]

Here's a guess...The audience for TWC as we knew it will dwindle due to the availability of weather on-line, specifically on phones. Why spend even a few minutes planted in front of your tv for the weather when in seconds you can click to get the data you need while on the go?

So if I'm running NBC/Universal/Comcast, I have a channel that potentially could provide programming that would draw a much larger audience that will watch for more than 5 minutes and command much higher ad rates. I believe this is what happened to MTV. Actual programs are much more profitable than random music video clips which can be found on-line.

This isn't to say that Al Roker, old movies, etc are what there is demand for on TWC, but you have to start somewhere.

 

[NC State]

MTE! They are turning into MTV and VH1 which are no longer music channels.

I agree, bring back the origianl CMT!

 

[bicker]

So if I'm running NBC/Universal/Comcast, I have a channel that potentially could provide programming that would draw a much larger audience that will watch for more than 5 minutes and command much higher ad rates. I believe this is what happened to MTV. Actual programs are much more profitable than random music video clips which can be found on-line.

Absolutely: So much is going to be changing over the next few years, in reaction to how we viewers are changing -- just like how things have changed over the last few years, in reaction to how we viewers have changed. I can tell you that even as an itty-bitty stockholder in a lot of the companies that bring us television, Internet access, and/or telephone service, I'm pretty disappointed by the performance of some of them, and as I get closer to retirement, I going to be getting a heck of a lot more punitive against those companies that fail to provide those healthy returns that I could get from other investments.

 

[Took]

Absolutely: So much is going to be changing over the next few years, in reaction to how we viewers are changing -- just like how things have changed over the last few years, in reaction to how we viewers have changed. I can tell you that even as an itty-bitty stockholder in a lot of the companies that bring us television, Internet access, and/or telephone service, I'm pretty disappointed by the performance of some of them, and as I get closer to retirement, I going to be getting a heck of a lot more punitive against those companies that fail to provide those healthy returns that I could get from other investments.

Bicker, I agree with your assesment about stockholder input. I also agree about media's changing "face" for the most part, but will point out that it's not really overall popularity that drives these decisions. Example: when Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman was cancelled years ago, it was one of the top ten most popular t.v. series. It was cancelled, in part, because the network wanted to target a younger audience and this show didn't draw that audience (just a very large adult audience). The same kind of thinking drives many media decisions. If the "target audience" (that is, the audience whose presence the advertisers most want) doesn't watch something, it really doesn't matter if lots of other non-targetted groups do watch it.

The bottom line is that stockholders want profits, profits in the media come from advertising. If advertisers believe that t.v. weather doesn't help them sell their products, then TWC is forced to change its programming.

 

[wdwfan16]

It is now the Non-Weather channel. Thanks NBC!!!!!

 

[Planogirl]

I like some of their shows personally. Also, the little interactive weather thing pops up quickly so I can always check the forecast no matter what's on.

 

[bicker]

Bicker, I agree with your assesment about stockholder input. I also agree about media's changing "face" for the most part, but will point out that it's not really overall popularity that drives these decisions.

Without a doubt... I would never suggest that it was popularity. Hulu is immensely popular, but mostly because it is free. Tack a reasonable price-tag on it and it plummets in popularity, to be comparable with other distribution mechanisms which have a reasonable price-tag applied (i.e., Netflix, Amazon Unbox, DVDs, etc.) It all comes down to what we viewers are willing to provide more incentive for providers to provide for us.

If the "target audience" (that is, the audience whose presence the advertisers most want) doesn't watch something, it really doesn't matter if lots of other non-targetted groups do watch it.

Think about what makes an audience the "target". The marketplace isn't a one-viewer-one-vote democracy... it is a one-dollar-one-vote democracy.

 

[bicker]

Since many of us don't actually watch the Weather Channel, it might be useful to overview what the programming the channel presents actually includes:

• Full Force Nature
  This half-hour series delivers the visually stunning weather clips viewers just can't get enough of.
• It Could Happen Tomorrow
  "It Could Happen Tomorrow" will take you back to nature's fury of yesterday and take you into the future to examine what nature might have in store for tomorrow.
• Storm Stories
  Historical reviews of hurricanes and other tropical storms.
• Tornado Road
  Each week, three teams of storm chasers will follow a tornado on its path of destruction, all in the hopes of dissecting the power and force behind these amazing storms.
• When Weather Changed History
  When Weather Changed History uncovers how weather has impacted historical events.

So all the programs are about weather.

The network is not named "The Weather Forecast Channel", so concerns about the name of the channel are not really even on target, even if you did believe that the name of a channel meant that the channel was in some way prohibited from presenting anything other than what would be described by the name.

 

[Planogirl]

I think that some of those shows can be interesting. Plus they still do the weather on the 8's don't they?

 

[bicker]

I suspect they suspend Local on the 8s during their featured programming -- otherwise, I'd be a bit confused about the depth of the concerns with the network expressed in this thread.