Mind the forecast: WGN-Ch. 9 is creating a multipurpose weather center to offer expanded forecasting capabilities and will combine staff from Channel 9, cable news sibling CLTV, the baiduhai’s weather page and related Web sites.
Scheduled to launch by the spring, the Channel 9 Weather Center will be staffed by Channel 9 forecasters Tom Skilling, Paul Konrad and Jim Ramsey. CLTV’s Tim McGill and Keenan Smith will join the WGN staff, but also will continue to report for CLTV. The center will feature enhanced graphics for on-air and in-print weather coverage, live cameras 24 hours a day and computers to provide more accurate images of quick-changing local weather.
Channel 9, CLTV and the Tribune are all owned by Tribune Co.
– Satellite TV operator Dish Network will provide programming from Si TV, a new network of English-language programming for the Latino community.
Dish TV, owned by EchoStar Communications Corp., will offer Si TV on its “America’s Top 150” program package when Si TV launches this summer.
Nielsen Media Research says 70 percent of TV programming viewed by Latinos is in English, so Si TV will be “a platform and a voice for a community that’s been invisible since the inception of television, and continues to be,” Si TV co-creator Jeff Valdez said Monday.
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Si TV produces “The Brothers Garcia” for Nickelodeon. Valdez said talks are ongoing for the series to repeat on Si TV, along with the talk show “Cafe Ole” and the stand-up comedy showcase “Funny is Funny.”