NBCU reportedly wins bid for Weather Channel
Michael Gay May 30th, 2008
NBCU has unofficially won the bid for the Weather Channel at $3.5 billion, according to NewsBlues. That’s well under the $5 billion that Landmark had hoped to earn. NBCU was part of a consortium that included Blackstone Group and Bain Capital. The offer of $3.5 billion, roughly half of which, or $1.8 billion, is equity, according to Reuters. Blackstone’s GSO Capital is also putting in $600 million. The future of WeatherPlus is the big question now.
8 Comments Add your own
1. Rocker | May 30th, 2008 at 8:14 am
I don’t think the future of WeatherPlus is a big question. They can shut it down, save some operating costs, write off the $ millions they’ve plunged into it, and post some kind of online notice for the couple of dozen (at most) viewers who may notice it’s gone.
2. tdc | May 30th, 2008 at 9:24 am
after spending years building the Weather Channel brand maybe they’ll just “dump it” in favor of weather plus?
3. Patrick Beeson | May 30th, 2008 at 11:41 am
I just hope they improve the Weather Channel Web site. It is a burden to use.
4. Anonymous | May 30th, 2008 at 2:59 pm
HD hurricanes with 5.1 “Destructorama” sound!
Oh, wait. “Twister”…been done.
NEVERMIND
5. Mike Escutia | May 30th, 2008 at 3:42 pm
I agree, Patrick. Weather.com is in serious need of a revamp. Hopefully the folks who designed the current version of MSNBC.com will get a crack at it.
6. Anonymous | May 31st, 2008 at 9:49 am
NBC will gut it and produce as much as they can out of MSNBC.
They’ll focus on the website.
7. Anonymous | May 31st, 2008 at 9:49 am
NBC will gut it and produce as much as they can out of MSNBC.
They’ll focus on the website.
8. Hussman | June 2nd, 2008 at 5:53 am
If affiliates are lucky, NBC will pull the Weather Channel and place it on the digital spectrum to replace WX Plus. Come Feb ‘09, NBC affiliates will really have something to sell.
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