Communicating to National Lay- Publics A Private Sector Perspective Melissa Tuttle Carr, The Weather...

Communicating to Communicating to National Lay-PublicsNational Lay-PublicsA Private Sector PerspectiveA Private Sector Perspective

Melissa Tuttle Carr, The Weather Melissa Tuttle Carr, The Weather ChannelChannel

What do we know about the What do we know about the public?public?

We have learned a lot… but there is always We have learned a lot… but there is always more to discover and understand!more to discover and understand!

Will first talk in general terms, about all Will first talk in general terms, about all platforms at The Weather Channel platforms at The Weather Channel

Companies (TWCC)…Companies (TWCC)… Including ‘passive’:Including ‘passive’:

– TWC NetworkTWC Network– ‘‘Local on the 8s’Local on the 8s’– WeatherscanWeatherscan- Radio NetworkRadio Network

And interactive:And interactive:– Web (weather.com)Web (weather.com)– MobileMobile– DesktopDesktop

… … And then will address a few key And then will address a few key points specific to certain platformspoints specific to certain platforms

Questions #1 and #2Questions #1 and #2

What key challenges do you face trying What key challenges do you face trying to effectively communicate weather to effectively communicate weather information to a broad, diverse information to a broad, diverse audience?audience?

What lessons have you personally What lessons have you personally learned (e.g., about communicating learned (e.g., about communicating better, about what your audience wants better, about what your audience wants or understands)?or understands)?

Challenges/Lessons Learned: All TWCC Challenges/Lessons Learned: All TWCC PlatformsPlatforms

1. Diversity in viewer/user knowledge, 1. Diversity in viewer/user knowledge, background, and educationbackground, and education

• Of those surveyed at TWCC, this was the Of those surveyed at TWCC, this was the most-mentioned challengemost-mentioned challenge

• This is most difficult on ‘passive’ This is most difficult on ‘passive’ applicationsapplications

• Interactive applications can sometimes Interactive applications can sometimes offer different levels of informationoffer different levels of information


2. Relevance2. Relevance• What is the person’s situation?What is the person’s situation?• Why do they want weather Why do they want weather

information?information?• What weather information do they What weather information do they

want?want?


3. Spatial Resolution3. Spatial Resolution

• Some people wantSome people want

“ “weather in their backyard”weather in their backyard” A sub-set of those people realize that they don’t A sub-set of those people realize that they don’t

want or don’t understand that information when want or don’t understand that information when they get itthey get it

• Others have no desire to see weather on Others have no desire to see weather on that local of a scalethat local of a scale

• The severity of this challenge varies greatly The severity of this challenge varies greatly across platforms.across platforms.


4. Consistency across platforms4. Consistency across platforms

• People may get their weather information People may get their weather information from TV, radio, internet, mobile phone, from TV, radio, internet, mobile phone, desktop, or any combination of these.desktop, or any combination of these.

• Must have consistency in how we present Must have consistency in how we present weather information across platforms, so weather information across platforms, so as to not confuse the user.as to not confuse the user.


5. Using information from the public 5. Using information from the public sectorsector

• We greatly value our partnership with the We greatly value our partnership with the National Weather Service and rely on the National Weather Service and rely on the products they provideproducts they provide

• However, the products don’t always However, the products don’t always naturally fit our needs across all of our naturally fit our needs across all of our platforms (bulletins)platforms (bulletins)

Challenges/Lessons LearnedChallenges/Lessons LearnedSpecific Platforms: ‘Passive’ MediaSpecific Platforms: ‘Passive’ Media

• The Weather Channel NetworkThe Weather Channel Networko Trust of On-Camera MeteorologistsTrust of On-Camera Meteorologistso Coverage of entire United StatesCoverage of entire United Stateso Time constraintsTime constraints

• Local on the 8s/Weatherscan (Satellite Local on the 8s/Weatherscan (Satellite Transponder Addressable Receiver - STAR Transponder Addressable Receiver - STAR technology)technology)o Increase in geographical area each STAR coversIncrease in geographical area each STAR coverso Cable affiliate wants/needs vs. that of the viewersCable affiliate wants/needs vs. that of the viewers

• RadioRadioo Audio-only; not a visual mediumAudio-only; not a visual mediumo Time constraintsTime constraints

Challenges/Lessons LearnedChallenges/Lessons LearnedSpecific Platforms: Interactive MediaSpecific Platforms: Interactive Media

• MobileMobileo Getting the word outGetting the word outo Size and resolution of screenSize and resolution of screeno Different phones = different technologyDifferent phones = different technology

• DesktopDesktopo Information needs toInformation needs to be “glanceable”be “glanceable”

http://www.weather.com/services/desktop.html

Question #3Question #3

What do you see as the main What do you see as the main opportunities or needs for change opportunities or needs for change (especially if there’s something (especially if there’s something WAS*ISers can do!)?WAS*ISers can do!)?

Main Opportunity for Main Opportunity for Change…Change…

Better collaboration and Better collaboration and communication between public and communication between public and private sectorsprivate sectors

WAS*IS: A step in the right direction!


Bulletins are the biggest opportunity for Bulletins are the biggest opportunity for improvementimprovement

We best serve our audience by tailoring the We best serve our audience by tailoring the bulletin to the platform, but we must develop bulletin to the platform, but we must develop technology to give us what we need. technology to give us what we need. Examples:Examples: Parsing just the key information for display on Parsing just the key information for display on

mobile phones (phenomena, location, expiration)mobile phones (phenomena, location, expiration) Scrolling only the crucial information from Hurricane Scrolling only the crucial information from Hurricane

Local Statement bulletins on the network (taking out Local Statement bulletins on the network (taking out repeated info, the Saffir-Simpson scale, history on repeated info, the Saffir-Simpson scale, history on prior storms)prior storms)

National Weather Service CAP (Common Alertings Protocol) feed example from weather.gov/alerts


Through our research and our work to best serve Through our research and our work to best serve our customers’ needs, we often see areas for our customers’ needs, we often see areas for improvement of productsimprovement of products

Need to open lines of communication and work Need to open lines of communication and work on collaboration between private and public on collaboration between private and public sector: Proactively share thoughts, ideas, needs sector: Proactively share thoughts, ideas, needs and work together to ensure products will meet and work together to ensure products will meet everyone’s needs!everyone’s needs!

Speed of change in public sector is often too slow Speed of change in public sector is often too slow for today’s pace of business; this can be difficult for today’s pace of business; this can be difficult for private sectorfor private sector

Any Questions?Any Questions?

http://www.sip.ucar.edu/wasis/index.jsp

Communicating to National Lay- Publics A Private Sector Perspective Melissa Tuttle Carr, The Weather...

Documents

Transcript of Communicating to National Lay- Publics A Private Sector Perspective Melissa Tuttle Carr, The Weather...