STAMFORD, Conn.—Spectrum News has inked a deal with New England Cable News (NECN) and NBCUniversal for the acquisition of substantially all the assets of NECN, including the network’s existing distribution agreements throughout New England.

“This agreement represents a significant milestone for Spectrum News as we grow our operation in New England and expand our viewership to additional markets across the country," said Mike Bair, executive vice president of Spectrum Networks. "We look forward to building on a storied local news brand and honoring the importance of local news that serves communities throughout New England."

The transaction will deliver Spectrum News’ award-winning local journalism to additional viewers in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Vermont.

As a result of the agreement, Spectrum News networks in Maine and Massachusetts will combine with NECN and rebrand as Spectrum News NECN in the upcoming months.

The new combined network will continue to be available to existing NECN distributors throughout New England and will also be available to Spectrum customers in Maine and Massachusetts along with Comcast’s Xfinity TV customers in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Vermont.

The deal is part of an ongoing expansion of Spectrum News. In recent years it has launched multiple local linear TV news networks across the country, a streaming news network, Spectrum News+; a Spanish-language news network, Spectrum Noticias. In addition, it has introduced a mobile news app that currently has more than 6 million downloads and created its local connected TV news app on Xumo Stream Box, Roku and Apple TV.

Spectrum Networks is a series of 24/7 news and sports networks owned and operated by Charter Communications, Inc. Spectrum Networks carry distinct, comprehensive, and exclusive local programming on over 30 networks across Charter’s footprint. More information on Spectrum Networks is available at spectrumlocalnews.com.

NBCUniversal broke ground Thursday on its new multi-million dollar Boston Media Center, which will be home to its local NBC and Telemundo TV stations, NBC Sports Boston and New England Channel News (NECN).

The 160,000 square foot facility is expected to be unveiled in the fall of 2019.

“The creation of our new media center represents the forward momentum and our continued commitment to local news to serve Boston and New England audiences, regardless of language,” said Mike St. Peter, president and general manager, NBC10 Boston, Telemundo Boston, NECN. “Together with NBC Sports Boston, our teams will be able to strengthen their already strong news collaborations to super serve our audiences with quality news and information."

NBCU is working with the Boston area’s Lee Kennedy Construction, Gardiner & Theobald Construction and architecture, design, planning and consulting firm Gensler, to build the center. At unveiling, the NBCUniversal Boston Media Center will feature the most cutting edge broadcast technology and will be designed to be energy efficient.

The Boston project is part of NBCU’s investment in its local operations. Other new facilities include The Brokaw News Center in Los Angeles (KNBC/KVEA), The Studios at DFW in Dallas-Fort Worth (KXAS/KXTX), and other new modern news facilities in West Hartford (WVIT/WRDM), Denver (KDEN), San Antonio (KVDA), McAllen (KTLM), San Diego (KNSD, KUAN) and in Philadelphia when NBC10 (WCAU) and Telemundo 62 (WWSI) move to their new state-of-the-art news center within the new Comcast Technology Center, this fall.