Newsplex forecasts: 24-7 weather channel
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Not content with four channels– CBS, ABC, Fox and the nostalgia-based MyC’villeTV– the Gray Television-owned Newsplex plans to launch a 24-7 weather channel in mid-August.
The new channel “will mirror what you see on the Weather Channel with a lot more regional and local news,” says Roger Burchett, Newsplex general manager. National and international weather will cover hot spots favored by traveling Charlottesvillians, like New York, London, and even Atlanta, where Gray Television is headquartered.
Burchett promises frequent local weather on the twos or on the fours– the exact intervals TBD– but there will be catchy slogans to help remember when to catch local weather.
Officially named the CBS19 News Weather Authority, the new channel will have local news updates and constant crawls with news and sports.
Burchett doesn’t know what number the new station will occupy, but he says it will go out digitally and on cable.
A 24-hour weather station seems pretty ambitious for a lowly number 182 market, but according to Burchett, “Gray Television set the tone. Gray already has eight stations that do 24-7 weather. It’s new ground for this region and market size. For a small market, it’s a pretty big pop.”
So with 24 hours of weather to fill, does that mean meteorologists suddenly will be in high demand? The Newsplex already has four, and could hire another, says Burchett, but will also use AccuWeather talent for national and international weather.
What about the snappy jazz that the Weather Channel favors– will the CBS19 News Weather Authority have a similar groove?
“I don’t know,” says Burchett. “It could be local bands. We’ll take a look.”
And this weather channel– the fifth Gray channel here– isn’t the last new channel we’ll be seeing. “We’re about halfway where we’re going to be in two years,” says Burchett.
Holy Toledo. What could possibly be added for our viewing pleasure that we already don’t watch on cable and satellite? Burchett lists a Spanish-speaking station, a 24-hour entertainment station, music stations, and financial news networks.
Get those TiVos ready.
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So does the weather really change so often that we need that much info about it? Yeesh. How about modernizing and broadcasting in HD. That seems like a far more productive thing to do…
Broadcasting in HD? You mean stations actually can do that now? Who knew.
[...] Gray Television plans to launch a 24/7 weather channel in a few weeks, The Hook reports. Isn’t a weather channel kind of like the phone book — totally obsoleted by the internet? [...]
welcome to the world of digital multi-casting which degrades the quality of a HD broadcast.
Will the last one to give up at NBC29 please turnout the studio lights? There’s a new Sheriff in town!
[...] in town you would think I could come home and watch some local HDTV. Instead I can watch a 24/7 local weather station. I’ve always wanted to know the weather in Crozet as compared to that in Ivy. Definitely [...]
whoa outskirts
don’t be a hater
bring the postive vibes
The article mentions that the new station will cover news as well. Sounds a lot like the 24/7 local news/weather/traffic channel that’s part of the line up in Hampton Roads.
It’s funny that they mention the music on The Weather Channel. I’ve often wondered who is behind their selections because there’s a whole lot of Phish and Widespread Panic being played on that channel.
They do broadcast in HD. Where have you been?
Grab a mitt and get in the game, Mike D. Gray pumps a CBS/ABC/Fox HD feed to Comcast via fiber optic cable, but their over-the-air signals for each station are not broadcast in HD, which is pretty freakin’ lame in this day and age.
The weather channel already does a fine job of telling us what the weather is going to be like… and they already tell us that it’s 87 degrees in Charlottesville, and 88 degrees in Orange.
I would much rather see them spend money to broadcast an over-the-air HD signal. C’mon Newsplex, join us in the 21st Century!
I think NBC29 needs to hire a few more drunks. That’s better than HD in my opinion!
date: aug. 17
Isn’t this mid august…
[...] location of the new local weather TV station has been revealed; it can be found at Comcast cable channel 202 and digital channel 19.2. Offering [...]