Our Focus Founded in 1996, Weather Metrics
began providing television stations with weather sensors for on-air use. Our products have evolved through the years but regardless what the function, all Weather Metrics products have a few things in common. It is our goal to ensure every one of our high quality products is effortless to operate, exceeds on-air expectations and generates revenue for each station. Weather Metrics customers are assisted by the world-class support staff that operates 24/7/365 ensuring any questions can be answered at a moments notice and that stations are never off-air. The elite sales and marketing team ensures you are always on top of the latest innovations Weather Metrics has to offer. Though our products continue to evolve and develop, our mission remains the same: Provide customers with cost-effective solutions that meet their specific needs, provide superior customer service and technical support while offering products and solutions that deliver a high ROI with creative advertising sponsorships.
Our Products
FlexChannel™ is a fully automated
“digital channel in a box” solution that integrates information, data and new revenue streams from multiple sources to generate a turnkey main, digital, cable or mobile TV channel. Stations can easily extend their local brand and build new revenue streams using FlexChannel. Viewers are brought to your channel by creating engaging, hyper-local programming coupled with numerous opportunities for local information and advertising which were previously the domain of newspapers, such as real estate listings, obituaries and classified advertising. FlexChannel appeals to all types of advertisers, big and small alike. Non-traditional and “New to TV” advertisers are drawn by targeted sponsorship opportunities. Traditional advertisers find that the system still allows for :30 and :60 second commercial spots. Any or all of these options can be used to create the perfect combination for your viewers. FlexChannel is reliable with a eight year proven track record in the industry. The first generation system went on-air in 2004 and stations have been entrusting their digital tier programming to FlexChannel ever since. Weather Metrics constantly strives to improve the system to ensure your station stays on the cutting edge.
WeatherVision™ is an affordable,
100% digital, HD-quality tower camera system designed to deliver live video from remote locations and is built specifically for the exacting demands of the broadcast industry. The camera system comes equipped with patented software that includes “video on demand” timelapse capabilities and “store & forward” video technology for saving bandwidth. The camera system comes equipped with software designed specifically for the broadcast industry with the ability to access the cameras in four ways: • live video • buffered video • on-demand timelapse video • still frame images By adding a weather station to the WeatherVision package, you can integrate live weather data for on-air broadcast. These weather stations can be remotely located across the city and even broadcast back from mobile stations. All of these combined resources reinforce your station as the local weather leader.
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On-Air. Online. On Your Mobile Device.
FlexChannel Suite™ FlexChannel is fully
automated and requires less than 10 hours a month of station personnel time to maintain.
AUTOMATED INFORMATION The automated FlexChannel system displays a variety of information sources at one time — instantly giving viewers the live data and information they want 24 hours a day.
Additional FlexChannel Suite Products
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FlexChannel Lite™
FlexChannel Mobile™
Flex WebApps™
FlexChannel Lite provides the graphical capabilities available with the FlexChannel system, without the full “channel in a box” interface. FlexChannel Lite is typically combined with the Flex WebApps to show obituary listings, real estate listings or classified advertising on stations main channels during commercial breaks, during the newscast, or on digital channels. FlexChannel Lite is an automated graphics processing system requiring minimal work on the part of the TV station.
Brings the proven reliability of the FlexChannel “channel in a box” solution to the mobile TV platform. FlexChannel Mobile provides a turnkey information channel with multiple unique advertising opportunities. It includes a commercial insertion system with a 200+ hour 360 Systems Digital Video Server, a traffic/billing, automation system with a variety of pricing options including no up-front capital.
Provides a hosted, turnkey website targeted to generate revenue from non-traditional TV markets, including: obituary listings, real estate listings and classified advertising. The websites include a portal for the advertisers to log into and a billing interface that automatically bills the advertisers via credit card, e-check or traditional billing. The station keeps 100% of the revenue from these web platforms and they can be tied together with FlexChannel or FlexChannel Lite to show the content on your main or on your digital tier channels. These new to TV advertisers provide a re-occurring revenue stream for the television industry.
