Archive for the ‘Weather’ Category

Weather.com unveils new site in beta

The Weather Channel has launched a new beta version of Weather.com

The new site is cleaner than the previous and features larger maps and images. The site also does a good job of matching TWC’s new on air branding.

The site also does a better job of ad integration, unlike some competitors.

Too bad the designers of this site couldn’t help sister network MSNBC with its recent redesign.

WSI and Perceptive Pixel collaborate on multi-touch display wall

WSI has announced a collaboration with Perceptive Pixel, the creator of advanced multi-touch display systems.

WSI’s weather information, now integrated with Perceptive Pixel’s multi-touch displays, will enable broadcast meteorologists to use sophisticated and intuitive multi-touch gestures to control graphic presentations that further enhance realism, allowing them to take the story from national to neighborhood level instantly.

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Accuweather expands tropical and hurricane info

AccuWeather has announced expanded data and integrated forecast tools for its CinemaLive HD graphics system, including a comprehensive set of tropical data.

“Tropical storms and hurricanes are both a forecasting challenge for the locations affected and a nationwide news opportunity. We’ve architected the new data set to address both requirements,” stated Ryan Ayres, executive director of TV products and operations, in a statement.

“The new feed has readyto- air graphics and data to support in-depth hurricane news segments. And we have worked extensively with chief meteorologists in hurricane-prone areas to meet their needs for an exhaustive body of accurate data that could also be quickly and easily referenced and incorporated into their weather forecasts and broadcast segments.”

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NAB 2010: The surge of touch screen technology

As touch screen technology becomes more affordable, many local stations and national networks are increasing implementation of devices like Perceptive Pixel’s Multi-Touch Wall.

Now more than ever, talent can interact in new ways with data, stories and information. Sometimes this technology can be a little corny, but sometimes it can be a great addition to the story.

At NAB 2010, many creative service providers are rolling out new touch technology additions including Beat the Traffic, AccuWeather and others.

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AccuWeather to debut interactive touch controls at NAB 2010

AccuWeather, the weather display and content generation provider, will debut its new interactive touchscreen technology at NAB.

The technology, available as an upgrade to CinemaLive HD or as a stand-alone system, lets talent quickly zoom and switch between various elements to report breaking news and severe weather. This allows the talent to “compose and present the story as it unfolds in real time.”

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Philly station airing ‘big board’ promo

Philadelphia’s WPVI-TV has begun airing promos that highlight its “big board,” a touch-screen interactive monitor in the studio. Link to the promo video and more after the jump.

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WPIX-TV asks ‘WTF’

Via NYNewsWatch on YouTube, WPIX-TV has been running this new promo asking “What’s The Forcast?”

Weather Central adds Facebook, Twitter integration to product

Weather Central, one of the world’s largest weather graphics and data providers has announced that its 3D:LIVE offering will now include ways for forecasters to directly sends portions of their forecasts to social networking sites.

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Detroit station streaming live video from city snow plows

WDIV-TV, the Post-Newsweek station in Detroit, reached a deal earlier this year to equip 25 city snow plows with smartphones capable of broadcasting live video via Sprint 3G service and Streambox, reports Broadcasting & Cable.

“On big weather days, the question is always, ‘How do we show people what the conditions on the road are and what’s going on?’” says WDIV News Operations Manager Jeff Liebman. “Then we had an idea: Why don’t we show people what the inside of the county snowplows are looking at? They’re traveling on the roads themselves, and you’ve got to figure they’re pretty safe.”

Unfortunately, the setup hasn’t gotten much use this winter since Detroit has managed to avoid a heavy number of major storms. However, the idea is certainly interesting and worth considering for other types of coverage.

AccuWeather weatherman delivers dramatic ‘Snowpocalypse’ forecast

Pile of snow, spray paint takes place of weather map on CBS

Well, here’s an interesting alternative to a chroma key wall. CBS’s Dave Price used a snow drift and some colored spray paint to create a weather map Wednesday morning on “The Early Show.”

It was a little hard to make out the layout of the map, but I suppose you have to give him credit for creativity.

Expanding options could rain on TV news forecasts

There could be changes and challenges in the wind for a fixture of TV news — the weather forecast.

We’ve written before about WeatherNation, a company founded by a former Minneapolis forecaster to provide “outsourced” weather forecasts to television stations and now Broadcasting & Cable has featured the company in an article about the changing face of local TV weather.

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