NBC and its affiliate board announced it was pulling the plug on NBC Weather Plus, a digital subchannel network focusing exclusively on weather, much like cable’s The Weather Channel, which NBC Universal recently acquired.
A total of 90 stations used NBC Weather Plus, which launched as the nation’s first all-digital subchannel network in 2004. It provided stations with 24-hour weather reports.
No word on what Weather Plus will be replaced by on stations’ digital subchannels. NBC recently launched Universal Sports as a digital and satellite network in June, when it bought World Championship Sports Network. It already airs on digital subchannels in 22 markets, including nine NBC O&Os (including WMAQ-TV, where you can find it on channel 5.3.)
Weather Plus is the second digital network to go under in the last thirteen months, with The Tube (a music video network) ceasing operations in September 2007 due to financial constraints.