TVnewser talked to Geoffrey Darby, Executive VP of Programming for Weather Channel, about Al Roker’s new shtick on the channel. They asked Darby if NBC had plans to replace weather anchors/meteorologists at NBC-owned local stations and instead beam forecasts from Weather Channel HQ in Atlanta.
“We’re examining it. We have to figure it out,” Darby says. “We haven’t yet. But there is clearly the opportunity to do that. I can tell you we’re looking at that opportunity.”
NBC will probably replace local meteorologists with Microsoft Sam text-to-speech, or, dude from “Local on 8s” and have maps from NOAA WeatherUnderground.
I don’t think it’s a bad idea.
It’s not like these weather people are right all the time. In fact, for all the hoopla they like to toss around about their abilities, if they were doing straight news they would have been sued out of a career long ago for how often they are wrong.
It’s weather, not brain surgery. Stations could save lots of money with centralized weather. Even when stations use their promoted radar, what is going to happen where is just a guessing game. Even during severe weather. TV weather people are simply a drain on an already tight budget. It’s time to use those financial resources more wisely and allocate that money where it could be used to offer actual accurate information instead of over priced weather guessing by overpaid, over promoted people who aren’t much better than carnival barkers.
I don’t think that’s a great idea, ESPECIALLY here in Miami… Where A-weather is unpredictable. And, B-..it’s Miami! I mean, in a place where the weather is so screwed up, you need meteorologists. For hurricane coverage, cut-ins with new info, etc, etc. I personally think it’s a horrible idea… Great way to save money, b/c NBC is in the tank, but it’s a horrible idea.
And they probably wont do it, at least in the foreseeable future. The women TVNewser interviewed also said that NBC does this with radio stations, but commented that it would be hard to replace the “local” weather man. My theory is, that if they start it (which prob wont be for years) it will be a weekend thing, with at least someone on call who is local in the event of severe weather, which for us can be a daily occurrence.
Uhh NBC has no radio. not since 1986.
I think it’s obvious there has already been a reduction. A few years ago I think WTVJ had 6 on staff…now they are down to four. I’m guessing they’ll keep a few extras on hand in weather hot-spots-like South Florida–but I suspect they’ll prefer the Jim Cantore/Indiana Jones model for their on-air meteorologists.
We are beginning to see the demise of local news as we have known it. Half the stations have gotten rid of their Sunday Night Sports show. WPLG is down to one person doing sports. WTVJ has no sports person on the weekend anymore. I think ch 7 is the only one left with 3 sports anchors. Maybe they can teach parrots to read the news. And, its gonna get worse!
This makes sense from a financial perspective to me. There’s not much technologically that they can’t do from Atlanta that they can do in Miramar. As long as they have on-air meteorologists that are dedicated to each local market so that the viewer develops a following with those broadcasters. They have to be very familiar with the neighborhoods and be able to reference them in their presentations. It may not happen right away, but I can see it happening down the road. This was probably one factor why NBC/Uni bought the Weather Channel.
in a tv market that gets pressed with hurricanes and storms… no way. i don’t see it happening. nor in new york or dallas or chicago. just too much active weather here for that to have a good impact on the tv station’s brand. whatever is left of it, that is.
Could you imagine WTVJ’s coverage of Hurricane Andrew without Bryan Norcross?! Just one example of why you need a local meteorologist. The community learns to respect and trust such individuals in times like that. They don’t want to watch someone they don’t respect and trust or aren’t familiar with. And how could you not have a sports anchor on the weekends?! Hello? When does the big action happen in sports? Mainly during the weekends. If it’s this bad, shut the stations down. Do it right or don’t do it.
Does this mean we are gonna see Al Roker standing out by Biscayne Bay during a hurricane, hanging on to a Palm Tree?
he did stand at the top of WPTVs building during hurricane frances.
noo… but maybe they could use him for an anchor for a building or something?
Going to happen? It’s already happened. Take a look at Southern California. What did KNSD do when their met left? They looked up the road to Fritz Coleman who now weathercasts for KNBC and KNSD.
You can argue the weather is nearly identical in LA and SD and that the stations are in adjoining markets.
However, the idea of a weatherman hub can’t be too far away. Also, why not a sports hub?
Too much “active weather” in Miami? Don’t make me laugh. When the bad stuff comes the only ones people pay attention to is the hurricane center.
Brian Norcross? Gone. No one wants him. Not even the viewers. He had his moment in the sun. It’s long over. Get a calendar and see how long it’s been since Hurricane Andrew rolled in. Well over a decade and the whole business of television has changed quite a bit since those long ago years.
Take any weather person’s picture to the street and ask people who they are. No one knows. No once cares. No one watches television news for a “trusted” weather person any more. They are like vaudeville performers. More interested in jokes and hosting golf tournaments.
Sports is next up! Weather and sports departments are soon to be a thing of the past.
You sound like me! LOL
Kevin K., it’s Bryan Norcross, not Brian. And the apathy you describe is what’s part of the decline of society as a whole. Why even have a local newscast at all if no one cares?
I heard Norcross left ch4 on his own to devote himself full time to some type of weather related business he had. Bryan never stayed very long at any job he had, it was always his decision to leave, not the station”s.
No, Brian, Bryan, Breyan…whatever…moved on. Too expensive and he didn’t bring in the numbers. No matter what he did in the past, it’s in the past.
This is now and Norcross is not a part of now.
Soon to be joined by many others who play weather guessers on television.
The weather team at wtvj are a bunch of clueless morons and one brainless bimbo!!!