Weather news is considered a top priority for viewers. Stations have responded by investing heavily in the latest technology to showcase their commitment.
Yet, a simpler and less expensive option exists to accomplish the same goal. Its use demonstrates your commitment to viewer satisfaction.
Why not run a forecast driven weather crawl throughout the news program?
What’s the purpose in making viewers wait for information they consider a priority?
The forecast driven weather crawl would display:
- wakeup forecast
- next day forecast
- 5-7 day forecast
- current temperature (showcase local points of interest)
The current temperature bug that is widely is too limited in meeting the real demand for weather news. The forecast driven weather crawl contains the details that viewers require.
The disadvantage? Some would argue it eliminates the need to watch the weather segment. The crawl provides all the key information.
This argument places the interests of the station above those of its viewers. That approach comes across as short-sighted.
Today you need to create and seize every competitive advantage.
The advantage?
Customer satisfaction of the highest order. Viewers get the information they want in the most convenient fashion. No waiting. No need to deal with a rigid schedule.
Any business attuned to fulfilling customer desires stands to succeed.
Gone are the days when viewers had to adjust their schedules to fit yours. So many options today give the audience alternatives. You lose viewers when you fail to meet expectations.
You recognize that weather news is a priority for viewers. Give it to them in a way that shows you acknowledge that importance.
A parallel exists in the cable sports arena.
Look how well the crawl concept works for ESPN’s SportsCenter. This highlight program uses a crawl to give the latest scores and news throughout the telecast. Nothing is held back to protect stories that run later in the program.
Satisfying the viewer’s hunger for information takes top priority at ESPN. Consider it one of the keys to its success.
You can do the same at your station. Make weather news accessible and “on demand” during your newscasts. Use the forecast driven weather crawl. Demonstrate that you’re fully attuned to what your viewers want most.
They’ll reward you for doing so.
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