Do you remember when you relied on local TV news for weather forecasts? I do. Watching the 10 p.m. news was a ritual in the homes I grew up in and in the early years of my homes as an adult. The news was important, but the No. 1 reason we watched was for the weather reports. Mom made sure the room was quiet when the forecast was announced. The weather reporters — or forecasters or meteorologists or whatever you want to call them today — were household names and were people we felt like we knew and trusted for many years.

Today, we all have numerous sources for weather forecasts — including this email newsletter — and we can get the latest information with just a few swipes on our smart phones. And, unfortunately, many of those trusted household names on the local TV news are gone. Thank goodness for a few mainstays including Jeriann Ritter, Megan Salois, Brad Edwards, Ed Wilson and the man who supplies our weather for the Daily Umbrella, Jason Parkin. To be honest, though, I had to check the station websites to be sure they were still there. When I do watch the local weather reports on TV, I seem to see a new face each time after yet another rookie moves on. I can’t keep track of the changes, and I really don’t want to. Apparently, I am not alone. So, what’s changed?

In a single word, it’s streaming. According to techreport.com, the growth of streaming services is causing a concerning decline in traditional TV viewership. The compound annual growth rate of the traditional TV market is predicted to be -2.11%. At the same time, the number of U.S. households with pay TV is expected to drop 50% by 2027. To be fair, a lot of people are still watching traditional TV, but it is in decline.

According to a Nielsen report from July of 2022, streaming surpassed traditional broadcast and cable TV for the first time ever that month, with a 34.8% share of overall TV viewership. This trend hasn’t changed. Nielsen data states that streaming had a 38.1% share of TV viewership for January 2023 and a 34.3% share for February.

So we are now apparently spending our time binge-viewing “Suits” on Netflix or “This Fool” on Hulu rather than watching some guy named Gabe go on about his Megadoppler.

All that is fine and dandy, but when the tornadoes roll in or the blizzards hit, we still search for our remote controls and view the local weather reports searching for those trusted sources — assuming we have access to local channels, of course.

Have a magnificent Monday, and thanks for reading.

Shane Goodman
President and Publisher
Big Green Umbrella Media
shane@dmcityview.com
515-953-4822, ext. 305
www.thedailyumbrella.com

View Shane Goodman's archived columns from past issues here.

CITYVIEW announced its 2023 Best Of Des Moines® readers' choices Jan. 31. You can find all the results from the poll in the February issue of CITYVIEW magazine!

Best local place for a bachelor/bachelorette party

1. Your Private Bar

2. AJ’s on East Court

3. The Garden Restaurant and Show Lounge

SEE BEST OF DES MOINES® EVENT PHOTOS HERE...

McAlister enjoys public library

School librarian finds joy reading on her front porch.

By Lindsey Giardino

For Kelly McAlister, there’s lots to love about every facet of Johnston, from her home to her neighborhood to her job and the community at large.

She’s lived in Johnston for 20 years, when she and her husband, Ben, purchased their first-ever home.

“We chose Johnston because we liked the location in relation to our jobs and ease to get around to many places in the metro,” McAlister explains. “We also held the school district in high regard.”

Today, the McAlisters live in the Green Meadows neighborhood.

Read more in the August issue of Johnston Living magazine 

These celebrities were born on this date: Kim Cattrall, Hayden Panettiere, Carrie-Anne Moss, Kacey Musgraves, Loretta Devine, Alicia Witt

SUBMIT: Send your birthday greetings and congratulatory notes to: tammy@iowalivingmagazines.com

The answer to yesterday's riddle:
What did the hardware store owner say when a customer asked for something to break up rocks? TAKE YOUR PICK! - Kris Laurson. And a valiant effort by Rex Post.

Today's riddle

What do you call two people who have lost their psychic abilities?

Have a guess? Email tammy@iowalivingmagazines.com

To advertise in this daily newsletter, contact Jolene Goodman at jolene@iowalivingmagazines.com, or call 515-953-4822 ext. 319.

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