Weather alerts on Locals are driving me nuts - Season Finale of LOST ruined

But if you didn't have your TV on, or didn't have a TV, you wouldn't get the warning anyway. Me, I gave up on getting my weather data from the broadcast media when I woke up one morning to go to the bathroom and found the house half flooded, turned on the local 50kW FM station to find out what the hell was going on only to find their inane morning crew doing their normal mindless blather as if nothing had happened.

As someone who has worked in the media before I have to side with the TV channels on this issue and not only that but applaud them for actually caring about severe weather. However due to Al Gore's initiative in the 90s to replace the Emergency Broadcast System which worked on a chain of communication with the Emergency Alert System which created a confusing web of communication that required multiple monitoring stations even if the EAS wasn't required to be used in the even of weather emergencies. Also most stations and owners have no clue on how the equipment works, don't have it setup properly, or just simply break in to programming using non-EAS equipment. It is a mess and is one point where the government needs more oversight and clarification of regulations. When used correctly it can save lives and inform the public of important and lifesaving information. Though in deregulation of media alot of stations simply don't care about weather when it comes to radio.
 
I think they are a very important part, and with time, you will see that you will get local alert on all channels when the technoligy gets better to inform you of approaching storms. I would suppect that they only do it for the warning but you never know. I am all for being interupted if I am watching TV to hear about a Tornado or severe thunderstorm warning, even flash flood warning for that matter. They should make it an optional feature with the default to be on. I think the more people are informed about severe weater the better prepaired they will be in making the right choice. I would like to see TV get to where weather radios are...only warn if it is in your county, or select counties. In my case I live on the edge of a county, so I would like it if it includes my are, plus maybe part of the county to the west of me. Technology can be very friendly if used properly.
 
We actually have one station that bad mouths they other station on their weather commercials about how much the other breaks into shows
The locals in Jacksonville are terrible about pre-empting programming for weather alerts. They can't just run a crawl; they have to cut into the program for a few minutes AFTER a commercial break so you miss part of the show. Of course they never pre-empt a commercial block or run the crawl during commericals. So basically capitalism and making money outweight alerting the public to dangerous storms. Of course, if the weather is that bad then Dish usually goes bust anyway, so it's a moot point...
 
I think they are a very important part, and with time, you will see that you will get local alert on all channels when the technoligy gets better to inform you of approaching storms. I would suppect that they only do it for the warning but you never know. I am all for being interupted if I am watching TV to hear about a Tornado or severe thunderstorm warning, even flash flood warning for that matter. They should make it an optional feature with the default to be on. I think the more people are informed about severe weater the better prepaired they will be in making the right choice. I would like to see TV get to where weather radios are...only warn if it is in your county, or select counties. In my case I live on the edge of a county, so I would like it if it includes my are, plus maybe part of the county to the west of me. Technology can be very friendly if used properly.

The technology is sort of there already, its the Emergency Alert System, though would be very dificult to implement the way you are describing. First it would be yet anohter converter box people would need in order to have two seperate broadcast feeds and even then not sure it would be possible. Furthermore if a storm is lets say in town A that is 20 miles southwest of town B that has nothing going on right now but the storm is moving in that direction it is important that the listening area be informed of where the storm is moving. The problem is that sometimes the weather guys go overboard and talk too much about their equipment rather than give the pertinent storm information. Also today's radar technology is able to warn people before a tornado is actually formed and touches down, thus some people think its chicken little. When I worked at WSTO in Evansville, IN Owensboro, KY the rule was alert the listeners, fire the EAS as we were a primary station, and repeat the warning after every song for tornado warnings and every other song for t-storm warnings and flash flood.
 
Here's an idea. Route the EAS to Dish Network and DirecTV uplink facilities (how? beyond the scope of my idea).

Dish and DirecTV already have the zipcodes of their subscribers.

Send out the alerts as a data stream on all transponders. This will be a very small amount of data, such as zipcode, alert type (tornado, hurricane, fire, flood, etc) and severity (watch, warning, etc), along with start and stop times.

Receiver sees alert in the data stream, if it's tagged for the customer's zipcode, display it superimposed over whatever's on the screen. Possibly as a popup message box "There is a Tornado Warning effective 7pm-9pm, check local stations or weather radio for more details" that the user can click "OK, I have been warned" when they are done reading. Maybe two buttons, "More Info" which takes you to the weather channel with its interactive data stuff, and "Cancel" which closes the box without disturbing the current channel.

Since it's data and not part of the video program, it's NOT recorded as such (maybe stored in an "alerts history" similar to caller id events). This is a key feature so people like me don't get ticked because whatever we were recording on the DVR is screwed up. There's nothing worse than an expired weather alert when you're trying to watch something you recorded previously.

Note that if you live in Florida and "move" to New York, you forfeit the option of suing your satellite provider because they didn't warn you about the hurricane. :D
 
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In Des Moines last night during the final game of the Stanley Cup, the local NBC affiliate spent 3 straight ours showing a weatherman standing in front of a map instead of the game. Small portions of the game, less than 1 percent, including the ending were shown split screen without sound. The weather side of the screen even overlapped the hockey side by a small amount, because true halvsies is too dangerous during bad weather.

Thank God for our local channels. How else would we know about bad weather unless we are constantly reminded by a weather man standing in our living rooms hysterically waving his arms. Without them, we are helpless … unless we have any of the following: the internet, a radio, a phone, the weather channel, a neighbor, or a window to look out of.
 
