BRIEF-Weather Channel deal valued at $3.5 billion

PHILADELPHIA, July 6 (Reuters) -

* NBC Universal and buyout firms Bain Capital and Blackstone Group agreed on Sunday to buy The Weather Channel from Landmark Communications.

* The deal was valued at just under $3.5 billion, sources familiar with the transaction said. (Reporting by Jessica Hall) (For more M&A news and our DealZone blog, go to here)