All weather, all the time
With weather a top draw of Internet news seekers, the Weather Channel launches a round-the-clock news section on its Web site.
The news section is part of a larger effort by the company to turn its Weather.com site into a niche portal, said Todd Walrath, senior vice president of online services at the Weather Channel.
In addition to news stories and national forecasts, the site offers travel advisories, local and international forecasts, and weather reports targeting sports enthusiasts such as skiers and golfers.
"We are trying to be the most comprehensive and engaging weather site on the Internet," Walrath said.
A recent survey by the Pew Research Center indicated that weather news is the most popular destination for Internet news seekers, with some 64 percent of them using the Web for weather news.
Walrath said the site plans to update its coverage every two hours. To meet that goal, the Weather Channel has hired ten reporters to write for Weather.com. Walrath said the site will supplement its own content with help from the company's cable station and wire feeds.