Among the last of the
independent TV networks

The Weather Channel was purchased by NBC Universal and two private equity firms. The cost of the acquisition was around $3.2 billion.

The Weather Channel shall continue to operate as a separate entity, with management provided by NBCU.

At OMMA Publish this year, EVP and General Manager Joe Fiveash suggested the Weather Channel may launch a vertical ad network, toting the broad applicability of weather to life and current events.

But the weather giant also sports other benefits: in a time when users increasingly follow streaming TV, or record shows for later viewing, people still watch the the Weather Channel live.