Topic: TWC vs. DirecTV

[HailHunter]

I didn't see this posted, but apparently TWC and DirecTV are getting into it. TWC meteorologists are posting a form tweet on their feeds saying that if DirecTV drops them it would be a public safety threat. Yes, believe me that has gotten exactly the type of response from hardcore weather followers that you might have expected.

I just wonder if the introduction of Weather Nation as an alternative is spurring this flare up.

[ocala]

I'm sure Weathernation is an alternative for DTV but the bottom line is money. TWC has got very big and is a household name so they can charge DTV more for their programming. Weathernation on the other hand is new with no clout and can't command the same as TWC for their programming.
Saying it would be a public safety threat just makes my point even more. They are so full of themselves that they actually believe this.

[HailHunter]

Just did a bit of internet research, and this is pretty much a strong arm move by DirecTV that was originally done by Dish Network back in 2011. Weather Nation was brought on to replace TWC on Dish during their dispute. That's what DirecTV has picked up Weather Nation for, as well. It is designed to force TWC into meeting their demands. Quite frankly, if it means we lose TWC and gain Weather Nation, I wish the Weather Channel would call their bluff and go away.

[ocala]

I doubt they'll go away because there are millions of DTV subs out there. What they would lose in advertising revenue would far outweigh what ever reduced costs that DTV would charge them.
Just goes to show why competition is good for the consumer.

[chief-david]

DirecTV will remove The Weather Channel from its nationwide lineup if the parties can’t reach a deal before their current agreement expires Jan. 14, in the latest feud over programming costs between a distributor and TV network.

The Weather Channel on Saturday launched a PR campaign urging DirecTV’s 20 million U.S. subscribers to swamp the satcaster with requests to not drop the network via phone, email and social media. It claimed the operator’s potential booting of the network is somehow a “public safety issue” that warrants congressional involvement.

DirecTV said in a statement that it is in talks with Weather Channel “on how to provide its service to our customers at the best value, since people now use so many other ways to retrieve weather-related information.”

The No. 1 satcaster recently launched WeatherNation (at channel 361), which DirecTV said provides “round-the-clock hard weather news, free of any interruptions from reality TV.” That’s an allusion to Weather Channel’s increasing focus on long-form shows, including “Highway Thru Hell,” “Hurricane Hunters” and “Prospectors.” DirecTV also said its emergency channels provide urgent info during severe weather.

SEE ALSO: The Weather Channel Updates Brand, Visual Identity

Weather information is ubiquitously available on the Internet — including on The Weather Co.’s weather.com and related apps. Weather.com had 54.2 million unique visitors in November 2013, making it the 17th-biggest site in the U.S., according to comScore. Still, the cabler alleges DirecTV customers will be at risk of missing critical weather alerts if the satcaster doesn’t pay up. The current agreement is set to expire at 12:01 a.m. Eastern on Tuesday, Jan. 14.

“For DirecTV to take us off their lineup would be deeply irresponsible to its customers who not only count on The Weather Channel on a day-to-day basis, but depend on us before, during and after severe weather events,” David Kenny, chairman and CEO of The Weather Co., parent company of The Weather Channel, said in a statement issued Saturday. “We have offered the industry’s best rate for our programming and are committed to reaching an agreement.”

The Weather Co. is owned by Comcast’s NBCUniversal and private-equity firms Blackstone Group and Bain Capital.

In battling DirecTV, Weather Channel has launched a website, keeptheweatherchannel.com, which urges viewers to call their U.S. representatives and senators in Washington and ask them to nag DirecTV to keep the channel. The network also is rallying DirecTV subs to tweet their displeasure to @directv using the hashtag #stormdirectv, and also called on fans to post on DirecTV’s Facebook page.

As a directv customer, I am ok with this.
Save me money, give me better programming.
Let them go.  

2nd step-Does WeatherNation have an affiliation with and weather station sites? Can't remember.

