The Weather Channel to Spend $50M on HD

Cable Network to Break Ground on New Studio May 2, Its 25th Anniversary

By Todd Spangler -- Multichannel News, 4/27/2007 3:06:00 PM

In one of the largest capital projects in its history, The Weather Channel expects to spend some $50 million to develop and launch an HD version of its network.

The project includes building a new, 1,100-square-foot studio at its Atlanta headquarters that will be outfitted with HD cameras and other equipment, as well as converting “tens of thousands” of on-screen graphics for HD, TWC president Debora Wilson said.

“We’re making major infrastructure investments,” Wilson said. “We consider this a cost of doing business.” The HD channel, she added, will “give us a new way to engage our viewers. Weather is so visual.”

The network is aiming to have all of its programming in HD by mid-2008. At that point, the standard-definition feed of the channel will be a downconverted version of the HD one.

TWC will break ground on the HD studio May 2, which, not coincidentally, is when the network will mark its 25th anniversary. Wilson said the facility -- adjacent to the existing studio building -- is expected to be finished by January.

The Weather Channel HD will launch with DirecTV in September 2007. However, it won’t be true HD at first. Wilson said the direct-broadcast satellite operator will upconvert the standard-definition feed until the network’s HD studio comes online.

As for carriage on cable, Wilson declined to provide details but said discussions are ongoing. “Every cable operator has a slightly different situation,” she added. “In general, we’re getting a very positive reaction.”

Wilson said it’s important for TWC to get placement in operators’ HD tiers before they get too crowded. She noted that subscribers who have HDTV service tend to stay in the HD “neighborhood” and don’t scan standard-definition channels as frequently.

The channel’s live programming accounts for at least 22 hours per day. Prerecorded shows, such as Storm Stories, will also be migrated to HD format. “We’re right in the sweet spot because at most, we’re two hours of prerecorded programming [per day],” Wilson said. “A lot of networks will have to move to HD piecemeal.”

Wilson said the network is examining new ways to present graphics with the move to HD. “We’ll be fundamentally changing our environment, and this gives us an opportunity to reevaluate and improve our programming,” she added.