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It's A Public Safety Issue
The Weather Channel is 'essential'?

So says David Clark, president of The Weather Channel, currently in a carriage dispute with DirecTV. He urges customers to appeal to Congress to intervene in the dispute. As is typical in these disputes, each side will blame the other, but Clark's contentions bring a new wrinkle to the typical fray. As noted here, Clark says, "Yes, it is a privately held company and a for-profit" enterprise. "That's OK. What also happens to be true is that we have a mission to serve."

The Weather Channel is a subsidiary of NBC Universal, which is owned by Comcast, so there are multiple levels to this particular conflict. DirecTV, for their part, has launched their own "Weather Nation", in part due to complaints from their customers about extraneous programming on The Weather Channel. In addition, they provide both local programming and additional emergency channels when needed.

Most recommended from 82 comments



Hazy Arc
join:2006-04-10
Greenwood, SC

7 recommendations

Hazy Arc

Member

The Weather Channel is a Joke

I remember watching the Weather Channel religiously as a kid - you know, back when they actually talked about current weather. I don't think anyone will miss their crappy reality shows and the ridiculous "naming" of winter storms. It's a shame what has become of the Weather Channel.

pjcamp
@choopa.net

6 recommendations

pjcamp

Anon

I have DirecTV and didn't even know it was gone

I think weather apps on my phone rendered it obsolete.

anonome
@verizon.net

4 recommendations

anonome

Anon

Looks like there's a storm brewing,

and The Weather Channel can't tell which way the wind is blowing.

(Hey! Is this the first carriage dispute of the year? Maybe DSLR should start giving these things names, you know, to make it "easier" for everyone at home to "follow along". )

TechyDad
Premium Member
join:2001-07-13
USA

2 recommendations

TechyDad

Premium Member

What you are missing

To all those poor souls with no access to The Weather Channel, here's what you are missing at the time of this posting:

1 - 2pm - Weather Center Live - Tomorrow's forecast; recap of weather stories from around the world.

2 - 3pm - Prospectors - Rich Fretterd honors the memory of his brother by donating a massive smoky quartz crystal; Amanda Adkins and her mining partner grow closer; Dorris family prospects for phenakite; Brian Busse struggles through mounting injuries.

3 - 4pm - Prospectors - The Busse family works to make their claim safe; Dwayne Hall gets bad news; Amanda Adkins hits the mother lode of calcite; Rich Frettered tunnels back into his historic topaz pocket.

4 - 5pm - Prospectors

5pm - 8pm - Weather Center Live

8pm - 9pm - Highway Thru Hell - Jamie and his crew wrestle to recover a trailer off a dangerous bridge; a multi-vehicle wreck turns deadly for a good Samaritan.

9pm - 10pm - Highway Thru Hell - Adam and Jamie employ some fancy rigging to try to save a wreck on Highway 1; Jamie faces some harsh realities when a new competitor rolls onto the mountain and cuts the work in half.

10pm - 11pm - Why Planes Crash - A look at why pilots risk ditching in water, and a hijacked 747 is forced into the ocean.

11pm - 12am - Prosepctors - The Busse family works to make their claim safe; Dwayne Hall gets bad news; Amanda Adkins hits the mother lode of calcite; Rich Frettered tunnels back into his historic topaz pocket.

So it looks like in the 11 hours from 1pm to midnight, you'd have gotten 4 hours of weather and 7 hours of reality programming. It definitely is a public safety issue! How will the public stay safe without knowing what happens to the Busse family claim?!!!