Inauguration week turned out to be a perfect time for NBC to launch its WeatherPlus digital channel on Washington, D.C., owned-and-operated WRC-TV.
The 24/7 weather channel began broadcasts Monday, Jan. 17, two days before the winter’s first snow storm hit the nation’s capital. As the storm hit, the channel was prominently displayed on a big screen HDTV during NBC’s inaugural brunch at the historic Willard Hotel.
Nobody was eying the updates more than NBC honchos themselves, many of whom had flown in from New York and L.A.
In a town where even a dusting can close airports and clog traffic, the risk being stranded seemed likely when a few inches began to accumulate.
NBC News Producer Mark Lukasiewicz, scheduled to oversee the next day’s inauguration festivities from studios in New York, didn’t even hit the buffet table before he bolted to the airport.
Handlers for NBC Universal TV Group President Jeff Zucker were keeping track of the storm to make sure he made it back to Los Angeles for his presentation to TV critics Friday. The storm quickly blew over and Zucker made it without a hitch.
