Continuing my discussion of the future of local television from yesterday…
I totally believe that in 15 to 20 years there will be no tall towers or transmitters like we have now for radio television stations. All TV and radio signals will be carried over the Internet, which by then should be everywhere (wireless), with plenty of bandwidth; enough to support high definition signals plus just about anything else you want to see on your TV, which will actually be a computer.
Just about all electronic devices will come equipped with broadband wireless Internet access, and will have unique IP addresses. This means you will be able to watch Internet delivered content on countless devices in every room in the house, and anywhere in the world. Quite frankly, we are rapidly approaching this now, but it will take those 15 to 20 years to get seriously broad bandwidth, wireless Internet access everywhere in the nation, including rural areas. Wi-Max is the first step in this process, which will roll out in the next 3 to 5 years.
Like I mentioned yesterday, our role is changing from being a broadcaster to a content provider. Of course, we will stream live events as always like football games and tornado coverage, but for regular shows people will simply have them stored in their computer/TV (like today’s Tivo boxes), and will watch them when they want.
What does this mean for weather coverage? With no bandwidth limitations we will be able to provide all of our sources to you directly; Doppler radar (which should be phased array radar by then), live cameras, and data of all types. Of course, we will have a variety of videos available, like our current webcasts and map discussion videos, and live severe weather coverage anytime conditions warrant. We are ready to roll with the changes… these are indeed exciting times.
More On The Changing TV Business
June 29, 2005, 9:58 pm
by James Spann
in General Thoughts
The Big Green Wall
June 29, 2005, 9:04 pm
For interns at ABC 33/40, there comes an exciting yet fearful day when they attempt their first weather forecast. Mine happened to be this past Monday. Oh, what a day that was!
I was, indeed, swarmed by a mixture of emotions. The adventure of taping my first weather forecast was exciting. After all, isn’t this what we broadcast meteorology geeks live for! However, presenting a weather forecast in the presence of the notorious and well-spoken James Spann can be somewhat nerve-racking. He was aware and sensitive to my anxiety, allowing me to do my first forecast privately. The tape was rolling continuously because it was just practice. After I pulled myself together, I timidly stepped in front of the green wall. By the way, meteorologists stand in front of a green wall when actually giving the weather forecast. The graphics replace the green on the television screen.
My first attempt does not actually count because I stopped mid-tape to redo it. I like to consider it a “warm-up” rather than a blooper. Eventually, I began my presentation, starting with the current temperatures. Reading off the text became challenging. When using the green wall, you view yourself and the text only on the monitors to your left, right, and front. I finally finished the first run through and continued to tape about seven more. With every run, I became more comfortable, helping my delivery.
Later, I watched my tape and found several areas for improvement, but there were some aspects that I was pleased with as well. Today, I taped for the second time. Jason Simpson was equally as considerate as James Spann, allowing me to tape alone. This time, I was much more comfortable and less timid. All of this experience is helping me to improve my communication and weather knowledge as well as proving one of my favorite quotes: “Every time you stand to speak, you sit down a stronger person.” You better believe that I am going to be doing a lot more standing!
I was, indeed, swarmed by a mixture of emotions. The adventure of taping my first weather forecast was exciting. After all, isn’t this what we broadcast meteorology geeks live for! However, presenting a weather forecast in the presence of the notorious and well-spoken James Spann can be somewhat nerve-racking. He was aware and sensitive to my anxiety, allowing me to do my first forecast privately. The tape was rolling continuously because it was just practice. After I pulled myself together, I timidly stepped in front of the green wall. By the way, meteorologists stand in front of a green wall when actually giving the weather forecast. The graphics replace the green on the television screen.
My first attempt does not actually count because I stopped mid-tape to redo it. I like to consider it a “warm-up” rather than a blooper. Eventually, I began my presentation, starting with the current temperatures. Reading off the text became challenging. When using the green wall, you view yourself and the text only on the monitors to your left, right, and front. I finally finished the first run through and continued to tape about seven more. With every run, I became more comfortable, helping my delivery.