[George Richardson]

A couple of questions. I don't do facebook and I don't tweet but I do use my telephone and sometimes I even use emails. Is there any way to reach DirectTV to say "I am a subscriber and I would be very happy if you replaced The Weather Channel with WeatherNation."?

Second question. Is there any way to watch "WeatherNation" on line rather than on Satellite/Cable TV (because I haven't and I won't watch The Weather Channel)

Thanks

George

[chief-david]

http://www.weathernationtv.com/#watch

https://support.directv.com/app/contact_us/session/L3RpbWUvMTM4OTQ2Njc2OC9zaWQvKmIzQmw3S2w%3D

[SlowModem]

Just did a bit of internet research, and this is pretty much a strong arm move by DirecTV that was originally done by Dish Network back in 2011. Weather Nation was brought on to replace TWC on Dish during their dispute. That's what DirecTV has picked up Weather Nation for, as well. It is designed to force TWC into meeting their demands. Quite frankly, if it means we lose TWC and gain Weather Nation, I wish the Weather Channel would call their bluff and go away.

If they do get into a dispute, and TWC starts this "Call DirecTV and tell them you don't want to lose TWC" thing, I think we should all let DirecTV know that we all hate TWC.  Being weather enthusiasts, maybe what we say would carry some weight.  But who knows?

[Farmtalk]

I agree with Ocala completely.  This public safety threat is a load of bull. Most everyone has local tv stations for forecasting, there is NOAA on the web, and people are everywhere through social media talking weather. I hope DirectTV cuts TWC at their knees.

I'm really just gonna start sticking with NOAA though, because with the preview of the new WU site, and TWC being as Roker as ever, I'm better off just sticking with the NOAA sites.

[SlowModem]

If they do get into a dispute, and TWC starts this "Call DirecTV and tell them you don't want to lose TWC" thing, I think we should all let DirecTV know that we all hate TWC.  Being weather enthusiasts, maybe what we say would carry some weight.  But who knows?

I couldn't wait.  I sent DirecTV a thank you comment anyway. 

[SlowModem]

I couldn't wait.  I sent DirecTV a thank you comment anyway.  

I already got a response (probably auto-generated):

Subject
Weather Nation

Administrator

Thank you for writing. We remain in discussions with The Weather Channel on how to provide its service to our customers at the best value since people now use so many other ways to retrieve weather-related information. Please visit DirectvPromise.com for the latest news and important information.

Customers will continue to get round-the-clock hard weather news, free of any interruptions from reality TV, on Weather Nation (channel 361), city-by-city coverage on more than 1,600 local broadcast stations, and DIRECTV’s emergency channels in times of severe weather.

We know that you have a choice among television providers and appreciate your having chosen DIRECTV.

[WeatherHost]

2nd step-Does WeatherNation have an affiliation with and weather station sites? Can't remember.

They own a big portion of WeatherUnderground  and Intellicast among others.

Which is why I don't use either of them anymore.

[kray1000]

Second question. Is there any way to watch "WeatherNation" on line rather than on Satellite/Cable TV (because I haven't and I won't watch The Weather Channel)

Try Channel 13.3.

http://www.wset.com/story/18770511/wset-launches-new-weathernation-channel

[Harryca]

Just did a bit of internet research, and this is pretty much a strong arm move by DirecTV that was originally done by Dish Network back in 2011. Weather Nation was brought on to replace TWC on Dish during their dispute. That's what DirecTV has picked up Weather Nation for, as well. It is designed to force TWC into meeting their demands. Quite frankly, if it means we lose TWC and gain Weather Nation, I wish the Weather Channel would call their bluff and go away.

Personally, I think it's all political BS on both sides.  I am a Dish customer and saw the same thing happen with AMC and TWC when their contracts were up.  They brought in Weathernation just to fill the gap and added another channel to replace AMC.  After AMC and TWC settled their disputes and kissed and made up with Dish, they both came back and the other channels were dropped.

[WeatherHost]

That other channel is still there, but I can't remember what it is now.  I stopped watching AMC the first time I saw a commercial on it back in the 90s sometime.

Have never watched it since.  Both AMC and TWC are blocked out of my channel guide.

