DirecTV Goes HD With Weather Channel's Interactive Apps

DirecTV is extending The Weather Channel's personalized interactive TV applications to the HD version, one year after launching them on the standard-definition channel.

According to the satellite operator, the SD versions of the interactive weather applications have generated almost 1 billion total household impressions since October 2008.

Now the same interactive features will be available on The Weather Channel HD on DirecTV, with localized weather information for more than 40,000 ZIP code locations across the U.S. In addition, DirecTV has added Weather Channel VOD content to its on-demand service.

The interactive apps include an alert ticker for certain severe weather conditions; the "Local on the 8s" application with current conditions, forecasts and a regional radar map for a viewer's local area; and the "Local On Demand" application that lets viewers access weather info on-screen while watching TWC HD.

"Providing these enhanced services to the Weather Channel HD furthers our ongoing commitment to creating the most dynamic television experience available," DirecTV Entertainment executive vice president Eric Shanks said in a statement.