CBS3 Weather Watchers

[rear_flank 43]

CBS3 is starting a new thing called "The Weather Watcher Network" where people can sign up and send their weather team pictures, videos, and observations of various weather events happening in the Philadelphia area. They will then show whatever you send during their newscasts.

 

Here's the link: http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/eyewitness-weather-watcher-network/

[bostonmediaguy 124]

This initiative is in place at other CBS O&Os already: WCCO/Minneapolis, KTVT/Dallas, and KCNC/Denver. WCBS/New York will be launching the initiative soon as well.

[rkolsen 1685]

Quick question: How is this any different than say Hearst's uLocal or any other station that requests photos from viewers? Is it a dedicated app or just email or texting a photo in.

 

What I would find interesting is if a TV station partnered up with one of those prosumer weather station companies that would provide true hyper local information to forecasts.

[rear_flank 43]

Their taking a long time to accept the applications. I signed up last week and they are still reviewing it (from what their website says). Wonder why their not accepting them fast?

[BigJohnnyV 1]

This is not a new concept, Back in the 80s I called in weather reports to WABC-TV the ABC affiliate in New York when Storm Field was still there and my cousin did it on WRC-TV the NBC affiliate in Washington D.C. for then Meteorologist Bob Ryan. I believe WABC stopped doing it because of problems of some of the reports coming in being purposely inaccurate, which was a similar problem that WNBC-AM radio had when they used the Fugazy Limo service as traffic spotters, drivers were calling in false information or not calling in at all, that's when they switched to using Roz Frank, Jane Dornacker and Donna Fuducia in the N-Copter.