One of the most iconic brands in US multichannel television is considering putting itself up for sale. The privately held Landmark Communications, also former owners of The Travel Channel, is contemplating a $5 billion sale of The Weather Channel and its associated website weather.com.
Possible bidders for The Weather Channel include News Corp and NBC. Cablenet giant Comcast has also been touted as a potential purchaser. The channel is available in around 96 million homes.The Weather Channel’s flirtation with Europe in the early 1990s was brief, though the Dutch version Het Weer Kanaal continued for a while longer.
When the channels failed it was suggested that Europe did not have the extremes of weather seen in the US. However, in recent years other channels have emerged, in France, the Netherlands – where Chellomedia has established its own channel – and the UK through the newsloops on BBC News 24 and Sky News.