http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/09/10/AR2009091004147.html
Frank Batten Sr., 82, a Virginia publishing magnate and philanthropist who launched the Weather Channel, which improbably found huge cable television audiences among skywatchers and travelers, died Sept. 10 in Norfolk. In the mid-1960s, Mr. Batten began investing in cable television systems and made his shrewdest move in 1982, when he put the Weather Channel on cable TV. The idea was the brainchild of "Good Morning America" meteorologist John Coleman, who was the channel's first chairman but who had an acrimonious split with Mr. Batten and left after a year. Skeptics in business and broadcasting scoffed at the idea, saying no one would ever watch a nationwide network devoted to 24-hour coverage of the weather. But viewers were drawn to the indispensable information. Within three years, cable systems throughout the country began to consider the Weather Channel as indispensable. -- Wesley McGee http://www.ambivi.com http://sterlingnorth.vox.com --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ TV or Not TV .... The Smartest (TV) People! You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "TV or Not TV" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/tvornottv?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