ENHANCE THE EXPERIENCE
Flex WebApps Flex WebApps are the link
between your station website and your main, digital or mobile channel. Flex WebApps embrace your site’s current branding and becomes the base from which new revenue streams are incorporated on your channel. Flex WebApps allow your station to become the market leader in local information.
Obituary Flex WebApp Example All Flex WebApps, including real estate and classifieds, have a similar workflow.
FLEXCHANNEL
public website A custom website that extends your station branding and look is provided and can be integrated with your existing station website. Choose to use the Remembers.com URL or custom URL. You may elect to include advertising on any page within the site. Personal pages follow when a person’s name is clicked and can include multiple pictures and videos.
Interface Pushes Online to On-Air Broadcast obituaries with your station branding and presentation style. Choose to air full screen or in a selected location on the screen. Obituaries can be aired all day, during commercial breaks or during selected day parts. How and when these are shown is fully up to you.
Each Flex WebApp Includes: Complete Branded Station Web Site for Obituaries, Classifieds or Real Estate Optional Interface for all Data to be Pushed On-Air
Confirmation Page Adding an Obituary Funeral Home Administration Portal The Registered funeral homes are provided with a username and password for logging into the site. After logging into the site, the funeral home can access the funeral home console with a variety of options.
Funeral homes add and manage obituaries through the “Add an Obituary Panel”. Funeral homes are given the option to manually enter the obituary information or automatically populate it from an automated XML/ RSS feed they already have.
Once the obituary is completed a preview page and a confirmation page appear allowing the funeral home to go back and make any necessary changes. The confirmation page can also print an invoice that the funeral home can provide the family. This will include any necessary fees.
Station Administration Pages Flex WebApps allow your station to have a customized login page where multiple users from your station can manage active funeral homes, view reports and billing records and add/remote/edit funeral home information. Admin users can also customize default rates and view a wide variety of reports and statistics available. A master station account can be activated to oversee all user administration privileges at the station for security and quality control.
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Beyond Weather足
FLEXCHANNEL
Create Any Channel with Any Content
Local News, Weather & Traffic
We now live in a world with a 24 hour news cycle. More people are turning to the internet for their information outside of local TV newscasts. FlexChannel allows stations to provide news, weather and a variety of local information to viewers 24/7. Repurpose newscasts, traffic reports and weather segments for a fully automated, and fully local, digital subchannel.
Local Living
The possibilities of channel styles is unlimited with FlexChannel. FlexChannel can help you reach yet another segment of the population. Combine lifestyle, health and fitness content with local calendar and event information to create the ultimate local living channel. You can also partner with local newspapers, magazines and business journals for content to build upon your local brand.
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Business, Economy & Finance
Build a local channel that targets the hardto-reach demographic of hardworking business executives. The channel can be comprised of local and national economic news, stocks, real estate, job listings and much more. FlexChannel can incorporate all types of data feeds so you can build the perfect channel. Through strategic partnerships with local banks, stock brokers, real estate agencies, etc, the channel can be seen by thousands of local executives daily in their lobbies, at their desks or even in their living rooms.
Real Estate
YOUR CHANNEL. YOUR CHOICE.
Use as many or as few
data sources as you would like and change content as often as you would like. Schedule news in the morning, real estate at noon and live radar traffic for the drive home. live video & recorded video neighborhood weather networks internet-delivered images and video (weather cams, dot traffic cams, etc) graphic & animated files live & looped radar station website xml rss feeds nws severe weather alerts
Create a local real estate channel effortlessly sponsored by an individual real estate company or a number of different realtors. Traditionally not known for television advertising, FlexChannel creates a dedicated location for Realtors and agencies to promote their properties. No need for you or the agents to spend precious time entering in property descriptions. FlexChannel pulls content directly from the MLS and builds a fully automated real estate channel. The Flex WebApps take this a step farther by incorporating an automated web page that seamless integrates with your existing website and on-air.
