NBC Universal Shutting Down Weather Plus

[jcaldwell]

Perhaps good news if the local affiliates reclaim bandwidth for their HD channel:

http://www.broadcastingcable.com/index.asp?layout=talkbackCommentsFull&talk_back_header_id=6560178&articleid=ca6602781.

[kw2957]

That's ashame... I really liked Weather Plus.

[Kansas Zephyr]

NBC just bought The Weather Channel.

Look for Wx+ to possibly be replaced, rather than eliminated.

[davring]

I expected something was in the fire after NBC's purchase. I enjoyed that weather plus as well.

[n3ntj]

I liked to be able to view the local radar without having to go on my computer. I hope NBC will introduce something new to the -2 subchannels similar to this after TWC acquisition.

[Stewart Vernon]

I liked it as well.. but in my local market we have two choices. We have the NBC Weather+ on the NBC sub-channel... and we have a local weather channel on our FOX station that is ran by our local affiliate WRAL and they do a great job with weather.

Since I have duplication, I would prefer having more bandwidth on the NBC... The FOX is running 720p and can better handle the extra subchannel for weather than NBC can at 1080i.

[Grentz]

Well this really stinks...Weather + is the only decent all the time weather station I get. TWC stinks even with the new on the 8s in SD as it is not all the time (still have to wait).

I loved being able tune to the Weather + channel and see the weather quickly...

[brant]

i really like Weather+ as well, and hope its not completely eliminated. Hopefully they'll just rename it as a local TWC. Maybe we should e-mail our local stations?

[Kansas Zephyr]

Along with The Weather Channel purchase came WSI, a weather company that makes the software used for broadcast weather presentation, and data.

NBC Weather+ uses equipment from Weather Central, a WSI competitor.

It will be interesting to see if NBC will reimburse their affiliates that purchased WxCentral hardware, and install WSI.

So, it will take more than simple re-branding of the product.

This will be interesting to watch.

[sswheeler]

That was a quick kill

[boba]

No loss my market has 3 other weather channels as subcarriers.

[VegasDen]

I noticed (I don;t have an OTA antenna) that our NBC affiliate has been running promotions for "Universal Sports" on the same subchannel that the weather is/was being broadcast. So it appears the bandwidth "sharing" will continue.

[dennispap]

NBC Launches Sports Network
The channel will replace Weather Plus.
By Swanni

Washington, D.C. (October 14, 2008) -- NBC Universal is offering a 24-hour sports network to its affiliate and network-owned stations as a replacement for its Weather Plus operation.

That's according to an article by TV Week.

The network this month axed Weather Plus, its four-year partnership with local stations that offered local and national weather on their digital stations. NBC Universal announced that Weather Plus would be phased out by year's end.

According to TV Week, some NBC stations have already begun airing the 24-hour sports network in its spot. Called Universal Sports, the channel will provide more than 2,400 hours of live programming a year in addition to 5,000 hours of past highlights.

The channel, which will emphasize Olympic favorites such as skiing, track and field and gymnastics, will begin airing the World Cup Ski Season from October through March, TV Week reports.

http://www.tvpredictions.com/nbc101408.htm

[brant]

i've still got Wx+; i guess pulling the station off-air was optional?

[n3ntj]

I'd rather have a local weather channel (like Wx Plus) than a crappy sports channel. For sports, I watch ESPN, Vs, Golf, and the RSNs.

[brant]

I'd rather have a local weather channel (like Wx Plus) than a crappy sports channel. For sports, I watch ESPN, Vs, Golf, and the RSNs.


yes, i think more americans share an interest in the weather than they do in "olympic favorites such as skiing, track and field and gymnastics."

[paja]

When I had Primestar, before they were taken over and made a part of DirecTV, they had a set of channels called Intellicast which broadcast radar for all parts of the country 24/7.

[n3ntj]

I can wait another 4 years to get my fix for badmitton, synchronized diving, handball (was more like dodge ball), etc. Give me my local weather.. (and no, I have SD duplicates turned off, so having to turn on SD channels just to get my local wx on 362 isn't gonna work).

[davring]

I can wait another 4 years to get my fix for badmitton, synchronized diving, handball (was more like dodge ball), etc. Give me my local weather.. (and no, I have SD duplicates turned off, so having to turn on SD channels just to get my local wx on 362 isn't gonna work).

I cured the SD on/off problem a long time ago, I created a favorites list excluding all the SD duplicates but the ones I chose to keep. Didn't really take that long to do.

[Grentz]

yay, more sports :rolleyes:

What are they thinking?

[n3ntj]

I cured the SD on/off problem a long time ago, I created a favorites list excluding all the SD duplicates but the ones I chose to keep. Didn't really take that long to do.

Good idea..

[Steve Mehs]

Weather.com. Problem solved. It would be nice if all digital subchannels went bye bye.

[ziggy29]

Weather.com. Problem solved. It would be nice if all digital subchannels went bye bye.

I think that kind of depends on the programming being shown on the main (presumably HD) channel. Fast action (such as sports) generally needs to have higher bandwidth and really, it would be nice if the subchannels were turned off for that kind of programming. But other types of programming don't really need that much bandwidth to get a great picture, and at those times they could use the subchannels.

Seems to me like that would be a reasonable compromise between people who want more OTA programming choices and the "picture connoiseurs" who only want the best HD picture possible and don't care about losing other programming options.

[HDTVFreak07]

Here in Watertown, NY, we do not have NBC. No NBC, no weather plus but when I'm at my summer residence that is considered Watertown area (15 miles west-northwest of here), I have been able to receive Syracuse, NY's NBC station with weather plus. That station includes the central part of NY from Cortland, NY all the way up to Watertown, NY. I just wish I could receive it OTA here in Watertown, NY. :-( :mad: