Complete Coverage: NAB Show 2016
Las Vegas — Joel Myers, founder, president, and chairman of AccuWeather, thinks he’s got something special on his hands.
“Obviously The Weather Co., WSI, and their Weather Central [product] has been the main player in the field of weather systems for the last few years, but we want to change that,” he told B&C. “[Our product] can more effectively communicate with viewers in ways they’re used to consuming news and information.”
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AccuWeather used the NAB Show to debut its all-new weather system for broadcasting, StormDirector Plus, which offers up fully customizable local weather presentations for local broadcasters, with interactive features, and features covering everything from mapping with radar and satellite, to severe weather watches and warnings. The service includes comprehensive model data, social media, hourly and extended forecasts and more.
“I’ve been presenting the weather now for over 25 years, and this is probably the most excited I’ve been to present the weather,” Bernie Rayno, chief video meteorologist for AccuWeather, told B&C. “It’s different, dynamic and any time you have a system you’re excited to use, you’re going to be more into it on air, and you’re going to do a better job.”
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StormDirector Plus can get local, regional, and national breaking weather news on the air quickly, and also incorporates the company’s AccuWeather Advanced Warnings for localized notice of impending severe weather.
"We are excited to demonstrate the revolutionary capabilities of StormDirector Plus live at NAB, providing television stations with the most complete, interactive, and affordable weather solution," said Ryan Ayres, VP of display systems and services at AccuWeather. "StormDirector+ provides the streamlined speed, flexibility, and level of customization that stations are looking for, without any unneeded features or complexity."
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AccuWeather also used the NAB Show to announce the appointment of Bill Boss as director of product development for display systems and services. He comes to AccuWeather from The Weather Co.
