WXmanTim 88 Posted May 30, 2008 Share Posted May 30, 2008 Reuters is reporting this morning that NBC-Universal, in a $3.5 Billion deal, will announce the purchase of cable network The Weather Channel from Landmark Communications. Primary backing for the deal are hedge fund managers Blackstone Group and Bain Private Capital. About half of the money for the deal will come from the private equity groups, according to sources. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lugnuts6 89 Posted May 30, 2008 Share Posted May 30, 2008 This just in (even if its late) Courtsey of NEWSBLUES NBC-UNIVERSAL and a consortium have emerged as the winners of Atlanta based THE WEATHER CHANNEL Now the question: What will NBCUNI do with Weather Plus, shut it down or move it to atlanta Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bostonmediaguy 123 Posted May 30, 2008 Share Posted May 30, 2008 Now the question: What will NBCUNI do with Weather Plus, shut it down or move it to atlanta This will be interesting. Do they operate two separate networks? The local stations have invested in WeatherPlus. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mario500 3 Posted May 30, 2008 Share Posted May 30, 2008 The National Broadcasting Company owning two TV networks dedicated to the weather makes little sense in the months before the digital transition for most of the country's broadcasters. They also have an advantage over The Weather Channel with NBC Weather Plus, which is an over the air digital TV network. After the digital transition on Feburary 17th, 2009, there will be a greater audience for NBC Weather Plus, especially during times of severe weather. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TennTV1983 756 Posted May 30, 2008 Share Posted May 30, 2008 This will be interesting. Do they operate two separate networks? The local stations have invested in WeatherPlus. Considering that The Weather Channel has a service similar WeatherPlus called WeatherScan, NBC may try to combine and integrate those two services together into one entity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WCAUTVNBC10 408 Posted May 30, 2008 Share Posted May 30, 2008 Weather Plus will just be branded as as the Weather Channel. No harm no foul. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
10Viewer 319 Posted May 30, 2008 Share Posted May 30, 2008 NBC is probably the best possible owner for TWC. If they were purchased by Fox or CNN, I think they would gut the network. I think NBC will have some semblence of decency and not ruin TWC, although TWC is well past its best years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jestbiteme 13 Posted May 30, 2008 Share Posted May 30, 2008 This will be interesting. Do they operate two separate networks? The local stations have invested in WeatherPlus. And what about those stations that have "partnered" with The Weather Channel in markets where NBC stations run WeatherPlus? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CircleSeven 1945 Posted May 30, 2008 Share Posted May 30, 2008 And what about those stations that have "partnered" with The Weather Channel in markets where NBC stations run WeatherPlus? I just thought of that too. WCBS is partnered with TWC. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caliwxdude 252 Posted May 30, 2008 Share Posted May 30, 2008 I think this is a decent move for both The Weather Channel and NBC. Weather Plus has always seemed like a half-assed operation, and I agree with the other posters in believing that we'll probably see a localized version of TWC on the digital subchannels of NBC affiliates (The Weather Channel Plus, anyone?). I also agree with Chris in that the TWC brand is much stronger than NBC Weather Plus, which most people still don't know exists despite it being on the .2s of nearly every NBC digital station across the country. Does Weather Plus even have that big of an operation at 30 Rock? Aside from a handful of on-camera meteorologists, it doesn't seem like it is that big of an undertaking. I say move them to Atlanta where TWC is about to take the wraps off of a nice new HD facility. This will make NBC a force to be reckoned with when it comes to coverage of major weather events, because The Weather Channel still has a knack for covering hurricanes in my book. I'll take Jim Cantore telling me about rain bands and eyewall replacement cycles any day over Anderson Cooper telling me it's really windy and raining sideways. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mightynine 287 Posted May 30, 2008 Share Posted May 30, 2008 I would imagine WeatherScan would replace WeatherPlus on those digital subchannels, greatly increasing its exposure - while keeping in those local station drops, possibly. A more interesting subplot is if an NBC branding of any sort is added to TWC. Something like "The Weather Channel from NBC" or "NBC Weather Channel". I mean, if you're gonna pay a couple billion for it, wouldn't you want your name somewhere on it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WXmanTim 88 Posted May 30, 2008 Author Share Posted May 30, 2008 I have little doubt the peacock will show up fairly quickly in graphics once the take-over is complete. Though perhaps they will surprise us by offering the peacock-branded WeatherPlus/WeatherScan service (whichever name the choose) to the affiliates and, like Bravo and USA et al, the cable network is left without the peacock. Even typing it, I don't think it very likely considering this network likely would fall under the NBC News banner, along with CNBC and MSNBC, and be branded to match. Next thing that comes to mind is TWC's local forecasts. Be curious to see if they continue with the WeatherStar (or whatever the system's name is at the cable head-ends) or opt for local drop-ins by the affiliates. Also as part of the deal is WSI Corp, which produces and markets television weather graphics systems (Truview and Titan are their "brands"). Be curious if NBC will just spin it off, perhaps to GE's Technology arm. Just threw this together in photoshop: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
