eNews rolls out new weather graphics

Cape Town – eNews, the news division of e.tv, will roll out hyper-advanced weather graphics on Monday at 19:00 across all the broadcaster's news platforms on the African continent.

The news division is also very hard at work to create a 24-hour, online weather service.

The major upgrade on eNews' weather presentation will feature 3D rendering and much more on-screen information.

"We have sourced the best forecasting tools to respond as quickly as the weather changes," said Derek van Dam, e.tv's chief meteorologist.

"It brings the weather to our fingertips. Our new 3D modelling creates the most realistic, most detailed weather representation on television which is easy to read, and easy to understand, and engaging to watch."

The weather upgrade will come into effect on the eNews Channel (DStv channel 403), e.tv's main bulletin eNews Prime Time, eNuus on kykNET (DStv channel 111), as well as eNews Africa, the syndicated news broadcast service e.tv delivers to broadcasters across the continent.

The new weather graphics will feature more interactivity, more on-screen information, information on key weather events affecting the country, province by province weather information, and a country "fly-over" which will now start in KwaZulu-Natal and end in Gauteng as part of a more fluid weather oversight of South Africa.

A first for Africa

"We have upgraded our weather capabilities to prepare for future growth within our news company," said Patrick Conroy, the group head of news at e.tv. "This will be the first phase of many exciting developments in the months ahead, including the launch of our online service."

"We have formed a new partnership with Weather Central, one of the largest weather data suppliers in the world," said Van Dam.

"This will allow for greater flexibility and enables us to offer viewers more enhanced and more sophisticated graphics. The system has never been used in Africa before," Van Dam added.

"The weather forecasts will not be radically different to what viewers currently see. The design and structure of the weather forecasts are still very similar.

One change is that the flyover of South Africa will now begin in KwaZulu-Natal and end in Gauteng. Currently viewers saw the Northern Cape first with the flyover ending on the Western Cape."