Weather and natural phenomena have the potential to severely impact the lives of thousands in our societies. So, monitoring them closely is important, in order to predict their evolution and issue warnings. The Weather Channel is a well-known source for this kind of information, transmitting weather forecasts and coverage of weather phenomena 24 hours a day.
Now, news show a network’s novelty which is an innovative and creative approach to data obtainment. They will use Snapwise’s uCiC app platform to source weather videos and photos from across the United States. This increases The Weather Channel’s set of tools, engaging the viewers by asking them to submit videos of how weather events are affecting them.
An Innovative Source of Information
The Weather Channel has several affiliates, including The Weather Channel HD, The Weather Channel On Demand, Weatherscan and Local Now. They are references when it comes to providing local and national weather coverage, with regular scheduled programming and live news updates.
In order to provide this kind of information, meteorologists use direct satellite feeds, weather stations, and partner organizations. By adding uCiC’s platform, the report of latest weather developments can come from everyone using the app. Freddy Flaxman, COO of The Weather Channel, explains why this is important:
“Our mission is to provide Americans with accurate and comprehensive coverage of current and forecasted weather events. With uCiC, we are now making it easier than ever for our viewers to share their story on air. They can send in videos of how weather events affect their lives and their neighborhood.”
uCiC, a CES Winner
uCiC (pronounced ‘you see I see’) is a mobile app for Android and iOS. It allows users to pick any location in the world and directly talk with someone present at that location. The choice is made with the app’s world map, and the conversation happens via videos, photos and instant messaging.
This app won the 2015 CES Mobile Apps Showdown, an important recognition of its model’s validity. With the long distance question-and-answer nature of uCiC interactions, The Weather Channel can instantly reach its viewers and obtain real-time videos and info of weather across the country.
Harleen Kaur, CEO of Snapwise, believes this partnership will be beneficial for both sides, saying:
“The human element really matters. Empowering The Weather Channel’s large and active audience with the ability to send in videos will generate a rich set of content for both the network and uCiC.”