Editing The Weather Channel (section)

=== Allen Media Group ownership ===

In August 2016, reports surfaced that [[Sinclair Broadcast Group]] had expressed interest in acquiring ownership of the Weather Channel.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://fortune.com/2016/08/03/weather-channel-sinclair-broadcasting/ |first=Tom |last=Huddleston, Jr |title=The Weather Channel Could Have a Prospective Buyer |date=August 3, 2016 |magazine=Fortune |access-date=December 30, 2016}}</ref>

On March 22, 2018, [[Byron Allen]]'s [[Entertainment Studios]] announced its acquisition of the Weather Channel's television assets from the NBCUniversal/Bain/Blackstone partnership. The actual value is undisclosed, but was reported to be around $300 million.  The channel's [[The Weather Company|non-television assets]], which were separately sold to IBM two years prior, were not included in the sale.<ref name="Entertainment Studios">{{cite web |url=https://deadline.com/2018/03/byron-allen-entertainment-studios-acquisition-the-weather-channel-tv-network-1202351426/ |title=Byron Allen's Entertainment Studios Acquires The Weather Channel TV Network For $300 Million |last1=Andreeva|first1=Nellie|last2=Fleming|first2=Mike |website=Deadline Hollywood |date=March 22, 2018|access-date=March 22, 2018}}</ref><ref name="Byron Allen">{{cite web|url=http://www.broadcastingcable.com/news/currency/byron-allen-acquires-weather-group-300-million-deal/172512|title=Byron Allen Acquires The Weather Group in $300 Million Deal |last=Albiniak|first=Paige|work=Broadcasting & Cable|date=March 22, 2018|access-date=March 22, 2018|archive-date=March 22, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180322203251/http://www.broadcastingcable.com/news/currency/byron-allen-acquires-weather-group-300-million-deal/172512|url-status=dead}}</ref>

In the early morning of April 18, 2019, the Weather Channel was temporarily unable to air live programming due to what they called a "malicious software attack" on their network.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.cnn.com/2019/04/18/media/weather-channel-hack/index.html |title= The Weather Channel knocked off air by 'malicious software attack' |first1=Chris |last1=Isidore |first2=Paul P. |last2=Murphy |date=April 18, 2019 |work=CNN Business |access-date=May 1, 2021 }}</ref> Previously taped shows were aired while engineers worked with backup equipment, and live programming returned to normal within a few hours (at the time, ''AMHQ''). The perpetrators of the [[malware]] attack were never identified.

In May 2022, on the Weather Channel's 40th birthday, it launched a new direct-to-consumer subscription-based app.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.mediavillage.com/article/the-weather-channel-rolls-out-new-initiatives-as-it-looks-back-on-its-first-40-years/|title=The Weather Channel Rolls Out New Initiatives as It Looks Back on Its First 40 Years|date=April 27, 2022 |publisher=MediaVillage|access-date=May 6, 2022}}</ref>

In August 2023, IBM announced it will be selling its weather unit and the Weather Channel's subsidiaries and apps to the [[Francisco Partners]].<ref name="cnbc.com"/><ref>{{Cite press release |title=Francisco Partners to Acquire The Weather Company Assets from IBM|url=https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/francisco-partners-to-acquire-the-weather-company-assets-from-ibm-301906730.html|access-date= August 22, 2023|website=www.prnewswire.com|language=en-GB}}</ref> As a part of the deal, IBM will retain the company's weather data which it uses to power [[artificial intelligence]] models to sell its enterprise clients for [[NASA]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Francisco Partners to Acquire The Weather Company Assets from IBM|url=https://newsroom.ibm.com/2023-08-22-Francisco-Partners-to-Acquire-The-Weather-Company-Assets-from-IBM|access-date= August 22, 2023|website=www.newsroom.ibm.com|language=en-GB}}</ref>

In January 2025, Allen Media Group announced plans to have [[Local news|local]] weather coverage on its sister [[Allen Media Broadcasting]] television stations be centralized from TWC and its Atlanta studios, including use of its meteorologists and forecasting technology. AMG argued that this change would "dramatically improve reporting capabilities, especially in high-stakes weather situations" and provide "additional visual storytelling capabilities". The change will result in planned layoffs of meteorologists from stations across 21 media markets, with some being reassigned to work from Atlanta. AMG's announcement faced criticism over how it would impact severe weather coverage, along with the plan to lay off meteorologists with strong connections to their respective communities. [[WBMA-LD|WBMA]] chief meteorologist [[James Spann]] stated that he "hate[d] that so many colleagues are involved in this", but admitted that "media consumption is radically different now, and we have to change how our products and services reach you".<ref>{{Cite news |last=Duster |first=Chandelis |date=2025-01-19 |title=Local meteorologists could face layoffs amid new initiative with The Weather Channel |url=https://www.npr.org/2025/01/19/nx-s1-5267507/local-tv-meteorologists-the-weather-channel-layoffs |access-date=2025-01-20 |work=NPR |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Gray |first=Jeremy |date=2025-01-20 |title=Alabama TV meteorologists face layoffs as Allen Media moves to local Weather Channel coverage |url=https://www.al.com/news/2025/01/alabama-tv-meteorologists-face-uncertainty-as-allen-media-moves-to-local-weather-channel-coverage.html |access-date=2025-01-20 |website=al |language=en}}</ref> On January 23, 2025, it was reported that AMG had elected to maintain some of its local meteorologists instead, citing feedback and criticism over the announcement.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Koplowitz |first=Howard |date=2025-01-23 |title=Allen Media makes about-face on Weather Channel handling Huntsville, Tupelo coverage |url=https://www.al.com/news/2025/01/allen-media-makes-about-face-on-weather-channel-handling-huntsville-tupelo-coverage.html |access-date=2025-01-25 |website=al |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Ho |first=Rodney |title=Allen Media's Weather Channel hub for local TV stations partially reversed |url=https://www.ajc.com/things-to-do/georgia-entertainment-scene/allen-media-plan-for-weather-channel-hub-for-local-tv-stations-partially-reversed/QREUOUU6CNGH5KMOQCYYBFVBYQ/ |access-date=2025-01-25 |work=The Atlanta Journal-Constitution |language=English |issn=1539-7459}}</ref>