Cox Launching Weatherscan

Cox Communications Inc. will launch Weatherscan, the 24-hour customized local-weather spinoff of The Weather Channel, on systems in regions of Texas, Arkansas and Louisiana.

The areas represent the majority of Cox’s Middle America Cox (MAC Properties) territories.

Weatherscan now reaches about 22 million cable customers through deals with Comcast, Insight and others.

The channel co-brands with local cable affiliates to offer customized weather conditions, local and regional radar, satellite images, extended warnings and almanac figures in addition to weather watches and lifestyle content.

The move could help blunt potential competition from local broadcast DTV weather channels, which have been pitched as one of the value-addeds of digital spectrum