2009 Weather Warning Screen Shots

[SRW1000]

Well, a new severe weather season is upon us.  Some stations have upgraded their production equipment - others haven't.  Some have upgraded their equipment, but haven't decided to start using it yet, go figure.

Anyway, last night was the first chance we've had this Spring to see how the stations may look for the upcoming months.  I decided to do some screen captures of the big four,  for comparison, and post them here in alphabetical order.

First up:  WDJT



Looks the same as last year.  They've decided drop to SD, squash the picture, and superimpose the graphics.

[SRW1000]

Next up:  WISN



Weather warning is on the left of the screen, nothing on the bottom.  Maybe this is better than having data on the side and bottom?

Still looks ugly, and obtrusive.

[SRW1000]

Third to the plate, WITI:



Looks the same as last year.  Maybe the lettering is bigger.  Slightly more ugly and obnoxious that WISN.

[SRW1000]

Last, but not least:  WTMJ



They're almost close to getting it right.  Unfortunately, they've decided to squash the HD image.  Has Jay ever looked this pudgy?  Does the lettering really need to be that big?  And the puzzling part, why are there two layers for text?



And why leave the bottom lettering band up, even when there isn't any scrolling text?  Strange, and obnoxious.

Sad to say, but all four stations have either a little or a lot of work to do.  I didn't see the warnings on 18 or 24, but in the past they always got it right.

Scott

[LoadStar]

WISN's wouldn't be bad... if they could slide it over into the black area for widescreen/HDTV viewers. Unfortunately, I'm sure they're only sending out one feed, so they have to set it up for center-cut.

I just hate that all but WTMJ are wasting so much space for branding garbage. If there's severe weather out, I don't care what the hell you call your weather center - just tell me what's going on and if it's going to hit my house.

[LoadStar]

They're almost close to getting it right.  Unfortunately, they've decided to squash the HD image.  Has Jay ever looked this pudgy?  Does the lettering really need to be that big?  And the puzzling part, why are there two layers for text?

And why leave the bottom lettering band up, even when there isn't any scrolling text?  Strange, and obnoxious.

I agree with you on all aspects aside from the squishing - I'd rather they squish it, frankly. When I was watching a sporting event a bit ago, they had originally set it to be non-squished, and the stupid mile-high ticker area was stomping all over _all_ of the chyrons.

[vegasvic]

I'll admit I know nothing about the technical aspects of this but it just doesn't seem it would be so difficult to do this right.

[foxeng]

It is MUCH harder than it looks.

[BK7725]

Last, but not least:  WTMJ



They're almost close to getting it right.  Unfortunately, they've decided to squash the HD image.  Has Jay ever looked this pudgy?  Does the lettering really need to be that big?  And the puzzling part, why are there two layers for text?



And why leave the bottom lettering band up, even when there isn't any scrolling text?  Strange, and obnoxious.

Sad to say, but all four stations have either a little or a lot of work to do.  I didn't see the warnings on 18 or 24, but in the past they always got it right.

Scott

When you watch a show on TMJ on a 4:3/SD TV with a warning screen, they cut off most of Jefferson, Dodge, and FDL Counties on the map in the upper left. They could move the map over a little to the right. It is getting better than their L-bar from 2008. Now only if the lettering on the bottom was more "see through" so that the HD picture wasn't squished, and then could overlay the picture. They are though, getting better and are now probably the best weather ticker now due to the HD message. I also agree, that they should either leave some words on the blue bar, like show the color codes like last year, then switch to radar, then give the NOAA text of the TMJ description of the warnings, or just take it off when no text is on it. Its a little wierd.

WTMJ makes people look fat, WISN makes people look skinny. lol

[bschlafer]

They "chicken-littled" us again with warnings for non-existent severe weather.  

Maybe they just wanted to test out the new graphics.  

I imagine we're in for another barrage this weekend with the predicted snow storm.  Just waiting to hear the NCAA tourney fans howling if they cover up thier games with graphics!

Interestingly enough, these on-screen warnings are practically non-existant on Chicago TV stations.  Or so I've been told by my flat-lander friends.  They only time they put up an on-screen warning is when there truely is severe weather (a tornado, on the ground, right freak'n now, coming our way).  Which is rare.

I dunno.  Maybe I'm just a grumpy old fart.  But it sure seems like the Milwaukee TV stations grossly over do this stuff.  Just for the sake of upsetting people and keeping them glued to the TV for awhile.


*Bill

[WITI6fan]

It is MUCH harder than it looks.

Could they possibly scale down the HD image to fit in SD (proportionally), creating a "U-bar", and do it that way?

[richjac]

Guess what - it may snow tonight!  Who cares???    Is there any way to get rid of the obnoxious, useless, utterly ridiculous and annoying messages?  

The only programming that is not ruined by the scrolling text are the commercials!  

So there's a winter storm warning starting 12 hours from now.   Tell me once on the forecast and leave it be.   It's another thing if there is actually severe weather in the area - and I mean tornadoes, not thunderstorms.   Do they think all of their viewers are ignorant fools?

If any provider offered an option to turn these warnings off, I would subscribe in an instant.    

I guess it's a movie for us tonight.

[ArgMeMatey]

Could they possibly scale down the HD image to fit in SD (proportionally), creating a "U-bar", and do it that way?

I am sure this has been brought up before, but how about just a bug telling people to tune over to 4-2 or 36-7, or go online, if they really care?  

It's been mentioned before that this is a very disruptive time in media all around, and they haven't figured out a way to monetize the weather without really messing things up.  I am sure this will all shake out within 10 years or so.

[SRW1000]

I am sure this has been brought up before, but how about just a bug telling people to tune over to 4-2 or 36-7, or go online, if they really care?  

While this might be practical for WTMJ, I don't think you'd see competing stations advising viewers to turn to their station for updates.

What would be great is if each of the channels could continue HD programming on their main station, with just a small bug or scroll advising that full weather warning information was available on one of their subchannels.  I don't know if that would be practical.  

Foxeng, if you're still checking this thread, could you comment?  What solutions are you using and seeing in your market?

Scott

[SRW1000]

So there's a winter storm warning starting 12 hours from now.   Tell me once on the forecast and leave it be.   It's another thing if there is actually severe weather in the area - and I mean tornadoes, not thunderstorms.   Do they think all of their viewers are ignorant fools?

Yes, here's a screen shot from this morning at about 10:22 this morning:



Just to show how far off this potential storm is, here's what 4.2 was showing at the time:



So, there may be some snow, eight to nine hours in the future.  Just in case you were wondering.  In case you somehow missed the anticipatory coverage all day yesterday.  This kind of viewer hand-holding is just downright silly.

Scott