NBC Universal, along with investment groups Bain Capital and Blackstone Group, have agreed to acquire The Weather Channel from Landmark Communications for a reported $3.5 billion. The Weather Channel is one of the most widely distributed basic cable networks, available in more than 97 percent of cable-TV homes. Since 2004, NBC and its affiliates have also operated their own weather network, NBC Weather Plus. In an interview with today's (Monday) New York Times, NBC chief Jeff Zucker said that the fate of Weather Plus is currently "undetermined." Another apparently unresolved issue is how NBC intends to treat contracts between TWC and non-NBC affiliates. The NBC/TWC deal comes at a time when all networks are devoting increased time and resources to weather coverage. Only last Friday, the entire hour of NBC's Dateline news magazine was devoted to "The Year of the Tornado," and featured a first-time appearance by NBC Weather Plus Chief Meteorologist Bill Karins.