Comments on: Is your meteorologist off the mark? http://www.lostremote.com/2007/05/29/is-your-meteorologist-off-the-mark/ Where TV Finds the Future Tue, 07 Oct 2008 00:09:03 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: mike jones http://www.lostremote.com/2007/05/29/is-your-meteorologist-off-the-mark/#comment-335824 mike jones Thu, 31 May 2007 02:06:36 +0000 http://www.lostremote.com/2007/05/29/is-your-meteorologist-off-the-mark/#comment-335824 The biggest change that stations need to make is to invest more in weather on the web -- where people want forecasts to their zip code -- and stop paying the millions to a chief met that makes (or has a weather prodcer make) one forecast for a 200 square mile region. The golden age is over for high salaried mets... Localization will equal wins in this game, not personality. The biggest change that stations need to make is to invest more in weather on the web — where people want forecasts to their zip code — and stop paying the millions to a chief met that makes (or has a weather prodcer make) one forecast for a 200 square mile region.

The golden age is over for high salaried mets… Localization will equal wins in this game, not personality.

]]> By: Vic http://www.lostremote.com/2007/05/29/is-your-meteorologist-off-the-mark/#comment-335193 Vic Wed, 30 May 2007 16:56:02 +0000 http://www.lostremote.com/2007/05/29/is-your-meteorologist-off-the-mark/#comment-335193 I believe the biggest challenge for broadcasters is that they treat the entire market the same. Their are only a handful of forecasts that can be produced given the staff they have. In order to provide truly personalized weather with thousands of forecasts, you need automation and forecast models. This goes agains the grain of a TV Met who produces a forecast. They simply can not micro-forecast thousands of locations. People want and expect more personalized weather for their home, work or school. Broadcasters are going to have to rethink how they provide weather on the web. The web is not a TV. I believe the biggest challenge for broadcasters is that they treat the entire market the same. Their are only a handful of forecasts that can be produced given the staff they have. In order to provide truly personalized weather with thousands of forecasts, you need automation and forecast models. This goes agains the grain of a TV Met who produces a forecast. They simply can not micro-forecast thousands of locations. People want and expect more personalized weather for their home, work or school. Broadcasters are going to have to rethink how they provide weather on the web. The web is not a TV.

]]> By: Everett W. http://www.lostremote.com/2007/05/29/is-your-meteorologist-off-the-mark/#comment-335177 Everett W. Wed, 30 May 2007 16:21:55 +0000 http://www.lostremote.com/2007/05/29/is-your-meteorologist-off-the-mark/#comment-335177 All weather forecasts do NOT come from NOAA. Much of the weather data and computer forecast model info may come from NOAA but trained meteorologists can and do make their own forecasts. All weather forecasts do NOT come from NOAA. Much of the weather data and computer forecast model info may come from NOAA but trained meteorologists can and do make their own forecasts.

]]> By: Echy http://www.lostremote.com/2007/05/29/is-your-meteorologist-off-the-mark/#comment-334959 Echy Wed, 30 May 2007 11:30:12 +0000 http://www.lostremote.com/2007/05/29/is-your-meteorologist-off-the-mark/#comment-334959 All weather forecasts come from NOAA. You can spin it anyway you want but it won't make me watch the local TV news. All weather forecasts come from NOAA. You can spin it anyway you want but it won’t make me watch the local TV news.

]]> By: thedetroitchannel http://www.lostremote.com/2007/05/29/is-your-meteorologist-off-the-mark/#comment-334197 thedetroitchannel Tue, 29 May 2007 20:38:22 +0000 http://www.lostremote.com/2007/05/29/is-your-meteorologist-off-the-mark/#comment-334197 yes charles, thegrandrapidschannel(dot)com also does a great job with its weather efforts too. try it sometime. yes charles, thegrandrapidschannel(dot)com also does a great job with its weather efforts too.

try it sometime.

]]> By: Charles http://www.lostremote.com/2007/05/29/is-your-meteorologist-off-the-mark/#comment-334154 Charles Tue, 29 May 2007 19:43:08 +0000 http://www.lostremote.com/2007/05/29/is-your-meteorologist-off-the-mark/#comment-334154 Weather HAS to be the most-watched aspect for GM's everywhere, considering it's the #1 reason people watch local news. The "big wig" in my market, WOOD TV8, updates their video forecast a few times throughout the day, has multiple radar/satellite feeds avaliable, not to mention lots of the meterologist have blogs. (One blog in particular, "Bill's Blog," is used by the online community to give storm reports whenever there's something big happening.) They may not be right always, but they are t pro-active in staying on (ahead of?) the curve. On a bit of a side note, I do feel bad for meterologist who aren't working in a Great Lakes state... At least here in West Michigan, we see storm systems weakened or strenghtened by Lake Michigan - and it's kind of hard to tell when either will happen. (Not to mention lake-effect snow in the winter!) It's a very tough state to forecast for, and in the office they can just blame it on the lakes if they wanted to. You can't do that in Nebraska! Weather HAS to be the most-watched aspect for GM’s everywhere, considering it’s the #1 reason people watch local news. The “big wig” in my market, WOOD TV8, updates their video forecast a few times throughout the day, has multiple radar/satellite feeds avaliable, not to mention lots of the meterologist have blogs. (One blog in particular, “Bill’s Blog,” is used by the online community to give storm reports whenever there’s something big happening.)

