| Ratings wars are raging among local television networks as changing consumer viewing habits, Web-based news and the shift to on-line advertising threaten the very existence of morning and evening news programs. Winning this war is especially critical since virtually all station owner profits come from local news programming. In this new environment, stations are seeking new ways to reduce costs. For example, on-air talent represents a large cost for a news program. To improve efficiencies and reduce costs, many networks are adopting new technologies that enable one newscaster to deliver both traffic and weather reports. Clear information and visually-compelling graphics powered by real-time traffic flow data, combined with easy to understand information enables news producers to easily combine these functions.
Working with new on-air traffic application providers like Weather Central, Inc., SigAlert.com, and others, SpeedInfo’s accurate real-time information, and fast delivery of comprehensive coverage is helping to change the traffic newscast of the past. Our data service provides comprehensive coverage of the important commute, travel and economic corridors of most interest to viewers. We focus on the average speeds on the roadway across the entire network not camera pictures from a few locations that provide limited value for assessing condition and almost no advantage for the effect on travel times. SpeedInfo’s sensors provide accurate-to-the-minute information for an entire metropolitan area under any weather conditions. Unlike traffic helicopters, we are never grounded. |
