CIGNAL,
the Philippines’ fastest growing satellite TV provider and TV5 sister
company, will launch the Weather Information Network (WIN) – the
country’s
first dedicated 24/7 weather and public information channel. The launch
is opportune as the country prepares for the onset of the rainy season
which according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and
Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) starts
the middle of May this year.
PAGASA
Chief Dr. Nathaniel Servando singled out TV5 and lauded its commitment
to improving weather news broadcasting, “TV5’s continuing improvement in
their weather broadcasting system and closer cooperation with PAGASA
will contribute significantly to the reduction of damages and casualties
due to severe weather events.” “The longstanding collaboration between
PAGASA and the media, TV5 in particular has
served the public very well specially during extreme weather events by
communication accurate weather information in a timely and prudent
manner to the public,” he added.
TV5
invested heavily in developing its weather news broadcast capability by
partnering with METRA, the world’s number 1 weather news service and
recognized
provider of weather products and services, such as graphical rendition
of weather updates for use by its media and other industry clients.
METRA is New Zealand’s privately owned meteorological service and is a
member of the UN World Meteorological Organization.
It has over a hundred clients in Asia, Europe, the Middle East, North
America and Australia. Multinational corporations, such as those
involved in energy, infrastructure, retail and food services, use METRA
to fine tune its operations in order to maximize
profits and minimize loss.
TV5
has been giving detailed weather information through its Aksyon Weather
Center since 2010. Now, using METRA’s advanced computer based weather
visualization
system and information from PAGASA, TV5 can now make weather updates
easily understandable to the laymen audiences – gone are the days of a
static map and grainy black and white satellite photo.
With
METRA provided graphics, TV5 can now tell the weather story visually
and better than anyone in the Philippine broadcast industry. Full color
and full
motion graphics can show projected storm tracks, wind direction, rain
volume and water conditions. Apart from giving the general overview of
Philippine weather, TV5 is able to do fly – bys of regional and
provincial weather as well as niche weather updates,
such as beach resorts, shipping and seven day forecasts.
PAGASA,
along with the AGHAM Partylist and the Philippine Meteorology Society,
noted the highly visual, easily understandable weather updates. “What
News5
is doing is not just utilizing pretty faces or wacky personalities is
very helpful para maintindihan ng mga tao ang kahalagahan ng isang
weather bulletin o ng isang weather report,” Palmones said. “Magandang
effort ito para maintindihan ng mga tao kung ano
ang kahalagahan ng meteorology program by understanding yung pagbabago n
gating panahon through weather reporting,” Palmones added, “Magpatuloy
yung mga innovation ng ginagawa so that makatulong ng husto ang pagunawa
ng publiko sa kahalagahan ng weather updates.”
For
non-Cignal subscribers, relevant and up-to-date weather reports will
still be possible through TV5’s free-to-all platforms such as TV5,
Aksyon TV,
Radyo Singko and InterAksyon.com’s weather updates.
Cignal,
the country’s largest direct-to-home satellite TV provider with over
250,000 subscribers, has earlier launched its own living magazine
channel
Colours and sports channel Hyper last April. It also unveiled
additional HD channels – making it the premiere pay TV provider with the
most HD channels nationwide.
TV5 Network Press Release
