MSNBC to Rebrand as MS NOW Ahead of Split From NBCUniversal
MSNBC is getting a new name—My Source News Opinion World or MS NOW—as it prepares to break away from Comcast-owned NBCUniversal and join a new company called Versant, alongside other former Comcast cable brands like CNBC, USA Network, and SYFY. The change, set to take place later this year, marks a fresh identity for the cable news channel, which launched in 1996 as a joint venture between NBC and Microsoft. “This gives us the opportunity to chart our own path forward,” said Versant CEO Mark Lazarus.
Despite the new name and logo, MSNBC President Rebecca Kutler assured staff that “who we are and what we do will not” change. The rebrand will be supported by a major national marketing campaign. CNBC will also drop the NBC peacock from its logo, though it will keep its name. The peacock emblem will stay with NBCUniversal, which retains assets like NBC News, Peacock, and Bravo.
The move reflects a broader trend as traditional cable networks separate from their streaming-focused counterparts. Lazarus said the change is about creating “distinct brand identities” and growing independently in a changing media landscape.
