Digital Weather Coverage: Challenges and Opportunities

Image depicting a highway with two weather options.

I subscribe to the New York Times, although I don’t read the newspaper. I’m one of 10.2 million people who only subscribe to the digital version. I also read the Washington Post and the Houston Chronicle online.

Although many newspapers struggle to remain in business, a few have figured out how to succeed in the digital world. But this transformation didn’t happen overnight.

“Only recently, after years of decline, have print newsrooms started to rebound with audience-centered strategies driving digital subscriptions and reader contributions,” writes audience consultant Dustin Block. “Local TV can learn here by meeting its next generation of audiences on their terms.”

According to Pew Research, the next generation isn’t watching the TV in their living room as much as they’re watching the TV in their pocket. 90% of respondents in a recent study say they follow local news for weather updates. But almost half (48%) say they prefer getting those updates on digital platforms. Only 32% follow local news on television, down 9% from six years ago.

Different platforms require different strategies

Many local television newsrooms claim to have a “Digitial First” philosophy. However, their websites and mobile apps suggest otherwise. It’s more like “Digital Earlier Today.” Especially when it comes to weather coverage.

The current digital weather coverage strategy for most local television stations focuses on repurposing. Weathercasts are usually clipped from one of the live TV newscasts and uploaded to the website. And it’s not always the most recent newscast.

HellerWeather just completed phase one of a digital weather coverage study. Preliminary results show that almost 75% of local TV stations upload an old weathercast to their website. Some randomly selected television stations last updated the weather webcast over 12 hours ago. One station’s “Latest Forecast” was from a newscast that aired two days ago.

“One of our big challenges with the weather team is helping them break out of nowcasting. Everything on local TV is produced for this moment and is almost immediately dated,” says Block.

That doesn’t work on digital platforms because the consumer watches the weather update on demand. A webcast recorded at 4:30 AM might be watched at 8 AM or later. Similarly, some people might not see one recorded at 4 PM until after midnight.

Instead, Block recommends local television stations use digital platforms to add context to the forecast. “If there’s no rain in the forecast, how long since we’ve had rain? Why so long? What does that mean for gardens, farms, apple season, and so on. If you’re only doing the weather of ‘now’ people will look elsewhere for the weather story. They can get ‘now’ on the weather app.”

An opportunity for revenue growth

Broadcast Meteorologists today are really Multimedia Meteorologists, producing weather content for both broadcast and digital platforms. While most focus their workday on producing multiple weather hits for the live news broadcast, Pew Research suggests updating the digital platforms might be more important.

Currently, less than 10% of local television stations surveyed in the HellerWeather research project produce timely, relevant content for the station website and mobile app. (The complete results of the study will be released later this year.)

Since so few stations are producing good digital content, those that do have an opportunity to grab the lion’s share of the local consumers looking for updated weather content and context. And just like TV, the bigger the audience, the bigger the potential payout.

Driving TV viewers to the digital assets

Some say that the TV news business is at a crossroads. I don’t believe we’re at a crossroads. I think we’ve already turned the corner. We’re screaming down the digital highway at 100 mph, and it’s as if many local television stations are still using paper maps.

The traditional business model that relied on viewers watching linear TV is being replaced with consumers who prefer to watch content online, on mobile apps, and on streaming platforms. As executive coach Marshall Goldsmith writes, “What got you here won’t get you there.” The ratings and revenue success television stations enjoyed in the past won’t be realized using the same methods today or in the future.

Assuming it will, Block says, is just magical thinking.

If your weather team needs coaching on developing an effective digital weather coverage strategy, Talk to Tim.

Tim Heller is an AMS Certified Broadcast Meteorologist and Weather Communications Coach. He helps local TV stations and broadcast meteorologists level up their on-air performance and off-air productivity.