NBC Universal said Tuesday it will double the size of its cable operations outside the United States with the acquisition of Sparrowhawk Media, the private equity-backed owner of the Hallmark channel.

Sparrowhawk, with 18 channels, will be integrated into NBC’s global networks division, bolstering its channel offering to 30 and bringing in an additional 60 million subscribers.

A source familiar with the matter told Reuters on Monday that NBC was buying Sparrowhawk for around $350 million.  Terms of the transaction were not disclosed on Tuesday.

The relationship between Sparrowhawk and NBC goes back several years, starting with a licensing deal involving “Law and Order.” NBC is the biggest supplier of programming content to Sparrowhawk.

Hallmark’s international channels broadcast across 152 territories in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Latin America and Asia. Its library of classic films includes “Moby Dick” and “Gulliver’s Travels.”

Hallmark UK, the largest channel in the group, carries NBC Universal series such as “Law & Order,” “House” and “Monk.”

NBC Universal is 80 percent owned by General Electric Co. (Charts, Fortune 500), with the rest owned by French media and telecoms group.  Not a suprise to industry insiders but a great move on NBC’s part.

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