Kaptured Chat

Jeff · Joined: 18 Jul 2005 Posts: 1099

The Weather Channel Earns Greatest Sustained Increases in Viewership During Extensive Coverage of Hurricane Katrina

Source: PRNewswire the days that Hurricane Katrina gathered strength to become the deadly and dangerous 11th hurricane of the season, The Weather Channel drew a large increase in viewers. At one point, leading up to the urgent need for evacuation warnings and shelter advisories, The Weather Channel had the greatest increase in viewers of any news and information network. The total day (5 a.m.-2 a.m.) HH rating for The Weather Channel on August 28 was 1.71, according to available metered market Nielsen data, an increase of 470% compared to 3rd Quarter 2005 to date. This was significantly higher than increases experienced by cable news networks covering the hurricane, proving that The Weather Channel continues to be a primary destination for people seeking severe weather information specifically.

When receiving advance information about the hurricane was especially critical, The Weather Channel rated #1. The Weather Channel achieved a 1.29 HH rating during the 5 a.m. - noon-time period, according to available metered market Nielsen data. The Weather Channel outperformed other networks that had the following ratings during that time period -- a 0.92 for Fox News, a 0.55 for CNN, a 0.22 for MSNBC.

Hurricane Katrina also led to an increase in traffic to The Weather Channel Web site, weather.com, on Sunday, August 28, when the site set a weekend day record for video streams viewed. In addition, weather.com saw a 350% increase in traffic compared to an average Sunday. The Weather Channel blog, available at www.weather.com/blog, and featuring posts from The Weather Channel field crews and expert meteorologists, experienced increased traffic as well, when viewers read and reacted to behind-the-scenes, first-hand accounts from the experts tracking Hurricane Katrina.

The record for highest total day rating ever achieved by The Weather Channel was last year on September 13, the day leading up to Hurricane Ivan's landfall, with a total day rating of 1.9 households representing 1.6 million homes. The peak quarter-hour rating for that day was between 9:30-9:45 p.m. with a 3.6 rating representing over 3.1 million households.

Jeff · Joined: 18 Jul 2005 Posts: 1099

http://whatshappeningatcnn.blogspot.com/
======================
Almost 51 Million People Watched TWC on Sunday
Source: PR Newswire When more people turned to The Weather Channel to keep them ahead of thestorm, the network broke a record of its own, reaching almost 51 million viewers with storm coverage and public safety messages. TWC achieved a new all-time household record with a 2.2 rating, representing an average of over 1.9 million homes. Their previous record for highest total day rating ever achieved was last year on September 13, the day leading up to Hurricane Ivan's landfall, with a total day rating of 1.9, representing 1.6 million homes.

The information below depicts Total Viewers on Sunday, August 28,2005:
TWC 50,583,243
FNC 36,853,506
CNN 33,879,656
MSNBC 23,234,940
HLN 20,094,332
CNBC 7,142,799

Additionally, Hurricane Katrina led to an increase in traffic to TheWeather Channel Web site, weather.com. On Sunday, August 28, according to TheWeather Channel's Interactive internal measurement, approximately 3.5 millionunique users visited weather.com, the third highest weekend day in the historyof the site. On Monday, August 29, approximately 7 million unique usersvisited weather.com, the second highest day in the history of weather.com. Inaddition, on Monday, weather.com set a record for page views and for uniqueusers of Desktop Weather.

T-bone · Joined: 22 Jul 2005 Posts: 742 Location: DE

I have not watched TWC for over a week. I have timed the local on the 8's and sometimes, SOMETINE'S catch that. But since there is NO weather going on here for at least the next two weeks I have little if any interest in even that. Give me caps. That's all. I catch any Katrina info from the news stations. If and when I want or need any.
_________________
T-bone (��)
Fox news babes rule!

Dutchman · Joined: 17 Jul 2005 Posts: 9064 Location: Hooterville

I have watched very little TWC. I have been mostly watching Fox or MSNBC. Now if they would bring back Bonnie, Jodi, Jill, and Missy; I'd watch. And, by the way, did I mention Bonnie? Shocked

Jeff · Joined: 18 Jul 2005 Posts: 1099

I saw Jill on CNN yesterday.

Dutchman · Joined: 17 Jul 2005 Posts: 9064 Location: Hooterville

I never watch CNN; so unless she were to go back to TWC (very unlikely) or come to a local here, I'll only see her in my dreams. Crying or Very sad

Jeff · Joined: 18 Jul 2005 Posts: 1099

I switch around to all the channels. That way, I don't deprive myself!

Dutchman · Joined: 17 Jul 2005 Posts: 9064 Location: Hooterville

It's easier on the old blood pressure to avoid the propaganda that CNN spews.