Well, hope the NBA finals look good in HD, as there are storms out between the Tulsa and OKC markets so we have no HD on ABC tonight. :( I guess were lucky they are letting us watch the game, but they sure like showing a video of dark clound moving across the highways during the commercials
 
It's futile to complain about weather alerts, but it makes me feel better. From mid April through early September it is the EXCEPTION to not have some form of alert map with flashing counties, crawls, beeping, moving radar images, rotating logos and other CRAP taking up half of the figgin' screen. Yes, weather alerts have their place, but interrupting programming to show you storm damage from a storm that ALREADY PASSED and is no longer in the viewing area has NOTHING to do with warning anyone about anything or saving any lives.

Hell's Kitchen was completely preempted due to severe weather. Okay, It's raining. I get it. Yes there were tornados but the cells are already passed. Showing the same radar loop over and over and over and over and over and over and over oop over and over and over and over and over and over and overoop over and over and over and over and over and over and overoop over and over and over and over and over and over and overoop over and over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over is enough to make some one want to shoot the TV screen!

It wasn't just that station, all of them did this. However, the storm wasn't such a big thing when news time came around. At 10pm the news show comes on with the lead story of the storm and then the regular news. They couldn't pre-empt the news? The other stations with news programs at 11pm pre-emped the network programs for the next hour too.

Weather hysteria is something that has always "bugged" me and always will!
 
The original post was talking about weather alerts during a show, which I'm sure did include commercials.
 
There are no numbers I know of that show that the bugs provide higher ratings. I know that I, as a viewer, am more likely NOT to watch a program with weather bugs if I have the option or if it's casual viewing (TV is on but not necessarily interested in program or re-run). Once I see what the warning is about, I saw it. I am aware of it. If I want info I go to the weather channel (not The Weather Channel, but the weather channel on one of the TV station sub-channels.)

When they cut in to programming they pre-empt the commercials as well as the program so ratings mean nothing there since they are not showing commercials.

See ya
Tony
 
In my area, the weather guys/babes even preempt HD for thunderstorm WATCHES. Not warnings buy "maybe there will be a storm, but maybe not" watches. I can see a 1 minute watch notice, but interupting prime time shows for hours for a weather watch?????
 
It bugs the crap out of me too here in Dallas.

I wish they would simulcast programs on one of their secondary digital channels when they know they are going to interrupt every 10 minutes and also overlay stuff on a quarter of the display.

At least make some use of the other digital channels you have..... even if it only helps those who have OTA at this point.

That is exactly what I wrote to WFAA and KXAS during the week of the Finale of Eli Stone. That night I missed My Name is Earl (finale I think) and Eli Stone (finale I know) because of bad weather in DFW. The rebroadcast of MNIE was missing the first ten minutes of the show and the rebroadcast of ES had bad audio, then restarted with a compressed picture...literally squeezed.

I wrote to both stations asking (almost pleading) that if they have to do continuous weather coverage because of dangerous storms on their primary digital channel, please move the network feeds to the weather sub-channel. Don't bombard me with weather on both channels...use your sub-channels intelligently. That wouldn't do my DVR any good but I was home that night and could have tuned in the OTA channels to see the shows.

Now before people start crowing about "if there was dangerous weather you should have been watching the weather anyway..." you need to know that Dallas/Ft. Worth is a BIG place. They started the weather coverage when the storms were two counties away from me. That was about an hour before it got heavy at my place. Then it rained and hailed for about 15 minutes really hard. Then once the weather passed they stayed on another hour and a half while the storms left the metroplex. So I could have seen both of the shows and still been safe. Besides I had my computers running and was watching the weather closely already.

I did wind up watching Eli Stone on ABC.com and it was good. I never saw all of My Name is Earl but that's no big loss. They jumped the shark when they put Earl in a coma.
 
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It's futile to complain about weather alerts, but it makes me feel better. From mid April through early September it is the EXCEPTION to not have some form of alert map with flashing counties, crawls, beeping, moving radar images, rotating logos and other CRAP taking up half of the figgin' screen. Yes, weather alerts have their place, but interrupting programming to show you storm damage from a storm that ALREADY PASSED and is no longer in the viewing area has NOTHING to do with warning anyone about anything or saving any lives.

Hell's Kitchen was completely preempted due to severe weather. Okay, It's raining. I get it. Yes there were tornados but the cells are already passed. Showing the same radar loop over and over and over and over and over and over and over oop over and over and over and over and over and over and overoop over and over and over and over and over and over and overoop over and over and over and over and over and over and overoop over and over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over is enough to make some one want to shoot the TV screen!

It wasn't just that station, all of them did this. However, the storm wasn't such a big thing when news time came around. At 10pm the news show comes on with the lead story of the storm and then the regular news. They couldn't pre-empt the news? The other stations with news programs at 11pm pre-emped the network programs for the next hour too.

Weather hysteria is something that has always "bugged" me and always will!

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Here in Moline, IL they interrupted the Sat Stanley Cup Final game and then "ruined" it with the overlay. On Monday's game they did it for about 10 seconds then showed the entire game in HD without overlay or interruptions( I take that back, they had posted the "ticker" but it didn't ruin the HD content somehow(if they can do the ticker, how come they can't do the overlay?)). They instead showed the weather during commercial breaks. I assume someone either high up in the channel or with a lot of money said "HEY I'M WATCHING THAT." Thought it was interesting because they ruined one game but didn't the other. Big storms both nights.
 
I use my DVR to time-shift all my programming so I NEVER watch live TV. :eek: Consequently weather alerts on TV are completely useless and annoying. (Oh we had a severe storm watch last Tuesday, how nice!)

Wouldn't it be nice if there was a way to "opt out" of the weather alerts? Set your preference to "no alerts" and the overlay doesn't wipe out your picture. Yeah, I realize the overlay is part of the signal we receive but I can dream can't I? :p