CITN to launch weather channel and introduce HDTV

| 01/08/2011

(CNS): Before the end of this year’s hurricane season the local television company CITN says it will be introducing a 24/7 local weather cable channel which will be broadcast on channel 24. The station said the channel will beautomatically updated with the latest local, regional, and international weather news including hourly local forecasts, and storm alerts. CITN has also announced plans to broadcast Cayman 27 in high definition which will include programmes from Island 24 which is now going off air, officials said.

In a release the television company stated that the equipment has been ordered and plans are underway for the major upgrade. WestStar customers will be able to watch the local channel in standard definition on channel 27, and subscribers to WestStar’s HD service can watch in high definition on channel 327. Viewers that receive the signal free over-the-air may need a converter box if their TV cannot receive digital signal.

General Manager and Director of WestStar, Mike Martin said it was an exciting time for the station. “Last year we launched new local programming and now that we are upgrading to HD everyone will be able to experience better picture quality.”

Officials said the upgrade to HD will be a major investment for CITN, so executives have decided to focus all resources on making Cayman 27 the best local channel possible.   As CITN focuses all efforts on Cayman 27, Island 24 will be taken off the air, and many of the most popular programmes from Island 24 will be merged onto Cayman 27.

“In the next few weeks, we will have a better idea of what the new line-up will look like and we will make sure that the public are aware of changes well in advance,” said  Programming Director, Anita Smith.

An exact date for the changes to programming and the launch of HD and the local weather cable channel has not been set yet, but officials said they are looking toward 1 October and updates will be posted on www.cayman27.com.ky

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

Category: Local Business

About the Author ()

Comments (9)

Trackback URL | Comments RSS Feed

  1. Anonymous says:

    Sounds great and all but what about some better service for Cayman Brac? It appears to be a waste of money and you are just not getting what you are paying for! Would someone please look into this for us!

  2. Anonymous says:

    Cable bill increased already by $5; last month and without notice. CITN needs to improve the service currently being provided before increasing unwarrented services. A this moment there are channels without service and many that provide crappy programs; ie crappy channels. Suggestion…go back to the original lineup that included Showtime! 

  3. Anonymous says:

    Well we really need a really good reason to install the Dopler Radar and maybe the new weather channel is it.

    It certainly isn't the fact that the new weather radar prevents the island from installing utility scale wind turbines. A very bad trade off in my opinion.

  4. Anonymous says:

    Westar continues to go from bad to worse.

    This is all about saving money!   There is no need for a local weather channel!

    What about 'live' news broadcast 3 times per day, Sunday Thru  Saturday?

    What about improving the quality and quality of programs?

    This is yet another reason for a local internet-based tv company!!!!

  5. Anonymous says:

    How much more will this cost us?

  6. Anonymous says:

    looks like the weather channel will  be re-broadcasted on channel 24 as well….

  7. Anonymous says:

    I think this would be a waste of a channel as our weather doesn't change that often & when it does you just had extended coverage on the current channel.

    Maybe CITN could use thier resources to broadcasting the News 7 days a week. This is the only place that takes a weekend break from reporting news and thats usually when most news worthy events happen. Just a thought for CITN to consider

    • Anonymous says:

      I think it is a waste also .  I quite liked the advertising channel of the islands.  Maybe they should have just thought of extending it to the regular repeat and events that happen on island….A local weather channel  is useless….

  8. Michel says:

    GREAT. did you manage to duplicate John Foster