The First Review on the New Fox Weather

Yesterday, Fox launched their new streaming service Fox Weather.

FTVLive did not watch any of it and we have yet to download the app (which many people did).

But, a seasoned TV Weatherperson did watch and shared their review of Day 1.

“First off, if this is truly designed for an iPhone or mobile device for this app-based wx product, they've designed their graphics for TV, complete with supers and what looks like a ticker, at times. On a 55" LCD screen it'd look fine and as one would expect a finely polished FOX product. BUT, on my 5" iphone screen, my not-so-young anymore eyes can barely see what equates to a size 4 font shrunk down for the small screen.

Second, they've obviously put SERIOUS cash into this thing and have the full production value one would expect of a cable channel. They've invested in talent from NYC (Amy Freeze) and other top locations. They may be saving money on a few of the people they sourced from the mid-markets, but there's clearly some backing for a full-effort product.

Read my lips: this is NOT meant to be a stand-alone app. It's clearly designed for a cable carrier to pickup as an alternative to TWC or WxNation and they'd be stupid not to pursue that. Their online video news product, 'FOX News NOW' doesn't work for cable TV because it is redundant to FOX News Network. But FOX doesn't have a dedicated wx product... just a few mets who they'll bring on their main network in a hurricane or snow storm. (Rick, etc). I can't see how this property could make enough money to sustain with only a few hundred viewers nationwide at any one time.

Third: very few people using an app and getting their weather from a phone will watch long-form weather or worse -- sit through their "TV" (app) commercials. They're targeting a traditional TV audience (which means an older crowd who still participates in watching long-form TV). 99% of app users seeking weather info are spending 10-15sec looking at the weekend outlook and radar. They don't care about the weather in Missouri if they live in Delaware or Texas. BUT, I digress: this clearly was never going to be an app-exclusive thing. Clearly they're staging it in an app but with all their producers, directors, graphics and talent, it's meant for cable TV carriers. Better yet, they should carry it on a digital sub-channel for all their FOX O&O's. 26.1 may have FOX 26, but 26.2 has FOX Weather.

Finally... a word about their talent. Not to denigrate anyone there, but I can't decide if Nick Kosir (the dancing weatherman) is being sincere or sarcastic! He's giving me a tornado warning but I can't tell if he's going to start dancing... or if the coverage gets long-winded ... "tap" dancing.”