ABC Affiliates Challenge Weather Channel
Sep. 9–STATE COLLEGE — It will be all AccuWeather, all the time in several TV markets across the country, as the company launches digital weather channels on ABC stations from New York to Los Angeles.
The 10 new channels will compete with the Atlanta-based Weather Channel.
“ABC’s owned television stations have all chosen AccuWeather because of our ability to provide highly customizable and locally branded weather,” said Joel Myers, AccuWeather founder and president.
All the channels should be in place by year’s end. They will offer on-air broadcasts by AccuWeather staff and forecast and radar information 24 hours a day, seven days a week. National, regional and local news also will be part of the coverage.
“This is a natural addition to the growing roster of digital channels our stations offer in all 10 markets,” said Walter Liss, president of the ABC Owned Television Stations Group.
Six of the ABC channels are in the nation’s top markets, including New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, San Francisco and Houston.
Channels will be station-branded for each local market and identified as being “powered by AccuWeather.com.”
“It is a major event for us. This significantly increases the exposure for AccuWeather in the television world and puts us in some of the largest markets,” said AccuWeather Vice President of Marketing Lee Rainey.
Unlike other stations, he said, the coverage will be relevant for the viewer. “It is local, all the time,” Rainey said. “There’s always local weather on the screen.”
The local focus is part of AccuWeather’s convergence solution, which allows for a uniform weather presentation across wireless, desktop, broadcast, Internet and digital media.
“We do a lot of on-air weather, but this is a major new initiative for us,” Rainey said. “It’s a real win for central Pennsylvania that our broadcasters will be on the air around the country.”
It also means the opportunity for growth, as AccuWeather accommodates continuous coverage.
“We certainly expect as this initiative expands there’s going to be some opportunities for people as well,” Rainey said.
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