New Bbc Graphics

[Great Plum]

I had a little moan and this is what I got:

Thank you for your e-mail.

Andrew Lane, Manager of the BBC Weather Centre has replied as follows:

"We know it will take a little time for people to get used to the new

system, but we feel it will give the extra clarity and detail they have

told us they want from our forecasts.

"This is the first major change to the look of BBC weather since 1985

when computer generated maps were introduced.

"We have introduced a new system because our old graphics were

criticised as 'staid', 'flat' and 'boring' in the audience research we carried

out. Central to the new look, therefore, is a 3D perspective of the UK.

"This change enables us to take viewers on 'tours' of the nations and

regions, and to show in clearer detail than before what the weather is

doing. Beforehand, we could only show 2D snapshots. Scotland, for

instance, is actually no smaller than on the old 2D maps, but with the new 3D

forecast, the bottom part of the map (the south) is closer to the

viewer.

"Our research also showed that viewers were often confused by the

amount of information presented to them. For example many people do not

understand pressure charts and feel disenfranchised when they are shown.

However, we will continue to use them when they help to tell the weather

story.

"We decided to use a plain background for the maps and the colour

chosen was the one that enables us to show the weather details over it in

greatest clarity. Places are shown by dots, and identified by name, as

before. Temperatures are more accurate on the new system and are now

consistent with our online sites.

"People are very engaged by the subject of the weather and we have had

a range of comments to date. We will continue to monitor the feedback

we receive."

Andrew Lane, Manager, BBC Weather Centre

Thank you again for contacting us.

BBC Complaints Unit

Very generic, but I can see what they are saying, even if i don't agree with it!

[Roo]

I got exactly the same thing....still don't know what to think about the changes, but it does seem there could have been a better way to do it. B)

[Great Plum]

I know the feeling Roo - it doesn't feel like they really looked at what people wanted...

[kold weather]

sorry to bring politics into this but it does somewhat remind me off in 2003 when Tony Blair ignored 1 million people who opposed the war,yet he continued.I suspect the BBC aren't really listening to what we all say and only respond to when the big guns get involved such as MP's.

[Roo]

I don't think I've ever knowingly felt disenfranchised by a pressure chart! B)

[SizzlingHeat]

i have just seen on TWO, that some of the latest forecasts have out the view of the UK overhead to everyone can be seen evenly as well as isobars being seen and temperature. BBC are making changes now but only slowly they will adapt to everyones taste.

[Snow storm]

I think I will send a complaint as well. The new weather charts are quite ghastly. Lol

The colour schme is terrible, wheres the the green gone? B) . The forecast so far this week has been wrong, those cloud charts are completley useless as well.

[Mark Griffin]

I dont like it at the mo and dont think my mind will change. Wheres the rain radar for a start??!! B)

[kold weather]

Hello Demon,there is infact a radar on there so no needs to worry about that:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/charts/uk/uk_rain_05051814.jpg

I actually think the radar isn't too bad as it happens,I quite like the colour scheme of that,I just don't like a awful lot of the rest off it and it also shows the next few hours and how the meso-model predicts the rainfal land where its going to fall.

[Mark Griffin]

Cheers very much Kold B) They dont use that on the telly forcast though do they?

[Supercell]

It really isn't a very good upgrade, is it ? lol

The Midlands doesn't even get a temperature symbol and the new square temp symbols are poor in my opinion, as they seem fairly dull and channel 5 like. There are some improvements in the way precipitation and the cloud, shown as a shadow, are presented to us - Not so sure about there accuracy though. The Weather Headline is given to us via a very simplistic power point page, which for me conveys little enthusiasm. All in all, a rather disappointing upgrade that will hopefully be rectified fairly soon B)

[Mark Griffin]

Yeah agree supercell. It could be so much better

[Snow storm]

Ive complained-

Your new weather graphics are awfull! I can't understand any of them! The colours are terrible, just everything about the forecast is bad. A true disgrace to the once great BBC Weather service, which used to have the highest standards and great professionalism. And this is what our hard earned money pays for!

[The PIT]

Got the same general reply. Now the forecast today was for rain. I think. Looking on the map this morning clearly showed rain on us despite nice sunny Weather outside.

Error in the forecasting or the graphics in the wrong place. 2nd day running where the forecast appeared to be wrong.

Looks like the new graphics will confuse joe public even more.

[Guest Phil_Uk]

The Midlands doesn't even get a temperature symbol

We don't even get the word Birmingham. Feels like we Brummies have been nuked off the UK map.

(Are we THAT bad?!? B) )

Phil.

[james990]

The regional forecasts aren't too bad and I don't oppose the change, but there are plenty of improvements that need to be made to it such as sorting out the colour of the UK, getting weatherfronts on and pressure and sorting out the cloud.

[flagpole]

We don't even get the word Birmingham. Feels like we Brummies have been nuked off the UK map.

(Are we THAT bad?!? B) )

Phil.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yes you are.

[Guest Phil_Uk]

Oh, ok then! B)

Phil.

[ilsewin]

Had exactly the same reply to my e-mail. B)

[Guest Phil_Uk]

Mmmm, automated then.

Therefore they must have seen this coming even before the 'new look' (I prefer retrograde personally!) weather launch on Monday.

Phil.

[Bottesford]

Anyone noticed that on the BBC 6pm news there's now only one brief weather bulletin at 6:30? There used to be that brief one in addition to a longer, more detailed one just before 7. Now they fill the time with more trailers! Some SERIOUS dumbing down going on- no pressure charts, no wind direction, nothing useful at all.

[SizzlingHeat]

i saw a forecast this afternoon that showed temperature, pressure, wind and put the UK from an overhead view. I certainly dont think the current southern perspective is going to last long as one forecast can lead to another?

[Thundery wintry showers]

No doubt the real reasons for this will be business oriented, as per usual.

The replies certainly smack of business- let's claim we are going to look at people's complaints in order to improve the service, but actually just send an automated response and not do anything about what the public really think. They don't know what's best for themselves.

Let's be fair- their new system has good potential. But by the looks of things, it may be a long time before it realises it.

[Anti-Mild]

No doubt the real reasons for this will be business oriented, as per usual.

The replies certainly smack of business- let's claim we are going to look at people's complaints in order to improve the service, but actually just send an automated response and not do anything about what the public really think.  They don't know what's best for themselves.

Let's be fair- their new system has good potential.  But by the looks of things, it may be a long time before it realises it.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I dunno, it's beginning to grow on me already. I just wish there was a forecast, even just a once-a-day forecast, that catered for those of us with a genuine interest in weather, instead of lots of short forecasts expressly for the layperson.

[J10]

On the regional forecast, there were wind arrows and pressure charts, and to be honest the new pressure charts look pretty good.

The potential is there in the system, so why isn't it being used.

I honestly think that we will see a major difference in the quality of the forecasts between different presenters.

If we had a long say 4 minute forecast, I think the new system would give much better forecasts than before, but it simply doesn't work for a one minute or under forecast.