DirecTV pulls The Weather Channel from lineup over reality TV (and money) dispute

[Shawn Knight]

DirecTV customers may have noticed something missing from their channel lineup this week and it wasn’t by accident. The satellite service provider has pulled The Weather Channel from its lineup over claims that it is overrun with reality TV and not the only source of weather news.

In a statement on the matter, DirecTV said consumers understand there are now a variety of other ways to get weather coverage, free of reality show clutter, and that The Weather Channel does not have an exclusive on weather coverage – the weather belongs to everyone. They added that most consumers don’t want to watch a weather information channel with a forecast of a 40 percent chance of reality TV.

The Weather Channel released a statement of their own, pointing out that they have been the most trusted resource for disseminating timely information to help prepare and protect families against weather-related emergencies for more than 30 years.

Smoke and mirrors aside, the real dispute between the two has to do with money. True enough, DirecTV added that they are in the process of discussing an agreement to return the network to their lineup at the right value for their customers.

Short of pulling all of the reality programming, “the right value” means more money.

In the interim, The Weather channel is urging viewers to demand that DirecTV bring back the network. To help their cause, the network has posted a video from meteorologist Jim Cantore where he explains the benefits of The Weather Channel.

Permalink to story.

https://www.techspot.com/news/55329-directv-pulls-the-weather-channel-from-lineup-over-reality-tv-and-money-dispute.html

 

[oldikes]

The information that weather.com gives me 50% of the time is hilariously inaccurate, and the other 50% of the time is extremely general and unhelpful.

Honestly I havent visited the weather channel in years as Its just a few taps/clicks away on my ipod or on my PC.

 

[Vrmithrax]

By that logic, MTV should be dropped because it's not the exclusive source of music available, and it's chock full of 95% reality and ridiculousness clutter...

Just be honest, step up, and say it's about money and viewership right from the start. Bad programming choices typically are indicated by lower viewership numbers.

 

[NTAPRO]

Does the weather channel still play that charlie brown theme? I used to watch it just for that years ago

 

[Guest]

With the Internet, the Weather Channel is pretty much useless anyways. If I was DirecTV I would just let it stay gone, because it is pretty much 100% not needed in the slightest.

 

[learninmypc]

I don't have Direct TV, but I don't watch it anyhow cause I use http://www.wunderground.com/
or my weather ap from my local tv.

 

[Skidmarksdeluxe]

Who cares. The next weather channel or app that forecasts the weather more or less correctly would be the 1st one.

 

[SNGX1275]

I don't have Direct TV, but I don't watch it anyhow cause I use http://www.wunderground.com/
or my weather ap from my local tv.

Yeah, wunderground is pretty good, however they are going to be switching their interface to a lot more touchscreen friendly one and in turn losing a lot of useful information in the process. Maybe they'll get that straightened out before officially launching it since they are asking for user feedback.

Weather.com is hilariously bad for getting weather now. Their site is cluttered with "you won't believe...." type stories.

 

[learninmypc]

I also have this one bookmarked but its difficult to figure out http://www.wunderground.com/wundermap/

 

[mailpup]

I don't have DirecTV but I do watch the Weather Channel from time to time. It's like any other channel. If you don't like it, you don't have to watch it but I don't mind having the option..

I'm just curious if DirecTV will keep the savings or will they pass it on to their customers. I know it's not a lot per customer but so what? Well, I highly doubt it.

 

[Gamesinner]

Not only does the channel suck but they really promote the global warming mantra. I wish I could just have the premium movie channels, that's all I watch anyways.

 

[Renrew]

Love watching "The Prospectors" on that channel. The large dual globe miner has contributed a couple of degrees to global warming.

 

[SNGX1275]

I also have this one bookmarked but its difficult to figure out http://www.wunderground.com/wundermap/

I don't remember how I originally found this map, but its pretty much the wundermap but without the complexity. So still good radar that is on top of google maps (so easy to pan), but no screwing with looping and flipping on and off 4000 layers:
http://www.wunderground.com/cgi-bin...&rad.smo=1&rad.mrg=0&sat=0&cams=0&svr=0&tor=0

 

[learninmypc]

I don't remember how I originally found this map, but its pretty much the wundermap but without the complexity. So still good radar that is on top of google maps (so easy to pan), but no screwing with looping and flipping on and off 4000 layers:
http://www.wunderground.com/cgi-bin...&rad.smo=1&rad.mrg=0&sat=0&cams=0&svr=0&tor=0

Not positive, but I think that is the customized one where you enter your zip code & I think you then re enter the zip code again & then click on full screen for your personalized local weather forecast like this one http://www.wunderground.com/cgi-bin/findweather/getForecast?brand=wxmap&query=New+Orleans,+Louisiana

 

[tipstir]

SATV and CATV just the same avenue. Time to join FREE OTA-DTV..

 

[kissx]

Did not know it was on Directv. I use weatherbug on my galaxy s4.