Deploying its “IntelliStar” technology that facilitated alternate feeds, The Weather Channel rang up one of its highest-rated days with its coverage of the Jan. 22 winter storm that blanketed a large portion of the nation.
TWC -- which provided extensive local and regional coverage of the wintry conditions in 22 markets, including New York and Boston, as well as Utica, N.Y., and Altoona, Penn., while simultaneously airing its regularly scheduled Storm Stories series elsewhere -- averaged a 1.4 household rating (more than 1 million homes) on a total-day basis.
According to network officials, that made the network the highest-rated cable news and information service from 5 a.m.-2 a.m. that day and marked the channel’s best Nielsen Media Research day from a winter-storm event since 1999.
"One year after the deployment of our new IntelliStar technology began, we are pleased to have the exciting new alternate feed capability up and running,” TWC president Patrick Scott said in a prepared statement.
“Our enhanced coverage during the most recent winter storm is just the tip of the iceberg for all that we will offer our cable affiliates and their customers as a result of this advancement for customizing and localizing weather information on The Weather Channel,” he added.
Network officials said the use of the alternate-feed telecast Jan. 22 was the longest in duration since TWC began using the capability in December. Alternate feeds for winter-impacted areas were also provided Jan. 21 and 23.
The network has also used alternate feeds in the Midwest during earlier snowstorms and in Southern California during the flooding and mudslides there near the beginning of the month.