Later, I watched my tape and found several areas for improvement, but there were some aspects that I was pleased with as well. Today, I taped for the second time. Jason Simpson was equally as considerate as James Spann, allowing me to tape alone. This time, I was much more comfortable and less timid. All of this experience is helping me to improve my communication and weather knowledge as well as proving one of my favorite quotes: “Every time you stand to speak, you sit down a stronger person.” You better believe that I am going to be doing a lot more standing!
Hot Fun In The Summertime
June 29, 2005, 3:08 pm
The Wednesday afternoon map discussion video is on the server:
http://beta.abc3340.com/weather/video.hrb
Anyone remember Sly and the Family Stone? We need to do some 70s top 40 music trivia on here sometime. Those songs were the soundtrack of my life for five years when I worked for the BIG 1230 in Tuscaloosa as a teenager.
The radar seems to be fairly quiet as of 3:00 p.m... but with good cumulus towers all around I expect more development during the next couple of hours in the moist air over Alabama. Like yesterday, the showers and storms in progress are not moving much, so some communities will have heavy rain.
We will continue the trend toward drier and hotter weather tomorrow and Friday, with low to mid 90s possible and only isolated afternoon storms. We will watch a surface front north of the state, which will be near Nashville late Friday. This might help to send a band of strong storms down this way late Friday afternoon or Friday night.
THE WEEKEND: The front will stall out and wash out this weekend, and I still think we can roll with a forecast of typical summer weather for the Independence Day weekend. Partly sunny, warm, humid days with a passing shower or storm around each afternoon. Temperatures will top out near the 90 degree mark.
TROPICS: Bret moved into Mexico this morning as a weak tropical storm, and is now falling apart as the circulation remains inland. Unfortunately the best moisture should stay south of the Rio Grande River Valley, where they really need the rain.
Here are some other summer songs that come to mind from my days in radio:
In The Summertime - Mungo Jerry
Summer - War
Summer Nights - John Travolta/Olivia Newton-John (from the movie Grease)
Summer Song - Chad and Jeremy
Summer Rain - Johnny Rivers
Summer In The City - Lovin Spoonful
Summertime, Summertime - The Jamies
Summertime Blues - Eddie Cocheran
I am sure there are many more, but due to pressing duty I must hit the "post" button and move on!
http://beta.abc3340.com/weather/video.hrb
Anyone remember Sly and the Family Stone? We need to do some 70s top 40 music trivia on here sometime. Those songs were the soundtrack of my life for five years when I worked for the BIG 1230 in Tuscaloosa as a teenager.
The radar seems to be fairly quiet as of 3:00 p.m... but with good cumulus towers all around I expect more development during the next couple of hours in the moist air over Alabama. Like yesterday, the showers and storms in progress are not moving much, so some communities will have heavy rain.
We will continue the trend toward drier and hotter weather tomorrow and Friday, with low to mid 90s possible and only isolated afternoon storms. We will watch a surface front north of the state, which will be near Nashville late Friday. This might help to send a band of strong storms down this way late Friday afternoon or Friday night.
THE WEEKEND: The front will stall out and wash out this weekend, and I still think we can roll with a forecast of typical summer weather for the Independence Day weekend. Partly sunny, warm, humid days with a passing shower or storm around each afternoon. Temperatures will top out near the 90 degree mark.
TROPICS: Bret moved into Mexico this morning as a weak tropical storm, and is now falling apart as the circulation remains inland. Unfortunately the best moisture should stay south of the Rio Grande River Valley, where they really need the rain.
Here are some other summer songs that come to mind from my days in radio:
In The Summertime - Mungo Jerry
Summer - War
Summer Nights - John Travolta/Olivia Newton-John (from the movie Grease)
Summer Song - Chad and Jeremy
Summer Rain - Johnny Rivers
Summer In The City - Lovin Spoonful
Summertime, Summertime - The Jamies
Summertime Blues - Eddie Cocheran
I am sure there are many more, but due to pressing duty I must hit the "post" button and move on!
ABC 33/40 Afternoon Podcast for June 29 2005
June 29, 2005, 9:35 am
The ABC 33/40 Podcast for Wednesday afternoon, June 29 is now being served by our RSS feed.