Obituaries
As newspaper readership continues to fall, obituary listings are exposed to increasingly smaller audiences. While newspapers continue to cut back, television is perfectly poised to fill the void left by newspapers and capture the revenue stream from obituaries. With FlexChannel, television stations are able to generate revenue by automatically uploading local obituaries into a dedicated obituary channel or combine the obituaries with any other channel concept. You can also create a fully integrated web page for obituaries that will tie together your channel and your existing web page using the Flex WebApps feature. The obituary channel can do something no print publication in the country can do by airing tribute videos created by the funeral homes.
Weddings & Local Announcements
FlexChannel is “content agnostic�, allowing stations to combine any type of information that satisfies viewers needs into a totally unique channel. Wedding announcements and local events calendars have most traditionally been the domain of newspapers. Your current website may already have a section for this information but if not, Flex WebApps is the answer. Flex WebApps provide you with a turnkey web page with your station branding and seamlessly joins your existing site, new Local Announcements page and your main or digital channel. 7
Revenue Generating
Traditional and Non-traditional With multiple options
for revenue generation, FlexChannel is extremely adaptable to each market and each station’s unique viewers. Stations can mix and match revenue models to best fit their needs. Weather Metrics can assist you in creating a customized sponsorship package. Every station and market is different Contact a Weather Metrics team member today for a FlexChannel ROI Calculator. Use data from your market to see what your ROI could be.
30/60 SECOND ADVERTISERS
Television commercials
are the traditional foundation of television advertising. As with spots on your main channel clients buy weekly or monthly packages based on spot counts. On your digital tier channel however, the per spot cost is lower and becomes more attractive to business who may have previously viewed television advertising as too expensive. Assume: • :30 second spots per hour = 28 • Available :30 second spots/month = 20,176
Tabbed Crawl Sponsors
Advertisers sponsor a tab with corresponding
content.
Assume: • 5 sponsorship positions • $850 per monthly sponsorship Monthly revenue = $4,250 Annual revenue = $51,000
• Cost per :30 second spot = $1 Monthly revenue = $20,176 Annual revenue = $242,112 Sell $500 monthly packages to 40 clients or $1,000 monthly packages to 20 clients
Obituary Listings Real Estate Listings
Create demand with limited positions. Allow only the top 10 agents/brokers to show properties on first come, first served basis at $1,000 per month. For a more robust platform, Flex WebApps incorporate proprietary technology that interfaces with your existing website.
No longer relegated only to a brief mention in the newspaper, television obituaries can incorporate video along with the tribute information. Viewers can see the obituary on-air or on your website with Flex WebApps. Assume:
Monthly revenue: $10,000
• $100 per listing
Annual revenue: $120,000
• 100 listings per month Monthly revenue = $10,000 Annual Revenue = $120,000
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RESOURCES & RELIABILITY
Captivating Channel with Minimal Station Involvement RELIABILITY
The FlexChannel system is automated and so reliable that most stations spend less than 10
hours a month with any scheduling or programming. This can save the station a significant amount of money as well since the system does not require a dedicated engineer or programmer to operate. Each FlexChannel station is also assigned a member of the Weather Metrics FlexChannel support team. These team members are on call 24 hours a day to assist with any problems or questions.
RESOURCES
FlexChannel provides many resources to save your
station time and money. Easy Billing System
as run logs
• built-in automated trafficking system
An As Run Log can be provided for any or all segments on the screen and can be incorporated into your existing trafficking system.
• contains a 250 hour video server for content and commercials and provides “as run” logs to make billing easier
Severe weather includes FCC compliant, 99 parameter severe weather crawl system that is capable of automatically generating custom crawl messages for your viewers based on the National Weather Service's weather alerts and forecasts.
