(June 22, 2010)

Effective communication has always been critically important at the National Weather Service as we carry out our mission of protecting lives and property. But it is equally important as we tell our own stories—stories of who we are and what we do—not only amongst ourselves, but to the “outside world” of our customers, partners, and constituents. Our biggest challenge is that there are more stories to tell than we have room in our traditional media sources like news releases and NWS Focus.

To address these issues and improve the way we communicate, we have launched our new National Weather Service News (NWSN). We aren’t simply replacing NWS Focus. We are opening up a new chapter in NWS communications. NWSN will increase interactivity and allow people throughout the agency and externally to become active participants in the news reporting process. From commenting on news stories to uploading content directly, we are creating a tool that encourages participation, collaboration, and creates a dynamic, two-way conversation as we share our stories among ourselves and with our customers, partners, and constituents.

Join us at NWSN. Just as we have for years with NWS Focus, we look forward to receiving your stories, photos, and other content to post on NWSN. For now, please send them to NWSN@noaa.gov. Stay tuned for future upgrades.