Post by atlnewsfan03 on Oct 10, 2008 0:40:41 GMT -3
NBC-Universal (or NBCU) has made the decision to discontinue Weather Plus by December 31st. Many NBC affiliates, including 11Alive that are currently carrying the digital only all-weahter channel are affected.
Story from Broadcasting & Cable... www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6602781.html?industryid=47169
Story from TV Week... www.tvweek.com/news/2008/10/nbc_shutting_down_weather_plus.php
The decision to discontinue Weather Plus comes 3 months following the acquisition of The Weather Channel, a cable network based here in Atlanta. NBCU has also received a lot of attention in recent months, with the move to sell ownership of NBC O&O stations in Miami (WTVJ) and Hartford-New Haven (WVIT). NBC is in an attempt to collect money to cover budget misses, due in part to the peacock networks mediocre performance. Mid July, Post-Newsweek won the bid to acquire WTVJ, a pending sale that's been getting a lot of attention. Late September, NBC quietly and temporarily pulled WVIT off the market, amids the struggling economy.
As for NBC affiliates losing the Weather Plus service. Some may opt for a local all-weather or all-news channel, or The Accu-Weather Channel (which competed with NBC Weather Plus)... while some may opt for RTN (Retro Television Network)... some may also opt for LATV (a bilingual music and entertainment network). No word yet on what WXIA 11Alive may be planning post-Weather Plus.
Story from Broadcasting & Cable... www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6602781.html?industryid=47169
Story from TV Week... www.tvweek.com/news/2008/10/nbc_shutting_down_weather_plus.php
The decision to discontinue Weather Plus comes 3 months following the acquisition of The Weather Channel, a cable network based here in Atlanta. NBCU has also received a lot of attention in recent months, with the move to sell ownership of NBC O&O stations in Miami (WTVJ) and Hartford-New Haven (WVIT). NBC is in an attempt to collect money to cover budget misses, due in part to the peacock networks mediocre performance. Mid July, Post-Newsweek won the bid to acquire WTVJ, a pending sale that's been getting a lot of attention. Late September, NBC quietly and temporarily pulled WVIT off the market, amids the struggling economy.
As for NBC affiliates losing the Weather Plus service. Some may opt for a local all-weather or all-news channel, or The Accu-Weather Channel (which competed with NBC Weather Plus)... while some may opt for RTN (Retro Television Network)... some may also opt for LATV (a bilingual music and entertainment network). No word yet on what WXIA 11Alive may be planning post-Weather Plus.