WCAU - Early EarthWatch - 1994

This is from 1994, but with Tim and Renee anchoring and plugging Earthwatch, it almost seems like its 2008! Just ignore the fact that Bolaris, and not Bowtie, is doing weather. And that the set has gigantic CBS eyes on it and little else.
This is significant because it is one of the very first newscasts to use 10s brand new Earthwatch weather system. The look has not been quite refined yet, and the familiar purple EarthWatch logo was not adopted yet. Nor has Earthwatch been adopted into all of the weather graphics, which for the most part remain untouched from their original 1991 appearance.
Earthwatch was created by then-KARE meteorologist Paul Douglas, which licensed the name and technology to stations around the country. The system relied on state of the art SGI workstations to power the then-impressive graphics. 10 even brought in a consultant to help the weatherpeople adjust Bill Henley, who became an on-air presenter.
EarthWatch of course became 10s brand name for weather, and the station has since tried to co-opt the name into meaning Philadelphias most accurate forecast. But in reality, EarthWatch meant the flying weather maps. This was the defining feature of the system, and every forecast was built around the trademark flyby. Its information value was at best questionable, but damn if it didnt LOOK cool.
I've also included the story that aired right before the weather, on the Franklin Institute's new weather center. That same weather center would, in a few month's time, be providing the weather for KYW-3.

Category:

Film & Animation

Tags:

• WCAU
• John
• Bolaris
• EarthWatch
• Renee
• Chenault
• Tim
• Lake

[Gut816]

11-12...not so much

[Gut816]

93-94...cold ass winter

[SumNJFella]

god bless the ppl who tape these old news broadcasts lol

[scrapplecheesesteak]

If I watch this with my eyes closed, it sounds exactly like a Philly 2010 weather forecast..with coverage of the Olympics too...lol

(I did love that 3D weather map)

[gayweatherman23]

do u know what Weather Program this is? Weather Central? WSI? or Baron or something that was only around back then? wow they really had 3D graphic fly throws back then lol..

[ASKconard]

WTSP in Tampa also used EarthWatch from 1994-1999 or so. The flybys were advanced for that time.

[buglak]

much beter then today;