History of The Weather Channel in Timeline
The Weather Channel (TWC) is an American pay television channel providing weather forecasts, news, analysis, documentaries, and weather-related entertainment. Launched in 1982 and headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, it is owned by Weather Group, LLC, a subsidiary of Allen Media Group. A former sister network, Weatherscan, offered automated local forecasts before its shutdown in December 2022. TWC also produces weathercasts for other networks like CBS News and RFD-TV.
July 18, 1980: The Weather Channel Founded
On July 18, 1980, The Weather Channel was founded by John Coleman and Frank Batten.
May 2, 1982: The Weather Channel Launch
On May 2, 1982, The Weather Channel was launched, broadcasting weather forecasts, weather-related news, and analysis.
1982: First Broadcasts
Bill Keneely appeared on the network's first broadcasts in 1982.
1996: Logo Revision
In 1996, The Weather Channel's logo was revised; the corners became less rounded, and the logo became slightly flat.
1999: weather.com URL Added to Logo
In 1999, the weather.com URL text was permanently added underneath The Weather Channel logo.
2000: Release of The Perfect Storm
In 2000, The Perfect Storm was released. It was the first movie that The Weather Channel broadcasted.
2000: Introduction of Long-Form Programming
In 2000, The Weather Channel began incorporating weather-related original programming, referred to as "long-form programming," marking a shift from its exclusive focus on weather forecasts.
2000: Creation of Atmospheres
In 2000, The Weather Channel created the series Atmospheres.
2002: Forecasting Relocation
Beginning in 2002, all of The Weather Channel's forecasting operations were consolidated on-site in Atlanta.
2003: Creation of Storm Stories
In 2003, The Weather Channel created the series Storm Stories.
2003: Potential Site Development Stall
Some of The Weather Channel's websites that provide localized forecasts in other countries may not have developed since 2003.
August 15, 2005: Logo Overhaul
On August 15, 2005, the Weather Channel's logo was overhauled to a straight-edged square with the text "The Weather Channel" oriented in title-case and left-justified.
2006: Local on the 8s Promo
From 2006, each Local on the 8s forecast segment had usually been preceded by a promo for one of the Weather Channel's programs or services
October 1, 2007: HD Programming Premiere
On October 1, 2007, Epic Conditions and WeatherVentures became the first two programs on The Weather Channel to be presented in HD.
2007: 25th Anniversary Logo
In 2007, The Weather Channel used a 25th-anniversary logo featuring a white square edged in blue connected to the current logo with the text "25 YEARS" inside it in blue.
January 3, 2008: Landmark Communications puts the Weather Channel up for sale
On January 3, 2008, Landmark Communications put the Weather Channel and its assets up for sale.
June 2, 2008: HD Studio Programming
On June 2, 2008, TWC began broadcasting studio programming in high definition with the introduction of a new studio.
July 6, 2008: NBC Universal, Bain Capital, and Blackstone Group agree to purchase The Weather Channel
On July 6, 2008, NBC Universal, Bain Capital, and Blackstone Group agreed to jointly purchase The Weather Channel from Landmark.
September 12, 2008: Sale of The Weather Channel Finalized
On September 12, 2008, the sale of The Weather Channel to NBC Universal, Bain Capital, and Blackstone Group was finalized.
November 2008: Weather Channel Layoffs
Beginning in November 2008, The Weather Channel began laying off long-time on-camera meteorologists.
2008: Participation in "Green is Universal" Campaign
In 2008, The Weather Channel, after being acquired by NBCUniversal, began participating in the "Green is Universal" campaign twice a year, changing its logo to a shade of green to promote environmental conservation.
February 2009: Continued Layoffs at the Weather Channel
In February 2009, The Weather Channel continued laying off long-time on-camera meteorologists.
May 2009: NBC Weather Plus Meteorologist Joins TWC
In May 2009, Todd Santos, a former NBC Weather Plus meteorologist, joined The Weather Channel.
September 10, 2009: Death of Frank Batten
On September 10, 2009, Frank Batten, co-founder of The Weather Channel, passed away.
September 29, 2009: DirecTV Carries "Local on the 8s" in HD
On September 29, 2009, DirecTV began carrying the "Local on the 8s" segment in HD via an app on set-top boxes.
October 30, 2009: Airing of Weather-Related Movies Begins
On October 30, 2009, The Weather Channel began airing weather-related movies on Friday nights, starting with "The Perfect Storm", which caused some controversy with longtime viewers.
December 2009: Weekly Movies Discontinued
After December 2009, the weekly movies were discontinued temporarily, and were replaced by Weather Center
2009: Mike Kelly appointed CEO
In the summer of 2009, Mike Kelly was appointed CEO of the Weather Channel.
March 26, 2010: "Flick and a Forecast" Resumes
On March 26, 2010, the Friday night film block resumed under the title "Flick and a Forecast", co-hosted by Jen Carfagno and Touré, featuring the documentary "Into Thin Air: Deaths on Everest".
April 2010: Tornado Outbreak Programming Snafu
During an April 2010 tornado outbreak, a scheduled movie was aired instead of severe weather coverage, contributing to the cancellation of the "Flick and a Forecast" movie block.
