The Weather Channel

FROM OUR EDITORS

The Barnes & Noble Review
Considering that The Weather Channel is widely acknowledged to be one of cable television's strongest brands, it's surprising to hear that two decades ago the company's birth was almost universally met with dismissive groans and derisive jokes. To celebrate the triumphant 20-year anniversary of his brainchild, Frank Batten, former CEO and chairman of Landmark Communications, Inc. (the corporate owner of The Weather Channel), chronicles the conception, growth, and maturation of the network in this terrifically written and superbly entertaining book.

Batten begins his story with a brief history of Landmark Communications, Inc., the Virginia-based media empire of newspapers and radio stations, which, way back in the '60s, was also one of the first companies to perceive the value of the budding cable TV industry. One of Landmark's aspirations was to establish a nationwide cable network in the style of CNN or ESPN, a dream that was eventually realized when Batten partnered with ABC weatherman John Coleman. In today's high-tech wonderland, it's hard to imagine the horse-and-buggy days of early cable, but this book vividly recalls those times, especially in a charming and suspenseful retelling of the frenzied hours leading up to The Weather Channel's official launch on May 2, 1982. In a tale that itself could easily become the stuff of television drama, Batten recalls how his team faced the prospect of showing their colleagues and investors screens of static until an anonymous handyman pitched in and saved them from total disaster. I won't say any more, because this section of the book is too much fun to be paraphrased: You really need to read it for yourself!

If you are a weather junkie, there's much information here about how forecasting has become a technologically sophisticated field, and as a bonus, a sprightly epilogue explains how a typical weathercast is put together and potentially dangerous onsite segments are made. And, students of leadership or entrepreneurship will certainly appreciate Batten's many insights into risk taking, dealing with clashing egos, and good managerial technique. (Holly McGuire)

Holly McGuire is a book editor and consultant based in Chicago, Illinois.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

"Twenty years ago, who'd have believed that millions of viewers would follow the twists and turns of storms developing across the globe with the rapt attention once reserved for thriller movies? That a single television channel could simultaneously inform and entertain us, enrich our lives and, at times, help save them?" This is the story of The Weather Channel, a cable network that succeeded when almost all the experts predicted it would fail. Told by one of the key figures in the network's success, former Chairman and CEO Frank Batten, this is at once a deeply personal account of high-stakes entrepreneurship and a fascinating case study of a media business both experiencing and driving major change.

FROM THE CRITICS

Publishers Weekly

With the recent spate of books documenting the failure of hundreds of Internet startups, it's refreshing to read about the successful launch of a business in what was once a fledgling industry itself: cable television. The Weather Channel was born on May 2, 1982, less than two years after Good Morning America weatherman John Coleman brought his idea about a 24-hour channel dedicated to nothing but weather to Frank Batten, then chairman of Landmark Communications. In his comprehensive account of the channel's history, Batten details the many financial, technical and management obstacles the Landmark team overcame to get the service on the air and keep it there until it became profitable. As documented by Batten, the Weather Channel reached its low point in mid-1983 when, racked by losses, Landmark came within days of shutting down the operation, only to be saved by the cable system operators who agreed to pay subscriber fees to keep the service running. Given some breathing room, the Weather Channel steadily improved its programming and technology and, as Batten acknowledges, rode the wave of the explosive growth of cable television to the point where in 2000 the Weather Channel generated revenues of $320 million and attracted millions of loyal viewers. While the Weather Channel encountered some stormy times, its ultimate success proves that a sound business concept, hard work and a little luck can turn an idea into a national institution. Batten's book offers valuable business lessons that many entrepreneurs can learn from. 23 color photos. (May 2) Forecast: This is one of HBS Press's lead titles (with a planned 75,000 first printing), and the house is pouring $100,000 into an ad/promo campaign. If the press properly markets it to business travelers, entrepreneurs and commerce-minded Weather Channel viewers, their skies will be sunny. Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information.

Booknews

Batten, a retired chairman and CEO of the private media company that owns The Weather Channel, tells the story of a cable network that succeeded despite the dire predictions of experts, offering a glimpse of the world of high-stakes entrepreneurship and a case study of a media business experiencing and driving major change. Color photos are included. Cruikshank has written numerous business books. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Soundview Executive Book Summaries

24 Hours of Weather: A Cable Success Story
Critics once scoffed at the idea of a 24-hour channel solely dedicated to the weather. Now, The Weather Channel is celebrating its 20th anniversary, and with its 85 million subscribers - one of only 12 cable networks to have such a large audience - it currently reaches 95 percent of the total cable universe.

In The Weather Channel, author Frank Batten, the founder of The Weather Channel and the recently retired chairman of Landmark Communications (the company that launched The Weather Channel) offers a personal account of the entrepreneurship that created this media force.

Opportunities and Problems
Batten describes the twists and turns that took his start-up from an idea that flirted with failure; stumbled through a problematic national launch; and struggled with numerous personnel, human resource and financial setbacks to emerge as one of the strongest brands in the media business. Batten, who is no. 158 on Forbes Magazine's 2001 "Richest Americans" list, illustrates the power of a resourceful growth strategy and details the steps that took a small, private newspaper company into the cable industry in its infancy and led it to success. While describing his company's journey, Batten provides colorful, real-life examples of the problems, opportunities, risks and solutions encountered by start-up ventures.

Building the Technology Base
The concept of The Weather Channel sprang from the mind of Good Morning America's then-weatherman John Coleman, and traveled through the brains of several captains of industry before it took root in the plans of Batten. His description of its developmentincludes the ratings, advertising sales and audience decisions that shaped the network from inception to launch.

Among the most important tasks at hand at this time was the building of the technology base that would drive The Weather Channel to success. This infrastructure, built around the coordination of video, cable and satellite technology, also included changing the way the National Weather Service did business.

With introspective hindsight, Batten describes the aspects of his decisions that he believes made his new venture work - and those that didn't. He provides his readers with the insights of a leader who made crucial choices, including several mistakes, and was able to manage emerging technology into a successful business.

First Steps of the New Enterprise
Batten's entrepreneurial tales of planning and execution offer business development lessons that can be applied to any start-up looking for a vision of how it can be done - and the struggles that occur before a new company flies toward projected returns.

Battling design flaws, technical scares, morale problems and huge operating costs from the beginning, Batten and his staff scrambled to keep their new venture afloat in a storm of setbacks and errors. On top of all this, the legal problems between Landmark Communications and John Coleman add an intense human element to the back-stage, high-stakes struggles that took place during The Weather Channel's first few tense years.

The saga that created The Weather Channel's success includes sales strategies that bypassed agencies, international distribution decisions, continuous improvement and the development of a respected Internet site. Along the way, Batten professes the importance of engaging corporate managers in articulating an organization's purposes and goals, and developing mission statements to foster communication and cooperation among diverse parts of an organization.

Why Soundview Likes This Book
The Weather Channel delivers a compelling story as told by the man who created a powerful brand and business. Batten's candor and down-to-earth eloquence take an inspirational success story and infuse it with timely wisdom that should no be overlooked. His drive, perseverance and leadership abilities combine to make a great story that contains the intrigue of a novel, but offers the strength of a true tale of amazine accomplishment. Copyright (c) 2002 Soundview Executive Book Summaries

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