Landmark Communications, parent company to Weather.com; The Weather Channel; newspapers including The Virginian Pilot and The Roanoke Times; online marketing divisions Q Interactive; Digital Element/Digital Envoy; and other businesses, said it retained investment banks J.P. Morgan and Lehman Brothers to explore opportunities including the sale of Landmark’s businesses.
The Wall Street Journal reports the company could be sold in pieces, and that J.P. Morgan is responsible for The Weather Channel while Lehman will likely handle the other media outlets. It’s unclear whether Landmark intends to sell all its businesses, and how the company may be divided up.
Weather.com is aggressive in its advertising strategies, and debuted an ad-supported video player in August. Not much is mentioned about Landmark’s Internet marketing and services division, which includes Ad Engine, in the company’s statement outlining the potential sale.