May 20, 2010: Dish Network Drops Weather Channel
On May 20, 2010, Dish Network announced it would drop The Weather Channel due to a carriage dispute over rates and programming format, replacing it with the Weather Cast.
May 24, 2010: New Carriage Agreement Reached with Dish Network
On May 24, 2010, The Weather Channel announced a new multi-year carriage agreement with Dish Network, averting the channel's removal and leading to the cessation of Weather Cast operations.
May 31, 2010: Cancellation of "Flick and a Forecast"
On May 31, 2010, The Weather Channel decided to cancel the "Flick and a Forecast" movie block, due to viewer criticism and a programming snafu during a tornado outbreak in April 2010.
July 2010: Bill Keneely Termination
In July 2010, The Weather Channel terminated Bill Keneely, the last of the original on-camera meteorologists from the network's first broadcasts.
July 2010: IntelliStar 2 Officially Released
In July 2010, the IntelliStar 2, the seventh-generation STAR system and first to generate graphical weather data in HD, was officially released. It included modifications such as an animated Lower Display Line and a Vocal Local narration track by Jim Cantore.
January 2012: David Kenny Appointed CEO
In January 2012, David Kenny became the chief executive officer of The Weather Channel, replacing Mike Kelly.
July 2012: The Weather Company Purchases Weather Underground
In July 2012, The Weather Company purchased the competing weather website Weather Underground to bolster its digital growth.
September 2012: AccuWeather Replaces TWC as USA Today's Forecast Provider
In September 2012, AccuWeather replaced The Weather Channel as the forecast provider for USA Today.
November 7, 2012: NWS Refuses to Recognize TWC's Winter Storm Names
On November 7, 2012, the National Weather Service announced it would not recognize The Weather Channel's names for winter storms, stating that it "does not use the name of winter storms in its products."
November 2012: First Winter Storm Named by TWC: Athena
In November 2012, The Weather Channel named its first winter storm, Athena, a nor'easter that hit the East Coast of the United States.
2012: Nicole Mitchell Lawsuit
In 2012, Nicole Mitchell filed a lawsuit against The Weather Channel, alleging wrongful termination.
2012: The Weather Company Name Change and Purchase of Weather Underground
In 2012, The Weather Channel's holding company changed its name to The Weather Company and purchased Weather Underground.
2012: The Weather Channel Begins Naming Winter Storms
In the fall of 2012, The Weather Channel started naming major winter storm systems to raise awareness and make it easier for the public to follow and discuss storm information. This decision, however, was met with criticism, with some accusing the channel of hyping winter weather.
November 12, 2013: Local on the 8s Intro Segment
On November 12, 2013, the Local on the 8s promo segment was replaced by an intro that was built into the segment.
November 2013: "Weather All the Time" Initiative
In November 2013, The Weather Channel introduced a "weather all the time" initiative, emphasizing weather-related subjects and promising to interrupt programming during major weather events.
December 16, 2013: DirecTV Begins Carrying WeatherNation TV
On December 16, 2013, DirecTV began carrying WeatherNation TV as a replacement for The Weather Channel amid carriage disputes.
2013: The Weather Channel Names 26 Winter Storms
During the 2013-14 season, The Weather Channel named 26 winter storms, including Atlas, Boreas, Cleon, Dion, Electra, Falco, Gemini, Hercules, Ion, Janus, Kronos, Leon, Maximus, Nika, Orion, Pax, Seneca, Titan, Ulysses, Vulcan, Wiley, Xenia, Yona, and Zephyr.
2013: Peak Household Reach
In 2013, The Weather Channel reached its peak availability of 101 million pay television households in the United States.
January 6, 2014: Discontinuation of TWC Max
On January 6, 2014, The Weather Channel discontinued its ad-free pay version of its mobile app, TWC Max, in favor of an all ad-supported model.
January 14, 2014: DirecTV Removes Weather Channel
On January 14, 2014, DirecTV removed The Weather Channel from its lineup after failing to reach a new carriage agreement, marking the first time a major provider dropped the channel.
April 8, 2014: Settlement Reached with DirecTV
On April 8, 2014, The Weather Channel and DirecTV settled on a new agreement, with the provider restoring the channel the following day. TWC agreed to reduce the amount of reality programming in response to subscriber feedback.
April 2014: Dave Schwartz Returns to TWC
In April 2014, Dave Schwartz returned to The Weather Channel after being laid off previously.
May 2, 2014: Return of Local Weather Content on DirecTV
On May 2, 2014, access to local weather content using the red button feature returned to DirecTV subscribers after the channel was restored.
2014: Red Logo for Hurricane and Tornado Coverage
Since 2014, The Weather Channel has utilized a red-colored version of its logo during hurricane coverage and severe tornado outbreaks.
March 10, 2015: Verizon FiOS Drops The Weather Channel
On March 10, 2015, Verizon FiOS replaced The Weather Channel and Weatherscan with AccuWeather.
July 2015: weather.com Popularity
As of July 2015, weather.com was rated as a highly visited website globally.
