The BBC has announced a new partnership with the Met Office, eight years after its relationship with the organisation ended.
In a statement the two organisations said the would to “combine their joint expertise, provide a better public service and help more people stay safe, thrive and understand the wonder of weather.”
The statement stopped short of confirming if the Met Office would be responsible for the BBC’s actual weather forecasts, but said the renewed partnership would be “utilising the Met Office’s super computer for the most advanced weather information and the BBC’s unparalleled reach and engagement with audiences.”
Since September 2017 data for the BBC’s TV, radio, and online forecasts have been provided by the Dutch MeteoGroup, which was subsequently acquired by US weather services company DTN.
“The BBC’s world-renowned journalism will be working together with the Met Office’s weather and climate intelligence to turn science into stories and help everyone in the UK to make informed decisions about the weather,” said BBC director-general Tim Davie.
Penny Endersby, CEO of the Met Office added: “As the UK’s National Weather Service, we are excited to be back working closely with the BBC again. Together we can reach even more people with essential weather information, helping them to plan their days, stay safe when it matters and keep well-informed in our changing climate.”
The partnership will be developed in phases and will also focus on weather education, countering mis- and dis-information in the weather and climate space and creating communities where people share weather stories and information.
