WPTV News Channel 5 West Palm 12+

I moved to Florida from Texas days before Hurricane Dorian was expected to make landfall. I searched for local news channels and downloaded this app and it kept me up-to-date and safe throughout the entire ordeal, and especially before I even had wi-fi service because....with my luck, AT&T was also on strike at the time of my arrival! I relied on this app on my iPhone using cellular service. It’s been fun! Needless to say, this app was a literal lifesaver for someone new to the state, experiencing their 1st hurricane, and without wi-fi or any local cable channels!

This app purports to have an "over-the-air" feature where you can access broadcast content in real time. That's also what was said in the promo which aired many times on the lead up to Hurricane Irma. Part of the pitch was that if you download the app you can watch on a personal device even after the power goes out.

On opening it you are, in fact, presented with a YouTube-style video interface which says something like "WATCH LIVE." This is complete bunk! When the video finally loaded what we saw was from four hours earlier (per WPTV's own time display at the screen's bottom right). What's more there was no slider to advance or rewind the video.

I tried it again this morning when there were no threatening conditions and much less demand, one would think. Same results, except now the delay was over twelve hours! Full disclosure - No other station has anything better to offer.

What really burns me is how all these stations represent themselves as the most up-to-date, tech savvy operation in the market, when in fact even the engineers and IT guys are every bit as amateurish as the beginner reporters they foist on us.

Do not waste your time! Especially when it really counts. Like in the teeth of a bad storm.

The best part of this app is 5 Things to Know …. I love to read On this day in history! Just wish it was an everyday item. I started using this app during the beginning of the Covid pandemic when most of the TV news was overwhelming to watch the explosion of sickness and death. This app enables me to scan the headlines and read what I choose. And it has news often I’m unable to find anywhere else easily. Thank you for a great app!