Does Lucia Newman still work in the Havana bureau? It seemed like every time that she said the words "President Castro" she was on the verge of orgasm.
_________________
"Ah, but the strawberries! That's, that's where I had them."

Jeff · Joined: 18 Jul 2005 Posts: 1099

I've never heard of her.

Jeff · Joined: 18 Jul 2005 Posts: 1099

Gail Shister | Lean Katrina crew pushes up Weather Channel ratings

By Gail Shister

Inquirer Columnist

You don't need a weatherman to know which way the Weather Channel blows.

Ratings for the cable network have skyrocketed during Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath. No surprise there.

Here's what is a surprise - WC has just 20 staffers (including five reporters) on site for the three-state disaster. By comparison, CNN has 125 people on the ground; Fox News Channel, 50.

Major weather events "are like the Super Bowl for us," says WC chief Terry Connelly. "It's the big game."

Reporter-meteorologists Jim Cantore, Stephanie Abrams, Jeff Morrow, Mike Seidel and Mike Bettes began working Katrina Aug. 23, six days before it hit the Gulf Coast, Connelly says.

"Our biggest advantage is that we start covering the storm before anybody else knows it's coming. Forty-eight hours out, our guys nail that sucker. Our crews are always getting hammered because they know exactly where to go."

On Aug. 28, WC drew the highest viewership in its 23-year history. (Its numbers are always best the day before landfall, Connelly says.)

WC was seen in more than 1.9 million homes - 533 percent above its normal audience - and spiked to 3.1 million at 9:30 p.m. It was the day's top-rated cable network, Connelly said.

"We've done well against the big guys. We're 'the little engine that could.' I guess we'd be going too far if we said, 'David slayed Goliath.' "

Well, yes.

Philly is WC's second-strongest market, behind only New York, Connelly says. The network averaged about 100,000 homes here last year, 50,000 fewer than our borough to the north.

The Atlanta-based WC reaches 88 million homes and has a full-time staff of 800. Almost 130 are meteorologists, with 32 to 35 on-air reporters.

With his Katrina corps working 20-hour shifts last week, Connelly, 58, says he tried to persuade troops to take a breather and come back. Two reporters left the area, but they returned, he said Friday.

"I've spent most of my time this week trying to argue with people to come on home. I can't do it. They're a little testy with us. They've reached their breaking point. They say, 'Oh, no, I can't quit. Keep me in the game, coach!' "

Does it bother Connelly that his network is strongest when storm victims are at their weakest?

"I think about that all the time. It comes with the business we're all in. We provide information. We're a media outlet. People depend on us... . It's a ratings bonanza, but it's what we're really here for. It's what our meteorologists are here for."

Despite such a heavy mandate, WC is looking to soften its image and "connect emotionally" with viewers, Connelly says. Weekend View, a 7-to-11 a.m. weekend talk show hosted by ex-news anchor Dao Vu, launches Sept. 17.

"We want to project a more informal, conversational setting. Weather is not hard news all the time. Most days, people who tune in expect a pleasant, informational experience."

To that end, View will feature a sofa and coffee table instead of a desk and screen. More new programs are in the hopper, and a jazzy new logo debuts Sept. 17.

"We've probably been taking ourselves a little too seriously in our demeanor," Connelly says. "Now it will be more fun. It's not death, destruction, murder and mayhem. 'It's the weather, stupid.' "

P.S. A former TV-news exec, Connelly helped launch Channel 29's Ten O'Clock News in '86, when the station was owned by Taft. He hired its first news director, Roger LaMay, now at WXPN-FM (88.5).

hb_carter · Joined: 30 Aug 2005 Posts: 17

Too bad the days of Jeanetta Jones are gone. I don't know if I watched much weather in the 90s, but I sure saw a lot of her Wink

Jeff · Joined: 18 Jul 2005 Posts: 1099

She is on quite often.

T-bone · Joined: 22 Jul 2005 Posts: 742 Location: DE

She was on today in fact. Looking good enough to, good enough to, good enough to....cap.
_________________
T-bone (��)
Fox news babes rule!

hb_carter · Joined: 30 Aug 2005 Posts: 17

She's still on? I guess I haven't been able to see TWC when she's on in a while because of my work schedule. When is she on?

hb_carter · Joined: 30 Aug 2005 Posts: 17

Now wait a minute.... you mean Jeanetta Jones is on TWC and she's not being captured???!!! How is this possible? She's one of the original TWC babes! That's like listing the great composers and forgetting to mention Mozart or Bach, like a muscle car lineup without a Corvette, or the baseball hall of fame without Babe Ruth. This is a glaring omission!