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Coronavirus puts NBC Sky World News channel on hold

Originally due to launch this summer

The planned new global news channel from NBC and Sky News has been put on hold due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The channel was expected to launch this summer, recruiting new talent as well as 100 employees to produce programming.

However, Variety reports NBC News chairman Andy Lack has told staff the launch has been delayed because of the global pandemic.

He told employees the company will look at its plans again once the global crisis is over.

It’s believed 50 journalists had already been hired for the new channel. They will now be redelpoyed by NBC News. Lack is believed to have said the company’s global journalism efforts will continue to be run out of London.

Variety adds that NBC News is planning to begin using one aspect of the planned new channel in its coverage of coronavirus. It said NBC Sky World News was planning to launch a service known as the Verification Centre, aimed at helping audiences understand the differences between real and fake news.