New weather world. When CBS4 weather chief Ed Greene, right, popped the professional question to news honcho Tim Wieland, Wieland was fairly sure the veteran Greene had lost his mind.
Put the entire weather forecast within the first 10 minutes of the 10 p.m. newscast? No way! Way.
Wieland, who took the idea upstairs to general manager Walt DeHaven, started warming up to the notion, and last week, First 4cast debuted.
“For as long as I can remember, we have always at every local television station done the weather at 10:18 (p.m.),” Wieland said. “Ultimately, it’s to string (viewers) along to make them wait for what they want. In reality, viewers have way more choices to find weather when they want it.”
To beef up his argument, Greene did some research to support his position. “Everybody’s got Doppler and everything else. What’s left to promote?” Greene said. “This is what they’re screaming for — why don’t we give it to them?”