FCC Compliance • can adjust to full screen for children’s programming if necessary • contains an integrated severe weather crawl system (eas) • closed captioning pass through
Turnkey Solution – No Assembly Required
Support
• installation, service and maintenance provided by trained weather metrics professionals
• FlexChannel software and hardware support
• FlexChannel master control system
• on-site training at installation
• 200 hour 360 Systems Digital Video Server
• free replacement parts • on-site installation • free software upgrades and updates
• 16 port video switcher • severe weather software • 24/7 trafficking system
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Beyond expectations
WeatherVision™ Each WeatherVision system arrives
as a turnkey package that includes everything necessary to quickly install and implement each camera. There are no hidden fees or costs for additional equipment. The WeatherVision package includes: • 100% HD-quality digital video cameras • computer hardware • software package • installation kit • wiring • roof mount • optional weather station The WeatherVision HD platform allows for the output of the live, buffered or timelapse video from anywhere in your viewing area in stunning HD quality. Weather Metrics unique software and hardware combination allows for HD video output without the high cost of dedicated Internet connections typically required for HD video.
weathervision™ data
Live weather sensors
can be added to WeatherVision cameras to display live weather data with the video from the remote sites. The WeatherVision weather sensors are the only sensors in the industry able to deliver wind speed/direction, temperature, humidity, barometric pressure and rainfall from a sensor the size of a coffee can without any moving parts.
Multiple Broadcast Platforms
WeatherVision
cameras send video over existing standard DSL or cable modems. This allows multiple video/image streams to multiple live sources like: • main channel during newscasts • digital and cable channels • websites • mobile devices
ON-DEMAND TIMELAPSE VIDEO
In addition
to providing live, broadcast-quality video, WeatherVision archives 48 hours of timelapse images in the system. Stations with a WeatherVision camera system no longer have to plan ahead to capture timelapse video. On demand, the system allows you to display a timelapse for any given time period in the previous 48 hours.
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RAIN, SHINE OR DARK OF NIGHT
WeatherVision Varying Conditions
Hopkinsville, KY Churchill Downs
WeatherVision can capture beautiful shots like this early morning practice before the Kentucky Derby, even when the lighting conditions are less than ideal for other cameras.
April 2, 2006 A 300-yard wide tornado was dramatically backlit by lightning at night and was clearly visible in a single frame.
WEATHERVISION™
Marshall, Texas
A camera in KTAL's network captured the festive holiday spirit of the Old Harrison County Courthouse in Marshall, TX. WeatherVision cameras work in the bright sunlight or with a few strands of holiday lights.
Clearwater Beach, FL WFLA uses WeatherVision cameras to highlight the diminishing rays of sunset over the Sandpearl Resort.
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configuration
WeatherVision Hardware Setup No Moving Parts for Cameras or Weather Sensors high reliability lower total cost of ownership due to reduced maintenance national weather service quality weather data 100% digital HD quality video
WeatherVision Options
The WeatherVision camera system can provide a Pan/Tilt/Zoom option. With the ability to pan 360° and zoom up to 15X, the cameras can provide stunning video from anywhere in the viewing area to cover news and weather events like never before.
WEATHERVISION™
Cable Junction Box sealed and corrosion proof all cables meet in the junction box for easy access only three cables for all instruments, power and digital video
Non-Pentrating Roof Mount ease of installation no modification to roof required wind rated to 120 mph weight platforms for weighting in high wind locations
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Hinged Mounting Pole quickly replace instruments single person replacement only four bolts to remove
WeatherVision™ Revenue
Create the Perfect Sponsorship Model WeatherVision™ cameras
are used nationwide to feature weather, traffic and local events. Each camera provides a unique sponsorship opportunity for your local businesses.
Camera Network Sponsors With a network of cameras across your viewing area, you can sell the sponsorship rights for all the cameras to one sponsor. As the sole sponsor, the local business has its logo prominently displayed whenever the cameras are shown.
Location Sponsors Camera sponsorships can also be sold to businesses that are actually shown in the shot. A camera can be located to face the sponsor business and prominently display their logo while also featuring the weather, traffic or other areas of interest.
Special Events The WeatherVision cameras are easy to install and can be moved to highlight and emphasize special events. Place cameras in locations for concerts, fashion shows, state and local fairs, construction progress, etc and sell sponsorships for each camera for just the duration of the event. Single Camera Sponsors Combine Sponsors Types of sponsorships can also be combined to maximize revenue potential. One business can sponsor the entire network while smaller businesses sponsor individual cameras.
