CBS O&Os Adopting "First Alert Weather" Branding

[Kenneth Kissel 281]

I don't think KDKA-TV will use the First Alert Branding due to WPXI (owned by Cox) somewhat having First Alert as a secondary branding. 

 

WTAE (Hearst) has WeatherRate and WPXI currently has Severe Weather Team 11 as their primary branding. 

[MidwestTV 1232]

If there's one thing I hate and really wish would die its the over-saturated generic use of "First Alert Weather." Come up with something more original.

[detroiter313 180]

2 hours ago, Kenneth Kissel said:

I don't think KDKA-TV will use the First Alert Branding due to WPXI (owned by Cox) somewhat having First Alert as a secondary branding. 

 

WTAE (Hearst) has WeatherRate and WPXI currently has Severe Weather Team 11 as their primary branding. 

Same way here in Detroit, WXYZ (Scripps-owned ABC affiliate) has used the "First Alert" brand for its weather (and later) traffic segments since 2011. WWJ continues to use the "First Forecast" branding for its weather segments since 2008 when the station was branded as simply "WWJ-TV".

 

[Georgie56 3303]

18 hours ago, Kenneth Kissel said:

I don't think KDKA-TV will use the First Alert Branding due to WPXI (owned by Cox) somewhat having First Alert as a secondary branding. 

 

WTAE (Hearst) has WeatherRate and WPXI currently has Severe Weather Team 11 as their primary branding. 

Well, they are now.

[Kenneth Kissel 281]

58 minutes ago, Georgie56 said:

Well, they are now.

Well, so much for my knowledge. I thought KDKA would stay the oddball but nope. You can put me in the book of bad takes. I Do like the new Weather graphics though. 

 

Edited February 1, 2022 by Kenneth Kissel

[tjt24 313]

3 hours ago, Georgie56 said:

Well, they are now.

This doesn't surprise me and I actually seen this coming because I've been getting notifications from the KDKA app saying "FIRST ALERT WEATHER" on them. I even got one this morning when the NWS issued the winter storm watch. The execution and timing of it was perfect as we do have a modest winter storm coming, so I'll give them props for that.

3 hours ago, Kenneth Kissel said:

 

And the graphics do look really good. Although I do wish they used the lighter blue version of the logo that their sister station in San Francisco are using, but nevertheless, it does look good. 

[GoldenShine9 1513]

On 1/31/2022 at 8:29 PM, MidwestTV said:

If there's one thing I hate and really wish would die its the over-saturated generic use of "First Alert Weather." Come up with something more original.

I know Raycom used it for almost all their stations, and then once sold to Gray, they adopted it more for the then-Gray legacy stations as well. For some reason, CBS O&O's have a Gray-like feel to them.

[ScottSchell 355]

I have a question even though this has to do with some CBS O&O’s getting the branding but why did 2 Hearst stations (WESH and WPBF) switch from First Alert to First Warning?

[qunewsguy 377]

45 minutes ago, ScottSchell said:

I have a question even though this has to do with some CBS O&O’s getting the branding but why did 2 Hearst stations (WESH and WPBF) switch from First Alert to First Warning?

Likely to kill two birds with one stone. Two of the biggest urgency weather brands are "First Alert" and "Early Warning". Take up portions of both and nobody else can use that sort of brand.

[CLT-DCA-ORF-PTI 87]

On 1/30/2022 at 10:31 PM, appleachian said:

Gray holds a trademark on the “First Alert Weather” branding.  It was Raycom’s brand and Gray inherited it and that’s why so many Gray stations have switched to using it. 
 

I can’t think of a Gray/CBS overlap market but CBS must be paying Gray for this privilege. 
 

https://trademarks.justia.com/789/44/first-alert-78944371.html

I know I am super late, but I just saw this! I wonder if they are paying, although I have noticed, it always says "First Alert" and then Weather Center, or Forecast, etc. I wonder if they are using a loophole by not ever saying "First Alert Weather". 

