Sinclair interested in buying The Weather Channel

[mvcg66b3r]

Sinclair Broadcast Group has expressed interest in purchasing The Weather Channel from private equity groups Bain Capital and Blackstone Group and Comcast's NBC Universal, according to the Wall Street Journal, and could pony up as much as $100 million in a deal.

According to the Journal, Sinclair has been in talks with the channel for months, but those discussions have become more intense recently. While a deal could still fall through, the Journal, citing sources familiar with the companies, said a transaction could be valued at about $100 million.

While The Weather Channel is currently in about 90 million homes, it has been a target for distributors looking to cut costs. The network has been the subject of blackouts and drops over the past few years and has been criticized by some distributors in the past for concentrating more on reality programming than weather forecasting. Last year the channel made some changes, revamping its lineup and cutting back on non-weather, non-fiction programming.

http://www.multichannel.com/news/networks/report-sinclair-interested-buying-weather-channel/406825

 

[Y2kTheNewOldies]

http://www.broadcastingcable.com/news/local-tv/sinclair-revenue-rises-6665-million-2q/158566


And now sinclairs financial summary is out for Q2

 

[b-turner]

My complaint with the Weather Channel has been a lack of weather and even in anchored times, it seems too much 'fluff'. In severe weather they shine like the sun. While the weather related programming is fine in non-peak hours, so much of what they put on has no place there in my book. And the repetition is incredible. At least 'rotate' programs so they don't play at the same time 2 or 3 times a week. Some of the calls when it comes to regular programming versus severe weather coverage seem to make me wonder. One thing I learned in radio, even if it only affects a small number of your total audience, you have to be there for them when getting them crucial information is critical to them. Nothing makes a listener or viewer more irate than when they come to you for information, after implying they could get it from you, only to find the station silent on the matter. Sure, they might scroll something locally but that's not the same. There's a certain 'feel safe' factor when the weather person is showing you what is happening that does not come across when scrolling occurs.

A new owner, I think, would be a positive thing. Obviously weather is a tough road to go when it comes to advertising sales. You have to sell huge packages at low rates to reach a decent audience (low times spent viewing per viewer, etc). I simply feel like the current owner has been grasping at straws.

 

[hamster]

My complaint with the Weather Channel has been a lack of weather and even in anchored times, it seems too much 'fluff'. In severe weather they shine like the sun. While the weather related programming is fine in non-peak hours, so much of what they put on has no place there in my book. And the repetition is incredible. At least 'rotate' programs so they don't play at the same time 2 or 3 times a week. Some of the calls when it comes to regular programming versus severe weather coverage seem to make me wonder. One thing I learned in radio, even if it only affects a small number of your total audience, you have to be there for them when getting them crucial information is critical to them. Nothing makes a listener or viewer more irate than when they come to you for information, after implying they could get it from you, only to find the station silent on the matter. Sure, they might scroll something locally but that's not the same. There's a certain 'feel safe' factor when the weather person is showing you what is happening that does not come across when scrolling occurs.

A new owner, I think, would be a positive thing. Obviously weather is a tough road to go when it comes to advertising sales. You have to sell huge packages at low rates to reach a decent audience (low times spent viewing per viewer, etc). I simply feel like the current owner has been grasping at straws.

The Weather Channel fluff stuff is one reason why my employer now has the Weather Channel blocked from our computers. One day my boss went to the Weather Channel website to see how much snow we were supposed to get only to see stuff like "Pretty school teacher dies in a freak accident", "Family goes to the beach only to get more than they bargain for" and pics of the now defunct Six Flags New Orleans. All of this was had links for it on their homepage. He said "..what the hell is this..Yahoo ??". No more access to the Weather Channel website at work.

 

[Will_H_69_9]

The Weather Channel fluff stuff is one reason why my employer now has the Weather Channel blocked from our computers. One day my boss went to the Weather Channel website to see how much snow we were supposed to get only to see stuff like "Pretty school teacher dies in a freak accident", "Family goes to the beach only to get more than they bargain for" and pics of the now defunct Six Flags New Orleans. All of this was had links for it on their homepage. He said "..what the hell is this..Yahoo ??". No more access to the Weather Channel website at work.

don't blame him there, plus IBM owns weather.com now, not The Weather Channel itself as NBCUniversal/Comcast spun the network off from The Weather Company which was the company NBCUniversal, Bain Capital and Blackstone Group created for all of The Weather Channel assets they owned since Landmark sold The Weather Channel in 2008 , just The Weather Channel just gives permission to let the The Weather Channel branding to the site itself.

 

[Y2kTheNewOldies]

http://www.multichannel.com/news/networks/sinclair-bullish-tennis-channel-distribution/406854

Update on Sinclair and Tennis channel.

 

[Megatron]

I didn't know Sinclair is interested in buying the weather channel seems like they may put news on Weather channel if they do buy it. From what I read in the Tennis Channel update article.