New Morning Show "Wake Up With Al," Hosted by Al Roker and Stephanie Abrams, Debuts July 20 on The Weather Channel

Atlanta, GA (Vocus) July 14, 2009 –- The Weather Channel (TWC) gives viewers a new way to start the day with its new morning show, Wake Up With Al, premiering July 20. Hosted by Al Roker live from New York City and TWC meteorologist Stephanie Abrams live from Atlanta, the new program airs weekdays from 6-7 a.m. ET. TWC will re-air the program at 10 a.m. ET (7-8 a.m. PT) for West Coast viewers. The show combines weather, news and entertainment and includes live news headlines from MSNBC, live weather and climate-related business stories from CNBC, weather forecasts, top weather stories of the day and the beloved Local on the 8s weather forecasts.

“Everyone wakes up wanting and needing to know what the weather is that day -- this show will give you that answer with some fun along the way,” said Al Roker. “Our show will give you what you need to know and be entertaining enough to wake you up and make you smile”

Roker and Abrams will present a fast-paced show with a fun, informative focus on weather while including helpful morning information and interactive segments. They will appear live in the studio and in the field, reporting on the most compelling weather stories of the day.

Wake Up With Al will also welcome live guests; feature weekend getaways and outdoor vacations; and discuss consumer issues, health and fitness, and current events. Segments that might be seen in a typical episode include:

•    The “Wake Up” call – Al “wakes up” his favorite celebrities and viewers

•    Wake Up Weather – Coast-to-coast current conditions, active weather and forecast updates

•    Top Story – An in-depth look at the day’s top weather story with a personal perspective

•    Weather in the News – A fun old-style newsreel segment looks at weather-related news

•    Take it or Leave it – An entertaining forecast for major cities recommends whether to bring an umbrella, wear a jacket, etc.

•    Travel – A look at weather’s effect on daily transportation, including forecasts and delays for major airport hubs, radar, turbulence conditions and more

Roker and Abrams welcome viewer discussion on Twitter at www.twitter.com/stephanieabrams, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/wakeupwithal, and at the show’s Web site, www.weather.com/wakeup, which will also include additional video clips and in-depth information.

About The Weather Channel Companies

The Weather Channel Companies (TWCC) is made up of The Weather Channel Network (TWCN), The Weather Channel Interactive (TWCi), and Weather Services International (WSI). The Weather Channel® is based in Atlanta and is seen in more than 98 million U.S. households. TWCN also operates Weatherscan, a 24-hour all-local weather network; The Weather Channel Radio Network; and The Weather Channel HD. TWCi, which includes the weather.com® site, The Weather Channel Desktop and The Weather Channel Mobile, reaches more than 38 million unique users online each month and is the most popular source of online weather, news and information according to Nielsen//NetRatings. WSI, headquartered in Andover, MA, primarily provides business-to-business weather services, particularly for the media, aviation, marine and energy sectors. TWCC is owned by a consortium made up of NBC Universal and the private equity firms The Blackstone Group and Bain Capital. For more information, visit www.weather.com/press.

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