According to the Wii Channel Gallery, release dates for the Wii's Forecast and News Channels have finally been determined. With the Forecast Channel becoming available on December 20th and the New Channel able to be used on January 27th, Wii owners will finally be able to take part in some of the Wii's nifty, promised features outside of its great games.
Sure, they're "novelty" features for the console, but we can't be the only ones interested in using them on a regular basis. As gamers, we're more likely to sit in front of our console(s) for hours, likely missing our local news broadcasts. Yes, we could check the internet, but the appeal of getting essential information with real-world relevance while engaged in our games is great. Are we alone?