Just very interesting, never knew it was trademarked! 

[GoldenShine9 1513]

40 minutes ago, CLT-DCA-ORF-PTI said:

I know I am super late, but I just saw this! I wonder if they are paying, although I have noticed, it always says "First Alert" and then Weather Center, or Forecast, etc. I wonder if they are using a loophole by not ever saying "First Alert Weather". 

Just very interesting, never knew it was trademarked! 

 

There are no Gray markets where CBS has a news-operating O&O. As a result, I'm guessing they paid Gray royalties for it. That trademarking is likely why quite a few Gray legacy stations adopted the brand AFTER they took over the Raycom stations.

 

In the case of the Hearst stations mentioned that are changing it, that is likely to get away from the branding. Gray and Hearst have overlapping news-producing stations in 10 markets.

Edited March 17, 2022 by GoldenShine9

[SFTV 526]

On 2/1/2022 at 3:38 PM, tjt24 said:Although I do wish they used the lighter blue version of the logo that their sister station in San Francisco are using, but nevertheless, it does look good. 

KPIX only uses the Red Version of First Alert when there’s a storm or heat wave hitting the area. “First Alert Weather Day.”

 

is KCBS only left in the station group not adopting the branding since KNBC uses it?

The only time I’ve seen an overlap branding was when KTVU during its Cox Days would use StormTracker 2 and KRON (still to this day) uses StormTracker 4 on its radar. 

[Georgie56 3303]

KOVR/KMAX has adopted it.

 

 

[GodfreyGR 652]

WCCO did not go for "First Alert"... But say hello to "Next Weather"!

 

https://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2022/04/21/what-is-next-weather/

[Kenneth Kissel 281]

21 minutes ago, GodfreyGR said:

WCCO did not go for "First Alert"... But say hello to "Next Weather"!

 

https://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2022/04/21/what-is-next-weather/

And I thought "First Alert Weather" was bad. This is laughable.

[nhmediaguy 3]

43 minutes ago, GodfreyGR said:

WCCO did not go for "First Alert"... But say hello to "Next Weather"!

 

https://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2022/04/21/what-is-next-weather/

 

 

WBZ has adopted Next Weather as well. First Alert is already being used in the Boston market.

[NBC 5 Chicago 191]

Is it original? No. However, I'm not mad at it. It is different and unique. I get what they're trying to do. It'll be how they implement it and use the branding that we'll get an idea of it better. 

[bostonmediaguy 123]

WBZ/Boston adopted the "Next Weather" brand beginning Monday as well.

[TheRolyPoly 2409]

I'm keeping an eye on weather brandings. Outside of Weather, First Alert Weather is the most popular brand in the country and continues to grow.

 

I know because Gray's WGGB/WSHM just adopted First Alert Weather within the last two-three weeks. CBS saw the name as an opportunity for some of its markets.

[Georgie56 3303]

WFOR has picked up Next Weather. Started on July 7.

 

 

[noggi 604]

Looks great!

[SFTV 526]

Next. It’s a no for me. It’s as bad as when KTLA used “MetroVision Weather” back in 2006

[Requiere 51]

Kind of mixed feelings about the NEXT weather for WFOR. I know that WTVJ had the First Alert Weather for a long time now, still think First Alert is too generic though.

Edited July 13, 2022 by Requiere

[SFTV 526]

NEXT should’ve been an alternate branding with markets that use “First Alert” in other competing stations like WTVJ and KNBC.

[TheRolyPoly 2409]

1 hour ago, Requiere said:

Kind of mixed feelings about the NEXT weather for WFOR. I know that WTVJ had the First Alert Weather for a long time now, still think First Alert is too generic though.

 

WPTV uses it, so does WBBH.

 

In other words, all NBC affiliates (WTVJ's being an O&O) in Southern Florida (I mean South of I-4) use the First Alert branding.