WEATHER CHANNEL CLOSE TO NAMING CEO

Unable to agree on any other candidates, the partners that own The Weather Channel are close to naming as its CEO a retired, former CNBC exec who’s known for clashes both with underlings and superiors, The Post has learned.

Sources familiar with the CEO search said that Bill Bolster who’s credited with increasing CNBC’s earnings to $300 million from $80 million between 1995 and 2000 by charging advertisers premium prices to reach the channel’s audience is the frontrunner for the top job at The Weather Channel.

There are a few other candidates, but Bolster has the support of NBC Universal Boss Jeff Zucker, who is pushing Bolster for the job. Zucker and Bolster’s relationship goes back to Zucker’s days as a producer on the “Today” show.

Sources said the partners, which in addition to NBC include The Blackstone Group and Bain Capital Partners, hope to make a decision by the end of April. Lisa Gersh has been serving as The Weather Channel’s interim CEO since Debora Wilson left on Feb. 10.

Representatives for NBC, Bain and Blackstone declined to comment. Bolster could not be reached.