AccuWeather, Inc. announced the creation of a new television channel for cable and IPTV subscribers that will deliver fully interactive real-time local forecasts and weather information with the choice and control of broadband and the quality and responsiveness of TV.

The new channel, part of the ICTV ActiveVideo Distribution Network (AVDN), will enable access to and viewership on television of a wide range of AccuWeather content, including searchable local forecasts, animated satellite-generated weather maps and local television weather broadcast programming. The channel will allow AccuWeather and participating network operators to deliver an unprecedented viewer experience that combines television quality and immediacy with the flexibility and searchability of the Internet.

The ActiveVideo Distribution Network is a usage-based content distribution service that enables operators, programmers and advertisers to bring broadband video programming and advertising models from the Internet to the television, including high-CPM ads that are targeted, auditable and interactive. AVDN delivers Web-driven programming and live and VOD streams – all with superior TV quality – as MPEG video over the existing VOD infrastructure to any digital set-top box. Network operators deploying AVDN can enhance their existing VOD offerings by combining optimum video delivery – television resolution, fast response times, and heightened interactivity -- with the customizability and targetability of Web-based programming and advertising models.

"Viewers prefer to have immediate access to and control over the weather information they need, rather than waiting for periodic updates," said Jim Candor, AccuWeather Senior Vice President of New Media. "As an ActiveVideo Distribution Network programming partner, we are providing for the first time viewer-controlled access on television to AccuWeather’s complete, worldwide base of information and news reports. The AVDN channel will complement our existing Web presence by creating new opportunities for our content and our advertisers to reach millions of cable and IPTV subscribers, all of whom can manage the information they receive with standard remote controls."

"While interest in the AVDN has been high from a diverse mix of programmers, we recognized early on the value of local weather in building customer loyalty," said Michael Taylor, Senior Vice President, Business Development for ICTV. "Using ICTV’s enabling infrastructure, AccuWeather can offer participating network operators a unique service that combines AccuWeather’s unparalleled meteorological expertise with the best attributes of television and broadband: High quality, highly responsive video delivery, broadband functionality, and the measurability and targetability of Internet-style advertising models."

Capitalizing on the ability to deliver of Web programming as MPEG video to any digital set-top box, the ICTV ActiveVideo Distribution Network is entirely standards-based, requiring no custom integration or proprietary development. Live and VOD programming can be blended seamlessly with content that is created and modified quickly using standard Web tools and talent, and distributed to the headend via standard Web infrastructure. The AVDN runs within the existing VOD infrastructure, delivering all programming from the headend as MPEG video, and integrates with and extends existing set-top based interactive approaches.

Using the ActiveVideo Distribution Network, network operators and programmers can enhance the value of existing channels by allowing viewers to take active control of what they see and when they see it. As an example, through simple clicks on their remote controls, television viewers can select an ActiveVideo channel from the standard program guide and enter a broadband experience that includes video, navigational elements, channel branding, banner advertisements, and links to different video segments. Screens can be manipulated to reflect personal viewing interests and purchasing preferences. Clicking on advertisements within the ActiveVideo experience enables interaction with sponsor messages, including a “telescoping” to let consumers request more information, watch a demonstration or make a purchase.