The Weather Channel, one of the most broadly distributed basic cable networks, is preparing to put itself on the block,
The New York Times reports. The sale of the channel, as well as its
sister Web site, weather.com, could fetch as much as $5 billion, according to the paper, which speculates that big media companies such as GE's NBC unit, News Corp. and Comcast may be among the
suitors. The sale is believed to be part of the break-up of Weather Channel parent Landmark Communications.