Want to subscribe to our free daily podcast audio weather forecast? Use this RSS feed in your podcast receiving program:
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by James Spann
in Podcast
Sun and Storms
June 29, 2005, 5:52 am
The Wednesday morning map discussion video is on the server:
http://beta.abc3340.com/weather/video.hrb
Quite frankly we don't see much change in the overall situation this morning; today will feature intervals of sunshine and scattered showers and storms. Like yesterday, some spots could see heavy amounts of rain, other places will have no rain at all. Most of the storms will come from about 2:00 until 8:00 p.m. Temperatures will peak around 90 degrees.
The heat cranks up a notch tomorrow and Friday, but the models are not as agressive with the heat on the latest runs; the GFS shows 93 tomorrow and Friday, while the NAM holds highs in the upper 80s. We have 94 on both days in our forecast package for now. Storms should be more isolated on both days, but we will watch for thunderstorms moving into the Tennessee Valley Friday afternoon in advance of a cold front.
That surface front will stall out near the Alabama/Tennessee border on Saturday, which might enhance storm formation over the Tennessee Valley. Otherwise, we expect routine summer weather for the holiday weekend.... very warm, very humid, sunshine at times, and scattered mainly afternoon showers and storms.
BRET: Tropical storm Bret is moving into Mexico this morning; sustained winds are only about 40 mph. Unfortunately looks like most of the really good moisture will stay south of the Rio Grande; those folks are in a severe drought and could really use the rain. One of our affiliate radio stations is in McAllen, TX, and I did mention the risk of one or two storms later today or tomorrow, but it sure looks like most of the rain from Bret will stay south of the Rio Grande Valley.
Elsewhere in the tropics, we will watch a wave coming through the Windward Islands. Another pretty decent wave emerged off the African coast yesteday; it is a little early for development out there but if those waves continue into July and August we indeed might have another busy hurricane season.
Sure enjoyed seeing everyone at the American Subcontractor Association of America, Alabama chapter, awards banquet last night. I have been the emcee of that event for the last 10 years, and I get to see lots of old friends in the construction industry every June at that banquet....
http://beta.abc3340.com/weather/video.hrb
Quite frankly we don't see much change in the overall situation this morning; today will feature intervals of sunshine and scattered showers and storms. Like yesterday, some spots could see heavy amounts of rain, other places will have no rain at all. Most of the storms will come from about 2:00 until 8:00 p.m. Temperatures will peak around 90 degrees.
The heat cranks up a notch tomorrow and Friday, but the models are not as agressive with the heat on the latest runs; the GFS shows 93 tomorrow and Friday, while the NAM holds highs in the upper 80s. We have 94 on both days in our forecast package for now. Storms should be more isolated on both days, but we will watch for thunderstorms moving into the Tennessee Valley Friday afternoon in advance of a cold front.
That surface front will stall out near the Alabama/Tennessee border on Saturday, which might enhance storm formation over the Tennessee Valley. Otherwise, we expect routine summer weather for the holiday weekend.... very warm, very humid, sunshine at times, and scattered mainly afternoon showers and storms.
BRET: Tropical storm Bret is moving into Mexico this morning; sustained winds are only about 40 mph. Unfortunately looks like most of the really good moisture will stay south of the Rio Grande; those folks are in a severe drought and could really use the rain. One of our affiliate radio stations is in McAllen, TX, and I did mention the risk of one or two storms later today or tomorrow, but it sure looks like most of the rain from Bret will stay south of the Rio Grande Valley.
Elsewhere in the tropics, we will watch a wave coming through the Windward Islands. Another pretty decent wave emerged off the African coast yesteday; it is a little early for development out there but if those waves continue into July and August we indeed might have another busy hurricane season.
Sure enjoyed seeing everyone at the American Subcontractor Association of America, Alabama chapter, awards banquet last night. I have been the emcee of that event for the last 10 years, and I get to see lots of old friends in the construction industry every June at that banquet....
ABC 33/40 Podcast for Wednesday Morning, June 29, 2005
June 29, 2005, 3:47 am
The ABC 33/40 Podcast for Wednesday, June 29 is now being served by our RSS
feed.
Want to subscribe to our free daily podcast audio weather forecast? Use this RSS feed in your podcast receiving program:
feeds.feedburner.com/Weathertalk
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