Wide World of Women

CNN reports more cuts, including cancellation of AMHQ:

http://money.cnn.com/2015/09/09/media/w ... index.html

According to the stories coming out, up to 50 TWC staff are on the line now;
no indication how many are on-air vs. behind the scenes.

http://thevane.gawker.com/weather-chann ... 1729587260

These parts are the most telling:

The channel shared a detailed plan with staffers on Wednesday morning.
About 50 of the channel's 1,400 employees will be leaving.

The plan calls for a singular focus "on our unique strength -- and that is the weather."

That means paring back its original programming investments (shows like "Prospectors" and "Fat Guys in the Woods")
and lifestyle coverage. The priority is essential, live weather coverage --
particularly during periods of severe weather -- and local information.
"It's going to cost more money to do longer hours of live, so we have to be more efficient about it."

Wednesday's shakeup is a direct result of discussions with distributors,
advertisers and audience focus groups.

Overall TV spending will be reduced as well. Kenny said "we're now a technology company
that owns a TV channel, not a TV company."

So the big irony now is that they're finally waking up from this long, strange experiment
that turned them into the "Almost Anything But Weather Channel", and sound like they're going
to head back to their roots, but in order to do so, they're getting ready to gut the talent
that can help them do that. Do more with less, in other words.

Have to wonder what TWC will look like 1 year from now...More weather, but probably
few familiar faces. It sounds like, as the saying goes -- no one is safe





.

Another article has the full memo to staff.
http://www.adweek.com/tvnewser/layoffs- ... nel/271433

Key notes from the memo,
"We will now produce the entire weekday morning block (5am – 10am ET weekdays) in Atlanta, as the NYC studio has simply become cost-prohibitive. We are excited to welcome Stephanie Abrams back to Atlanta to be a key part of this new integrated morning team. " "WUWA’s last show will be October 2."
"Starting on November 2nd, Sam Champion will move off of AMHQ"

It's probably going to look a lot more like WeatherNation when they are done cutting - and I personally find that channel a little dull.

I see Sam Champion is history also

Champion will get some kind of prime time show with them. AMHQ is done.

Adweek Article

But what about the ladies like Alex Wilson, Kait Parker, Maria LaRosa, and Jen Carfagno? They'll most likely to stay put.

I would think part-timers like Bonnie Schneider are vulnerable
And Domenica Davis was just hired
Would they tell her, "Not so fast"

Wow. Saw Domenica last month on Early Today. Maybe that was why she was moved to TWC because it is still NBC owned. Odd to move her there after others were let go. it explains Bill Karins doing Early Today now. Also killing off the New York studio means the end to Dylan Dreyer's recent fill ins on WUWA. Might as well have been Domenica if she was going to be moved to TWC.

Just glad to see Steph is going to still be around.

TWC will keep then on a string as long as they can. Several are pretty much retired, but available to fill shifts as day workers. Sort of like substitute teachers.

TWC needs the added depth for the next time there are puddles in Florida and they send most of their talent out into the field to brave the horrors of luxury hotels and air conditioned broadcast trucks, while trampling private property and common sense with reckless abandon.

Of all those ladies, Jen has the most to worry about maybe Maria.

I would agree about Jen. She has increased her on-air time massively and pushed Kait Parker off of the Monday/Tuesday 10AM show. At one pount last month, I think she appeared seven days in a row. I suspect Maria is safe because of her push for weather forecasts for mothers.

Good to see them back only in Atlanta. No reason at all why they can't go back to the old successful format which is 24/7 weather with sexy presenters. As an FYI in Atlanta there are a lot of ex weather babes still around. I would expect all the NYC based folks to be gone and potentially some rehires of previously retired staff.

I think Jen will be safe and maybe Kelly will be brought back FTE.

Another article.
Gossip or fact,I know not.

http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainmen ... -1.2356308

It's almost hilarious that the plan to fix the ratings is rolling back most of the changes that were implemented with hopes of increasing the ratings.

If it ain't broke don't fix it. The early 2000's hurricane boom especially 2005 with 31 depressions, 7 major hurricanes, and the last topical system not dissipating until the 1st week of 2006 all of which led to TWC becoming a victim of its own success.

People have always tuned in when the weather gets bad. Without severe weather coverage to fill out the programming schedule the focus shifted to fear mongering about climate change. It doesn't matter what side of the scientific argument John Q Public is on. Apparently people tuning in for a weather forecast only want to hear if it's going to rain tomorrow.

Landmark media unloaded TWC while it could get a high price.

To justify the $$$ spent to purchase TWC NBCU has tried airing everything but weather to increase ad revenue. If people want reality shows there's 100 other channels they'll stop on before thinking to check the WEATHER channel.

I suspect most of the cuts will be the production staff in NYC.

I think we'll see something similar to Weather Nation with more shiny lights, and some bells and whistles.

maybe they can rehire the legendary Cheryl Lemke considered by many to be the greatest weather channel meteorologist of all times

I hope all gorgeous the weather ladies are kept on board - especially Kait Parker -


But I have to admit, the channel was just overloaded with nonsense. As a weather-watcher and such, I'm gad they are cleaning things up, to be honest.


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If something happens to Kait Parker (unless it is her choice), I will never watch the Weather Channel ever again.

Bring babe my original weather babe, the beautiful and sexy Jill Brown