Tech reveals new image for weather services
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Technology will help tailor weather information service to individual consumer's demands, according to a Chinese meteorological official in Beijing.
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Shi Yongyi, general manager of Huafeng Group, said technology pushes meteorological services forward during the speech she delivered at theMeteorology Media Forum in Beijing on July 8, 2010. |
Technology pushes meteorological services forward. This year's integration of telecom, broadcast and Internet networks is a new platform for service providers to better reach its consumers, according to Shi Yongyi, general manager of Huafeng Group, a part of the China Meteorological Administration (CMA) that provides weather broadcasting services nationwide.
"Since the government initiated the integration of telecom, broadcast and Internet networks, China's weather reports will have more services available for its users," Shi said Thursday at the Meteorology Media Forum in Beijing.
According to Xinhua, China has sped up the integration of the three networks since the beginning of this year and aims to develop the country's communications network. The integration of the three sectors allows broadcast operators to provide telecommunication, broadcast and Internet services.
"Currently, our weather services have covered all the media channels in China," Shi said. "Aside from traditional media, people can get access to information from digital TV, Internet, IPTV (Internet Protocol Television) and mobile phones.
"But after entering the three-network era, we can offer information from point to point to meet the needs of individuals, such as allowing them to order the weather information of a golf course before they make weekend plans."
She also said access to the three networks allows audiences to get on-demand weather reports from different media since specific programs will be produced for television, Internet and mobile phones.
In this context, Shi said service providers must adjust to the new media and produce better programs, which is the biggest challenge that the integration of the three networks brings.
Jiao Haiyan, deputy director of CMA, said China's meteorological services need to improve in several areas — including offering more weather information for poor and remote areas, enhancing the timeliness of the reports and catching up to the development of new technology, such as 3G and Internet.
"Weather reporting is more than a public service," Shi said. "Compared with the same business in other countries, we actually have a bigger industry in China. But we haven't done well enough to appeal to our audiences."
During the 60th anniversary year of CMA, the forum was co-hosted by CMA's Huafeng Group on July 8-9.
Scholars and meteorologists from more than 30 provinces and areas attended the forum, which aims to help meteorologists discover opportunities and address challenges.
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