first on fox 18 Posted May 30, 2008 Share Posted May 30, 2008 Regardless, I think the WxPlus ops are basically in a corner at CNBC's HQ. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weeters 1812 Posted May 30, 2008 Share Posted May 30, 2008 I wouldn't imagine the WeatherPlus branding will disappear, as many stations have heavily promoted the WeatherPlus name. WTMJ renamed their entire weather department and made many new graphics for WeatherPlus as well as set updates with the name. WTMJ-AM, WKTI-FM, and the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel also use the WeatherPlus name in their weather reports. In addition, it wouldn't surprise me at all if the NBC branding moved over to The Weather Channel and not vice-versa like many people here say. But what do I know? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bostonmediaguy 123 Posted May 30, 2008 Share Posted May 30, 2008 Next thing that comes to mind is TWC's local forecasts. Be curious to see if they continue with the WeatherStar (or whatever the system's name is at the cable head-ends) or opt for local drop-ins by the affiliates. Also as part of the deal is WSI Corp, which produces and markets television weather graphics systems (Truview and Titan are their "brands"). Be curious if NBC will just spin it off, perhaps to GE's Technology arm. I believe the WSI sale is a separate deal. This is just The Weather Channel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lugnuts6 89 Posted May 30, 2008 Share Posted May 30, 2008 Hmmm... The WeatherPlus Channel??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jradford 0 Posted May 30, 2008 Share Posted May 30, 2008 Want this affect the weather center at WCBS because they brand themselves as part of The Weather Channel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jess 1110 Posted May 31, 2008 Share Posted May 31, 2008 I don't think anything will happen to the STARs - if anything I'd expect a NewsSTAR or something like that to show up on MSNBC. The technology is one of the key assets of the company - no way are they dropping it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PelicanGuy 117 Posted May 31, 2008 Share Posted May 31, 2008 Next thing that comes to mind is TWC's local forecasts. Be curious to see if they continue with the WeatherStar (or whatever the system's name is at the cable head-ends) or opt for local drop-ins by the affiliates. Also as part of the deal is WSI Corp, which produces and markets television weather graphics systems (Truview and Titan are their "brands"). Be curious if NBC will just spin it off, perhaps to GE's Technology arm. No way NBC messes with the Local on the 8's. That's the main reason why people watch TWC in the first place. They are about to unveil a new HD graphics package AND a new HD-style WeatherSTAR system...something that's been in the works for well over a year now. I can't imagine NBC throwing all that hard work down the drain. Plus, TWC has a long-term deal with WSI for their graphics, so don't expect WeatherPlus' graphics to show up anytime soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lugnuts6 89 Posted June 6, 2008 Share Posted June 6, 2008 Its not over yet! Seems that Landmark communications wants to talk to both TW and NBCUNI Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrfRptr 3 Posted June 6, 2008 Share Posted June 6, 2008 Suppose 60 million dollars for an HD upgrade is why it's for sale? Time Warner interested as well. http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/time-warner-wants-buy-weather/story.aspx?guid=%7BC510C9F0-8C77-424F-A4A5-48F3106B8975%7D&dist=msr_1 Apparently the next round of bids were due in today. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ib-td 1 Posted June 6, 2008 Share Posted June 6, 2008 I say they keep the weather channel name or TWC and just stick peacocks all over the place. I like this one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jess 1110 Posted June 6, 2008 Share Posted June 6, 2008 I think that whoever buys TWC would be foolish to screw with the branding. The Weather Channel carries enormous brand clout - adding a peacock in there or calling it "CNN Weather Channel" would dilute that quite a bit. And it isn't like NBC renames everything they buy - the cable entertainment channels have largely kept their own branding. Personally, I think it'd be a much more comfortable fit with Time Warner than NBC. CNN and TWC are headquartered in the same city, and I think the most changes they'd make would be to have TWC people appear on CNN. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WXmanTim 88 Posted June 13, 2008 Author Share Posted June 13, 2008 Time Warner has withdrawn from final bidding for The Weather Channel, the New York Times is reporting, leaving NBC-Universal and its consortium of investment firms the only remaining bidders. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mgom 0 Posted June 13, 2008 Share Posted June 13, 2008 Fox,CBS and Intellicast should get involved in the talks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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