Instead of selling the entire network of cameras to one sponsor, each camera becomes a smaller sponsorship opportunity. These single camera sponsorships are typically more affordable and attract new businesses that would not have been interested in a whole network sponsorship.
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Local television station requests access to growing weather sensor network. WM develops broadcast WM First fully specific “live, introduces City automated weather real-time” weather Weather.Net On-Air station designed products. System, first in broadcast specifically for Turfgrass industry to display real-time industry deployed by WM. data from multiple weather TurfWatch leads both the stations on live television. Turfgrass and Weather System integrates live Industries with unique weather information technologies with existing station graphics.
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Partnership with Hughes Network Systems weather station units produces first V-Sat weather stations in industry and allows transmission of live, real-time weather data from locations without access to cellular or land-line phone service. First install of real-time weather monitoring equipment in Canada by private television stations in partnership with GLOBAL TV.
1998
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WM becomes first in industry to deploy 100% digital still frame camera network allowing local television stations to capture real-time images and display on-air with live weather data.
0 WM introduces its “digital channel in a box”, 24x7 Weather.Net at IBC 2002
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First US company to deploy cellular communication WM protocol to transmit founded by live, real-time weather principal owner observations back to centralized Peter Levy. New technology provides datacenter. accurate, real-time weather data and becomes first company to display live data from multiple sites, on-air, simultaneously.
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WEATHER METRICS HISTORY
Timeline 2004 WxVisionData.Net introduced to integrate live, real-time weather data and live video for onair display using single SDI output.
0 201
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FUTURE Commitment to continued innovation
NAB 2010, WM introduces FlexChannel, the next generation of 24x7 Channel. Net with enhanced capabilities for integrating information, data and new revenue streams from multiple sources a turnkey digital, cable and/or mobile TV channel.
WM launches third generation of 24x7 Channel. Net System.
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WxVision.Net cameras deployed internationally in strategic locations throughout globe.
WM becomes first in industry to employ “mega-pixel” HD quality, IP based camera technology. WxVision.Net System incorporates second generation camera coupled with optimized on-air, digital, HD display system.
2006
WM becomes first in the world to use specific 100% digital camera with proprietary compression technology for broadcast industry. Camera allows for storage of 48 hours of timelapse images, records and sends HD video file with minimal delay improved on-air display and video use on internet.
First station in nation goes on-air with 100% automated 24x7 Weather.Net on their D2 channel.
WM launches Flex Web Apps, providing fully-automated website to display local information on FlexChannel system from variety of sources including real estate listings, obituary listings and classified advertising.
Camera compression efficiency maximized allowing for use of shared bandwidth concept, eliminating need for dedicated internet connection. Using 24x7 Channel. Net, WM becomes first to allow display of obituaries and real estate information on digital tier enhancing station revenue generation options.
YEARS OF INNOVATION
Our History Peter Levy founded
Weather Metrics after spending over two decades in the golf course construction industry. His vision developed technology to aid in water/chemical conservation for the Turfgrass Industry. The creation was a fully integrated computer contained within the weather station capable industry specific weather and turf calculations. A local television station requested access to the ever growing network of weather sensors. The newly formed Weather Metrics team immediately got to work to improve how the weather data was transmitted. Weather Metrics soon became the first company in the US to transmit weather data via wireless protocols. Realizing the need in the broadcast industry for high quality meteorological sensors, Weather Metrics launched City Weather.Net™ in 1998 and has never looked back. New products have been continually introduced over the past 14 years to better assist the ever changing needs of television stations nationwide. As the new decade continues, Weather Metrics has once again improved on its products once more by introducing the FlexChannel Suite. FlexChannel expands on the capabilities of the previous system for integrating information, data and new revenue streams and incorporates multiple data sources into a digital, cable or mobile TV channel with turnkey functionality. FlexChannel unites with the new Flex WebApps to pull information from a variety of sources including real estate, obituaries and classified. The end product is a fully automated web page creation and channel display platform aimed at providing valuable content to viewers and new revenue for stations.
Weather Metrics 800.393.6629 11100 W 91st Street Overland Park, Kansas 66214 www.weathermetrics.com