Flick and a Forecast
| Flick and a Forecast | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| Production | |
| Production locations | Atlanta, Georgia |
| Running time | Length of movie showcased |
| Release | |
| Original network | The Weather Channel |
| Picture format | NTSC HDTV 1080i |
| Original release | October 30, 2009–December 2009 (unnamed) March 26, 2010–May 31, 2010 (as Flick and a Forecast) |
Flick and a Forecast was a controversial programming block on The Weather Channel that featured movies related to weather in various degrees. The block aired from October 30, 2009 to December 2009 without a name and from March 26, 2010 to May 31, 2010 with the name. The block was widely denounced, both in and outside The Weather Channel's fandom, for straying from the network's name and purpose and replacing what should have been critical live coverage of severe weather.
Early history
The introduction of Flick and a Forecast was part of a larger controversial movement by the network towards longform entertainment programming, which still continues to this day. However, the block's beginning could be pinpointed as the beginning of the network's 2010-2013 shift towards longform programming that only minimally related to weather (i.e. Coast Guard Alaska, Ice Pilots, Turbine Cowboys, etc.), since some of the movies shown had little to do with weather. Additionally, only two years prior, The Weather Channel was bought by a consortium of companies, primarily NBCUniversal. The block began, at this point nameless, on October 30, 2009, with a broadcast of The Perfect Storm. The films were to be shown weekly on Friday nights. The block was halted in December of the same year to make room for Weather Center's normal primetime broadcast at that time. However, the block returned on March 26, 2010 with the Flick and a Forecast name.
Controversy
The existence of the block and the network's willingness to show movies that had little to do with the weather caused many longtime viewers, personalities, and cable/satellite operators to express disdain.
The Weather Channel executives at the time attempted to defend the network's shift towards entertainment programming, including the movie block, claiming that most viewers positively responded to the programming shift.[1]
April 30, 2010 tornado outbreak incident
The most controversial event that happened during the existence of Flick and a Forecast occurred on April 30, 2010, amid a tornado outbreak affecting a large area from Michigan to Arkansas. The outbreak was preceded by a rare high risk day threat level issued by the Storm Prediction Center. That night, the network, despite having told Jim Cantore in particular that the block's airing of The Avengers (1998) would be cancelled in favor of storm coverage, made a decision to show the film anyhow.[2] In replying to a viewer who expressed frustration at the decision to carry on with the film, Cantore replied, "You’re not alone."[2]
Dish Network incident and aftermath
The controversy surrounding Flick and a Forecast was part of Dish Network's reasoning for replacing The Weather Channel on its lineup with The Weather Cast, a short-lived competitor that was the predecessor to WeatherNation, on May 20, 2010. However, just days later on May 24, Dish and TWC reached an agreement to return the channel to the lineup, killing off The Weather Cast in the process. Flick and a Forecast was officially cancelled on May 31, 2010, just days after The Weather Channel's fight with Dish Network. In November 2011, The Weather Channel abandoned its trademark for the block's brand name.[3]
In January 2023, over a decade after—and in spite of—the failure of Flick and a Forecast, TWC premiered a new film block under the name "Winter Moviefest," with the first film shown being Only The Brave (2017). The Block was canceled a couple of days later because of the blocks failure.
References
- ↑ Stelter, Brian (May 21, 2010). "Just Weather, Thanks, Dish Tells Channel". New York Times. Retrieved November 5, 2021.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ 2.0 2.1 Cantore, Jim [@jimcantore] (30 April 2010). "I want to apollogize to all of you. I was SEVERELY mislead. Was told we were bagging the "movie" to do what this network was created for" (Tweet). Retrieved 5 November 2021 – via Twitter.
- ↑ "FLICK AND A FORECAST Trademark". Alter. Retrieved July 18, 2022.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
External links
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IWPrsRSce9U - Flick and a Forecast promo