[Harryca]

That other channel is still there, but I can't remember what it is now.  I stopped watching AMC the first time I saw a commercial on it back in the 90s sometime.

Have never watched it since.  Both AMC and TWC are blocked out of my channel guide.

Strange that.  They are both alive and kicking here.  I only watch AMC when there is a good classic on which very rare these days and hardly ever watch TWC since they show old tired reruns of Coast Guard Alaska and Prospectors most of the time so, you are really not missing much and it wouldn't bother me if those channels went away permanently.

[chief-david]

WeatherNation-Ownership-Paul Douglas (and others)

[Dr Obbins]

That other channel is still there, but I can't remember what it is now.  I stopped watching AMC the first time I saw a commercial on it back in the 90s sometime.

Have never watched it since.  Both AMC and TWC are blocked out of my channel guide.

I got rid of pay TV all together a year ago and now rely on Cave Country Weather for the most accurate, up to date local weather information. 

[ocala]

That other channel is still there, but I can't remember what it is now.  I stopped watching AMC the first time I saw a commercial on it back in the 90s sometime.

Have never watched it since.  Both AMC and TWC are blocked out of my channel guide.

I got rid of pay TV all together a year ago and now rely on Cave Country Weather for the most accurate, up to date local weather information. 

Really.
No cable or sat tv at all? That would be tough for me.

[WeatherHost]

Another month or two and I'll be doing it.  Going to OTA and web only.  Sat has gotten far too expensive.

[Dr Obbins]

That other channel is still there, but I can't remember what it is now.  I stopped watching AMC the first time I saw a commercial on it back in the 90s sometime.

Have never watched it since.  Both AMC and TWC are blocked out of my channel guide.

I got rid of pay TV all together a year ago and now rely on Cave Country Weather for the most accurate, up to date local weather information.  

Really.
No cable or sat tv at all? That would be tough for me.

Just OTA with 7 or so channels. I am not into sports, so if you take that out of the cable line up, how much is there really worth watching? And is the little left worth what you are paying? I used to come home from work, and in the time it took to cook & eat dinner, I was still clicking through channels looking for something worth watching. Then If I found something, the commercials and especially the pop up commercials ruined the show/movie. I get the local news/weather with the antenna and for movies there is Netflix ($10 per month) and Amazon  prime ($20 per year?).

There is more and more people doing this as sat/cable rates go up and quality programming goes down. I think soon companies other than Direct TV and Dish will start standing up against the "too big to fight against" channels like TWC. When I cancelled Dish, they asked me why. I told them that the issue was not with their service, but with the programming being offered. She just sighed and said "Yea, I know".

[HailHunter]

All anyone needs to know about The Weather Channel's public safety campaign can be seen back on April 30, 2010. That was the night Jim Cantore had to issue a public apology.

[DaleReid]

Jim Cantore!  Ha!  I hope someone has a loop of him apologizing and can play it constantly.  He epitomizes being 'full of themselves'.

That the WC can even publicize that they want viewers to call their congressmen to stand up for their loss and have the cajones to even mention public safety without breaking out into laughter is amazing.

I shudder to think how our forefathers were able to survive without satellite!

[WeatherHost]

Those with weather sites should post their opinions there for their followers to see.

[SlowModem]

Some of you might have seen this somewhere else:

From USA TODAY

DirecTV customers set to lose Weather Channel

With the clock ticking, The Weather Channel launched a national campaign Saturday urging viewers to lobby Congress to garner support for its effort to stop DirecTV from dropping it from its lineup. The campaign comes as the companies continue to battle over contract talks. DirecTV, a satellite carrier, has threatened to stop airing the program Tuesday if the dispute is not settled. David Kenny, chairman and CEO of The Weather Co., said it would be "deeply irresponsible'' for DirecTV to take the program off air, saying viewers depend on the coverage, particularly for severe weather. "As the most trusted source of weather news and information in America, The Weather Channel is there when it matters most,'' Kenny said in a statement.

http://usat.ly/1eMl2I9