CBS News and The Weather Channel announce partnership

CBS News and The Weather Channel television network, the #1 source for weather news and information, today announced a new content collaboration that will bring enhanced weather and climate reporting to CBS News viewers around the world. This new partnership combines the expertise and technology of two award-winning news organizations to provide viewers with leading in-depth weather reporting and immersive storytelling.

The Weather Channel’s multiple Emmy Award-winning Immersive Mixed Reality (IMR) technology will provide the audience a “Virtual View” into American communities’ weather conditions. IMR technology allows viewers to visualize future weather forecasts — to see how snow, rain, floods or tornadoes can affect a community before the conditions arrive. The reports originate from the Weather Channel’s headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia. The partnership also draws upon live reporting from meteorologists Stephanie Abrams, Jim Cantore and Mike Bettes, as well as the entire Weather Channel meteorological and newsgathering team.

The Weather Channel’s reports will be featured during CBS News’ award-winning morning and evening newscasts, “CBS Mornings,” “CBS Saturday Morning” and “CBS Evening News with Norah O’Donnell.” CBS News’ 24/7 digital streaming news service will also showcase regular reports from The Weather Channel.

The CBS News investigative team and the Weather Channel’s meteorological and newsgathering teams will also partner on special investigative climate reports. This collaboration brings together two powerhouse brands to deliver audiences innovative weather reporting, trusted severe weather coverage, and investigative reporting on the environment.

Appearing on “CBS Mornings” on Monday, Byron Allen, the founder, chairman and CEO of Allen Media Group and owner of The Weather Channel, called climate change one of the greatest threats to life on the planet, and said his goal when buying the Weather Channel four years ago was to “lean in” to make sure people understand what’s at stake.

“The Weather Channel isn’t a cable network; it’s a technology platform,” he said. “And we decided to invest more in technology. We’ve won three Emmy Awards — two of them since I’ve owned it — for technology.”

Allen called the channel’s proprietary Immersive Mixed Reality, used to explain dangerous weather conditions, “the best technology not to tell you the weather but to show you the weather. And I’m a firm believer — that’s my background as a comedian — don’t tell them, show it. Show them, act it out, play it out. It has more impact.”

“By bringing together CBS News and the Weather Channel’s weather teams and virtual view technology, we will not only be able to forecast the weather but show viewers what it’s really going to look like,” said Neeraj Khemlani, president and co-head of CBS News and Stations. “This is a holistic partnership that brings together the scale of both companies’ reporting teams, technologies and audiences. In addition to the virtual forecasts and live reporting, we will also collaborate on field reporting and pair our investigative teams to expand our environmental investigative efforts. Together we will deliver deeper coverage of one of the most important stories of our time — the impact of the climate on the communities we live in.”

“This year, the Weather Channel celebrates its 40th anniversary, and there’s never been a more important time to provide viewers cutting-edge visual presentations and compelling storytelling about our weather,” said Allen. “This new collaboration is designed to offer the CBS News audience the most innovative weather reporting, as well as greater reach for the Weather Channel’s brand. CBS News and the Weather Channel will work closely together to explore and investigate issues related to climate and our environment.” BCS Bureau