Telemundo stations declared ‘most accurate’ Spanish language forecasts in 17 markets

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17 Telemundo owned stations in the U.S. will start advertising themselves as the “most accurate” Spanish language weather forecasts as determined by WeatheRate.

• The stations include WNJU in New York, WSCV in Miami, KTMD in Houston, KXTX in Dallas/Fort Worth, WSNS in Chicago, KVDA in San Antonio, KTAZ in Phoenix, KTLM in the Rio Grande Valley, WTMO in Orlando, WWSI in Philadelphia, WZDC in Washington, D.C., KUAN in San Diego, WRMD in Tampa, KDEN in Denver, KTDO in El Paso, WNEU in Boston, and KBLR in Las Vegas
• This is the first time that WeatheRate is certifying the “most accurate” local Spanish-language TV weather forecasters. 
• Earlier this year, eight out of 11 NBC owned stations in the U.S. licensed as the “most accurate” stations in their markets.
• In a press release, NBC says that investments in local weather teams, including hiring more bilingual forecasters and help weather anchors obtain degrees and certifications in meteorology.
• NBC also points to its efforts to build up its privately owned radar network and fleet of weather vehicles.

It’s important to note that stations pay WeatheRate a fee to use the “most accurate” name and the company’s logo in their graphics and marketing. In addition, there are some in the industry who claim WeatheRate sells the “certification” to whatever station is willing to pay.

• On its website, WeatheRate acknowledges that stations to pay a fee for using the name.
• Telemundo did not respond to a request for comment about the licensing fee and did not mention it in the press release.
• At least one news director, Bob Jordan at WFTV in Orlando, told local media reporter Hal Boedeker back in 2009 that he was approached by WeatheRate to see if his station was interested in licensing the names.
• According to Jordan he declined and the name popped up over at competitor WESH.
• It’s also worth noting that WTMO, one of the station’s on Telemundo’s list, is in the Orlando market — but that it’s using the “most accurate” name for its Spanish language forecasting as opposed to WESH’s English language content.
• WeatheRate denies that it offers the “most accurate” certification to less accurate stations in the same market — instead saying it uses sophisticated software to compare four day forecasts from over 300 stations to the actual observed conditions in the same city.
• Its website also says that stations are re-evaluated in March of every year, which could explain why the “most accurate” name bounces from station to station in some cases.