They may not be right always, but they are t pro-active in staying on (ahead of?) the curve.

On a bit of a side note, I do feel bad for meterologist who aren’t working in a Great Lakes state… At least here in West Michigan, we see storm systems weakened or strenghtened by Lake Michigan - and it’s kind of hard to tell when either will happen. (Not to mention lake-effect snow in the winter!) It’s a very tough state to forecast for, and in the office they can just blame it on the lakes if they wanted to. You can’t do that in Nebraska!

]]> By: thedetroitchannel http://www.lostremote.com/2007/05/29/is-your-meteorologist-off-the-mark/#comment-333986 thedetroitchannel Tue, 29 May 2007 16:26:56 +0000 http://www.lostremote.com/2007/05/29/is-your-meteorologist-off-the-mark/#comment-333986 i'll give some credit where it's due, but why on earth do you need google? i’ll give some credit where it’s due, but why on earth do you need google?

]]> By: discreet_chaos http://www.lostremote.com/2007/05/29/is-your-meteorologist-off-the-mark/#comment-333978 discreet_chaos Tue, 29 May 2007 16:07:22 +0000 http://www.lostremote.com/2007/05/29/is-your-meteorologist-off-the-mark/#comment-333978 If you put weather followed by the zip or city name, both of the major portals will bring-up a forecast. Of course, back to my "big state" argument: The forecast is for one of the official stations and they're about 80 miles in either direction, so I generally use my local television's site for short-range forecasts because they tailor it more to my location. (Generally, there's about ten degrees difference between the two official stations and out west, the mountains, canyons and elevation have a lot to do with precip) But, hey, I will agree that some television do need to work on their delivery. In my market, there's one station that records a video forecast with their morning guy and it remains unchanged until the following morning. Generally, the video becomes useless before lunch and I'm back to accuweather for their radar. If you put weather followed by the zip or city name, both of the major portals will bring-up a forecast.

Of course, back to my “big state” argument: The forecast is for one of the official stations and they’re about 80 miles in either direction, so I generally use my local television’s site for short-range forecasts because they tailor it more to my location. (Generally, there’s about ten degrees difference between the two official stations and out west, the mountains, canyons and elevation have a lot to do with precip)

But, hey, I will agree that some television do need to work on their delivery. In my market, there’s one station that records a video forecast with their morning guy and it remains unchanged until the following morning. Generally, the video becomes useless before lunch and I’m back to accuweather for their radar.

]]> By: Steve Safran http://www.lostremote.com/2007/05/29/is-your-meteorologist-off-the-mark/#comment-333967 Steve Safran Tue, 29 May 2007 15:48:18 +0000 http://www.lostremote.com/2007/05/29/is-your-meteorologist-off-the-mark/#comment-333967 I suggest TV stations do this simple exercise: 1. Go to Google and enter their city name and the word "weather" 2. See that their TV station doesn't come up in the top listing 3. Enter their zip code and surrounding zip code and "weather" and see the same 4. Buy the keywords so you come up first You'll beat the competition in an instant. It's inexpensive marketing. BUT - and this is key - you have to deliver on the promise. You have to have a customizable product on your end. You have to have more than a regional forecast. I can go to Weather Underground and get forecasts from every neighborhood and conditions from each weather watcher's personal weather station. If you follow Cory's above web-based model, invest a little in the web-based Google ads marketing and you'll see instant returns. I suggest TV stations do this simple exercise:

1. Go to Google and enter their city name and the word “weather”

2. See that their TV station doesn’t come up in the top listing

3. Enter their zip code and surrounding zip code and “weather” and see the same

4. Buy the keywords so you come up first

You’ll beat the competition in an instant. It’s inexpensive marketing. BUT - and this is key - you have to deliver on the promise. You have to have a customizable product on your end. You have to have more than a regional forecast.

I can go to Weather Underground and get forecasts from every neighborhood and conditions from each weather watcher’s personal weather station.

If you follow Cory’s above web-based model, invest a little in the web-based Google ads marketing and you’ll see instant returns.

]]> By: emily http://www.lostremote.com/2007/05/29/is-your-meteorologist-off-the-mark/#comment-333948 emily Tue, 29 May 2007 15:18:58 +0000 http://www.lostremote.com/2007/05/29/is-your-meteorologist-off-the-mark/#comment-333948 Why bother relying on TV meteorologists for weather when they are basically para-phrasing what is on the NWS site just with more flashy graphics. Besides, with a properly setup backyard weather station and some software called WXsim, weather predictions can be done in the comfort of your own home. Why bother relying on TV meteorologists for weather when they are basically para-phrasing what is on the NWS site just with more flashy graphics.

Besides, with a properly setup backyard weather station and some software called WXsim, weather predictions can be done in the comfort of your own home.

]]>