AccuWeather, Versant announce partnership as MSNBC to MS NOW rebrand approaches

Versant has closed on a deal to have AccuWeather become the “preferred weather source” for MS NOW and CNBC.

MSNBC, which will change its name to MS NOW Nov. 15, 2025, as NBCU parent Comcast puts the finishing touches on spinning off most of its linear cable networks under the Versant banner.

Terms of the multi-year deal were not disclosed, but it does call for MS NOW and CNBC to use AccuWeather forecasts, content, data and access to its forecasting team.

“At such a groundbreaking moment for soon-to-be MS NOW, we are proud to continue to expand our reporting capabilities and offerings alongside AccuWeather. Our network’s mission – embodied through our new name MS NOW, My Source for News, Opinion and the World – is to bring our viewers the most-trusted news that they care about. We know, at a moment of unprecedented weather events, that AccuWeather will bring top-quality data and reporting to our audiences,” said MS NOW Senior Vice President of Newsgathering Scott Matthews in a statement.

AccuWeather will also provide the networks with an integrated suite of services, including live and recorded meteorologist appearances, data-driven weather graphics, tailored weather briefings, and editorial content. VERSANT will have access to AccuWeather’s Enterprise API, editorial feed, and video content library, enhancing its ability to incorporate weather context and analysis across its news and entertainment programming, according to the announcement. 

It was not immediately clear if AccuWeather will provide all talent for weather hits or if Versant staffers will handle some of those duties. 

Versant has also hired David Parkinson as senior weather and elections data analyst and Moses Small as climate reporter, both of whom are part of a broader effort to build its own standalone news operation.

Parkinson joins MS NOW from CBS News, while Small joins from ABC 10News San Diego. Parkinson and Small will be working alongside AccuWeather’s expert meteorologists to deliver the AccuWeather forecasts on Versant networks.

Advertisement

MSNBC had relied on NBC News for most of its resources since it launched in 1996. CNBC maintained its own newsroom but would still work with NBC News to share resources and reporting. For a time, MSNBC had a small weather set in a corner of Studio 3A in New York City.

AccuWeather has a roster of meteorologists on staff who can appear in video, audio, and other formats, as well as serve as a supplement to a network or station’s weather team by providing graphics and maps as well as consulting on forecasts, which can be especially helpful if talent does not have specific meteorological training and the outlet doesn’t wish to invest in weather producers to back them up.

MSNBC had a partnership with AccuWeather that started in the mid-1990s, an arrangement that included AccuWeather forecasters joining the network’s talent remotely from its State College, Pennsylvania, campus, which includes fully functional TV studios. 

At one point, MSNBC even had a camera setup overlooking a workspace with both its own branding featured. 

MSNBC moved away from using the AccuWeather brand prominently when NBCU launched its own NBC Weather Plus operation in 2004. In addition to providing a rolling loop of national forecasts, coverage of major weather events and reporting on lifestyle and climate issues, NBC stations could also opt to create their own localized versions of the feed with spots to insert their own regional forecasts or other content.

For local stations, the system was largely automated, with the option to pre-record forecast segments and have them play automatically at the designated time, with the option to update them or go live if needed due to changes in the forecast.

In essence, this was essentially NBCUniversal’s attempt to replicate the model of The Weather Channel, which also provided a national feed of full-fledged video content that added largely automated local forecast information via a unit installed in cable providers’ head ends. Affiliates were also encouraged to adopt the Weather Plus branding for their entire local weather operations as well and Weather Plus team members would also provide forecasts, including hits, for NBC News and MSNBC programming.

AccuWeather has also offered a similar network.

In 2008, NBCUniversal bought The Weather Channel from Landmark Communications and began the process of phasing out Weather Plus. Eventually, Weather Channel personalities would appear across NBCU’s empire, including NBC, MSNBC and CNBC. The channel also had a dailiy program, “Wake Up with Al,” featuring “Today” forecaster Al Roker. 

In 2018, NBCU sold The Weather Channel to Allen Media Group and sharing on-air talent and other resources ended. The Weather Channel would later go on to partner with CBS News. 

After that, NBC News, MSNBC and CNBC would largely share a smaller weather team, which included a mix of on-air talent and behind-the-scenes staffers. 

The Nov. 10, 2025, announcement from AccuWeather and Versant did not address how NBC News will handle its weather forecasting team, though, ahead of the split, many staffers were reportedly asked to decided if they wanted to remain with NBC or transfer to Versant, though in some cases a choice was not available.

Advertisement

Versant’s deal with AccuWeather marks its the second major content partnership. It previously announced a distribution deal with Sky News, which happens to be owned by NBCU parent Comcast and is remaining that way after the Versant transaction closes, to bolster its international news coverage needs.

While Versant has built out its own newsgathering operations in New York and Washington, D.C. in a relatively short amount of time, it’s not clear if it plans to eventually expand its physical presence across the U.S. or world or if partnerships such as these will be used to replace the worldwide reach NBC News was able to provide.

AccuWeather has made a name for itself across multiple platforms for its ability to provide weather forecasts and data, including its own predictions, to a variety of media outlets. In addition to working with TV stations and networks, the company also provides printed forecasts and maps for newspapers and other print publications, audio-only forecasts for audio productions as well as serving corporate clients who rely on weather forecasts and trends. 

It also offers forensic meteorology services, climate change consulting, warning services and a full suite of data products, including APIs and other access to historical and current weather conditions as well as forecasts that can be integrated into a variety of digital platforms.