chrelevator 28 Posted August 14, 2013 Share Posted August 14, 2013 This morning a friend of mine pointed out an ad on CBSBaltimore.com showing WJZ's new Mobile Weather lab. Notice that they're using the same vehicle wrap that the other O&Os have been using for their mobile weather labs, plus their using a different version of the logo on the front of the vehicle. I just find this interesting since WJZ has done everything they can to stay away from the O&O look, but it's now on their Mobile Weather Lab. Thoughts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sanewsguy 509 Posted August 14, 2013 Share Posted August 14, 2013 Here's what I think: they're the last O&O IIRC to get the mobile wx lab. They just went with the default design. You can tell by the ad too nothing's changing anytime soon, since they are using that ugly Impact font on the ad. As far as the logo is concerned, they also use it on their chopper and I've seen it in their gfx pack a couple of times. Don't expect anything to change as long as K. C. Robertson is their CSD... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rusty Muck 4160 Posted August 14, 2013 Share Posted August 14, 2013 This morning a friend of mine pointed out an ad on CBSBaltimore.com showing WJZ's new Mobile Weather lab. Notice that they're using the same vehicle wrap that the other O&Os have been using for their mobile weather labs, plus their using a different version of the logo on the front of the vehicle. I just find this interesting since WJZ has done everything they can to stay away from the O&O look, but it's now on their Mobile Weather Lab. Thoughts? If only WJZ could revert the "13" back to the original Group W typeface (KPIX managed to do so). The current 13 just has never looked quite right. This probably was one of a few things that WJZ couldn't be exempt from (the standardized "CBSLocal" website is another), which considering how they **have** managed to keep both Chroma Cues and their defiantly non-O&O graphics packs, it's still pretty remarkable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrelevator 28 Posted August 14, 2013 Author Share Posted August 14, 2013 Here's what I think: they're the last O&O IIRC to get the mobile wx lab. Not quite. KDKA doesn't have a mobile weather lab, and I don't think they'll ever get one (they claim to now have a "Mobile Sports Lab" or something, but I think it's just a Ford TransitConnect van with the KDKA/CW logos all over it, nothing special really). I can't see any of their meteorologists traveling out to some remote location to do what they currently do in-studio. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sanewsguy 509 Posted August 14, 2013 Share Posted August 14, 2013 Slightly off topic but I wish they would get the O&O gfx and update Chroma Cues (the current cuts date from 1997) and a new set (1998) too. As long as Robertson is there nothing's going to change unfortunately... Although they finally refer to their site as cbsbaltimore.com on air which I was shocked when I saw that they started doing that. I always thought they would keep calling it wjz.com on the air. Guess not... Replying to chrelevator, can't quote as I'm typing this from my phone. I could've sworn KDKA had their own mobile wx lab. I guess not. I know WOAI here has one of these (the Storm Tracker 4 Mobile Storm Chaser) but I've never seen them use it for anything other than an extra live truck. If anything these are just advertising machines for CBS and the stations probably just use them as an additional live truck no less. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrtraveler01 737 Posted August 14, 2013 Share Posted August 14, 2013 Not quite. KDKA doesn't have a mobile weather lab, and I don't think they'll ever get one (they claim to now have a "Mobile Sports Lab" or something, but I think it's just a Ford TransitConnect van with the KDKA/CW logos all over it, nothing special really). I can't see any of their meteorologists traveling out to some remote location to do what they currently do in-studio. That doesn't make sense to me. Even KPIX and KCBS have one and the only extreme weather they get is rain. I think KDKA should get one, it would come in pretty handy when winter time comes around. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Country News 435 Posted August 14, 2013 Share Posted August 14, 2013 The 'Mobile Weather Lab' format works best for markets that have severe weather often, such as KTVT, KCNC, and WFOR (Tornadoes, Winter Storms, and Hurricanes). I just don't see why markets like sunny San Fran or calm LA would need it.* *Other than Good Ol' Fashioned Advertising! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrelevator 28 Posted August 14, 2013 Author Share Posted August 14, 2013 The only *severe* weather we ever get here is a snowstorm, and unless KDKA got a weather lab with 4 wheel drive, it wouldn't help them very much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rusty Muck 4160 Posted August 15, 2013 Share Posted August 15, 2013 The 'Mobile Weather Lab' format works best for markets that have severe weather often, such as KTVT, KCNC, and WFOR (Tornadoes, Winter Storms, and Hurricanes). I just don't see why markets like sunny San Fran or calm LA would need it.* *Other than Good Ol' Fashioned Advertising! The only real hazards in San Francisco or Los Angeles, quite frankly, are excessive smog and earthquakes. And those vehicles would be pretty much useless in either circumstance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A3N 996 Posted August 15, 2013 Share Posted August 15, 2013 The only real hazards in San Francisco or Los Angeles, quite frankly, are excessive smog and earthquakes. And those vehicles would be pretty much useless in either circumstance. Well the SF Bay Area gets almost twice as much rain compared to SoCal, but its a stretch calling it severe weather. SoCal does get plenty of wildfires so I guess it would come in handy for the times that we get Santa Anas, but again it's a stretch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WCAUTVNBC10 408 Posted August 16, 2013 Share Posted August 16, 2013 They work well in markets in the north east that are susceptible to just about any kind of weather. At the end of the day though it's all just a way to score some easy sponsorship revenue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
groupwfan 95 Posted August 16, 2013 Share Posted August 16, 2013 WJZ's Group W sister up north along I95, KYW, have a Audi A7 crossover for the Mobile WX Lab. ;JZ's got a Chevy Suburban MWXL just like WCBS. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rusty Muck 4160 Posted August 16, 2013 Share Posted August 16, 2013 Although they finally refer to their site as cbsbaltimore.com on air which I was shocked when I saw that they started doing that. I always thought they would keep calling it wjz.com on the air. Guess not... So they actually retired this monumentally illegal ID? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sanewsguy 509 Posted August 16, 2013 Share Posted August 16, 2013 So they actually retired this monumentally illegal ID? I don't know about that. I just know that know the anchors point viewers "to our website, cbsbaltimore.com" instead of "wjz.com". They very well could have just replaced the wjz.com reference in the open with the cbsbaltimore.com one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ToriElectra 291 Posted August 17, 2013 Share Posted August 17, 2013 I agree, they need a new, well, everything. New cuts of music (the current cuts are gonna start going rotten and start to emit fumes at some point :ack: ), a new set (their current one is probably infested with termites now), and, yes, the O&O graphics (though no mandate, and they bring back the original 13, albeit colored gold), although they could modify the colors to red and yellow like their logo (WLNY and KCAL use a blue and gold version, so why can't WJZ customize their graphics?), and instead of the Eye, it's a spinning 13 (again, since they're so far apart from the rest of the group). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElliotJones 52 Posted August 22, 2013 Share Posted August 22, 2013 They work well in markets in the north east that are susceptible to just about any kind of weather. At the end of the day though it's all just a way to score some easy sponsorship revenue. That's all it is, really. There's a reason they're sponsored by X area Y dealers. It really doesn't matter what type of vehicle it is, as long as they can stick a transmitter, a weather station, and a plasma in it. If the sales department is smart, they'll sponsor the at-location segments, too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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