August 2015: IntelliStar 2 on Standard Definition Channels
As of August 2015, some providers like Comcast started using the IntelliStar 2 on standard definition channels in certain locations.
August 2015: Sale Considerations
In August 2015, reports surfaced that The Weather Company's owners were considering a sale of all or part of the venture.
September 9, 2015: Programming Schedule Overhaul Announced
On September 9, 2015, The Weather Channel announced a phased overhaul of its programming schedule to refocus on forecast-based content.
October 28, 2015: IBM to Acquire Weather Company Assets
On October 28, 2015, IBM announced its acquisition of most of The Weather Company's assets, including weather.com and Weather Underground.
January 2016: weather.com Sold to IBM
In January 2016, the website weather.com and most of The Weather Channel's digital assets were sold to IBM.
April 1, 2016: Status of Frontier FiOS Customers Unknown
As of April 1, 2016, the impact on Frontier FiOS customers in clusters formerly served by Verizon, including those recently acquired from California, Texas, and Florida, was unknown after Verizon FiOS dropped the Weather Channel.
July 30, 2016: Dave Schwartz Death
On July 30, 2016, Dave Schwartz died of cancer.
August 2016: Sinclair Broadcast Group Interest
In August 2016, reports surfaced that Sinclair Broadcast Group had expressed interest in acquiring ownership of The Weather Channel.
2016: Programming Schedule Shift
In 2016, The Weather Channel began shifting its focus towards a forecast-based lineup, cancelling Wake Up with Al.
2016: The Weather Channel Simulcast on SiriusXM
In 2016, The Weather Channel began simulcasting on SiriusXM during storms.
2016: Refocus on Weather-Based Programs
In 2016, The Weather Channel refocused on weather-based programs, ceasing original long-form programming and reducing the television channel's budget.
March 22, 2018: Entertainment Studios Acquires Weather Channel
On March 22, 2018, Byron Allen's Entertainment Studios announced its acquisition of The Weather Channel's television assets.
April 2018: Local on the 8s Air Time
As of April 2018, the Local on the 8s segment airs at approximately :18 past each hour.
September 2018: Household Reach
As of September 2018, The Weather Channel was available to approximately 79.128 million households in the United States.
April 18, 2019: Malicious Software Attack
On April 18, 2019, The Weather Channel experienced a "malicious software attack" that temporarily disrupted live programming.
June 24, 2019: The Weather Channel Returns to Verizon FiOS
On June 24, 2019, The Weather Channel, under Entertainment Studios ownership, returned to Verizon FiOS lineups after a four-year absence, marking a new agreement between the two companies.
2021: Partnership with YouTube TV
In 2021, The Weather Channel partnered with YouTube TV, marking its return to channel lineups within Frontier FiOS's customer footprint.
March 28, 2022: Content Partnership with CBS News Announced
On March 28, 2022, TWC announced a content partnership with CBS News to provide weather reports and collaborate on investigative journalism.
May 2, 2022: Launch of Weather Channel en Español on Local Now
On May 2, 2022, the Weather Channel en Español launched on Local Now, coinciding with TWC's 40th anniversary.
May 2022: New App Launch
In May 2022, The Weather Channel launched a new direct-to-consumer subscription-based app on its 40th birthday.
December 12, 2022: Weatherscan Shutdown
On December 12, 2022, Weatherscan, The Weather Channel's sister network that provided 24-hour automated local forecasts, was officially shut down.
2022: Most Trustworthy Media Organization
According to a 2022 poll, Americans regarded The Weather Channel as the most trustworthy media organization.
July 11, 2023: Local on the 8s Music Change
On July 11, 2023, the music for Local on the 8s was replaced with band and jazz music.
August 2023: IBM to sell weather unit
In August 2023, IBM announced it will be selling its weather unit and the Weather Channel's subsidiaries and apps to the Francisco Partners.
November 2023: Household Reach
As of November 2023, The Weather Channel's availability decreased to approximately 68 million pay television households in the United States.
2023: weloveweather.tv Shutdown
In 2023, weloveweather.tv, previously used by The Weather Channel as a television operation website, was shut down.
October 9, 2024: Controversy Over Weather Channel Ad Featuring Keffiyeh
On October 9, 2024, The Weather Channel faced controversy after a Twitter account, @StopAntisemites, criticized an advertisement featuring a woman wearing a Palestinian keffiyeh, falsely claiming it was a hate symbol. This led to demands for the ad's withdrawal, sparking debate about cultural symbols and political tensions.
December 31, 2024: Weather Channel en Español Ceases Programming on Charter Spectrum
It was confirmed that on December 31, 2024, The Weather Channel en Español will cease programming on Charter Spectrum.
January 2025: Centralization of Local Weather Coverage
In January 2025, Allen Media Group announced plans to centralize local weather coverage from TWC's Atlanta studios, leading to planned layoffs of local meteorologists.
January 23, 2025: Decision to Maintain Some Local Meteorologists
On January 23, 2025, Allen Media Group decided to maintain some of its local meteorologists following feedback and criticism over the announcement.
