{"id":7237,"date":"2025-08-18T14:08:07","date_gmt":"2025-08-18T14:08:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/7237\/"},"modified":"2025-08-18T14:08:07","modified_gmt":"2025-08-18T14:08:07","slug":"msnbc-to-change-name-to-ms-now-as-part-of-split-with-comcast","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/7237\/","title":{"rendered":"MSNBC To Change Name To MS NOW As Part Of Split With Comcast"},"content":{"rendered":"

\n\tMSNBC<\/a> will be rebranded as My Source News Opinion World, or MS NOW<\/a>, later this year, as the network prepares for its spinoff from Comcast<\/a>, while it also will shed the Peacock logo.<\/p>\n

\n\tThe change, announced on Monday, comes as MSNBC has been building its own news division, as NBC News<\/a> will no longer be a sister outlet following the spinoff. MSNBC and other Comcast cable networks will be part of a separate company, Versant<\/a>, led by Mark Lazarus.<\/p>\n

\n\tIt also is a bit of a surprise as expectations had been that the network would retain the name it has had since its launch in 1996. But executives determined that retaining the name would create brand confusion with NBC News.<\/p>\n

\n\tMSNBC President Rebecca Kutler wrote in a memo to employees on Monday, \u201cDuring this time of transition, NBCUniversal decided that our brand requires a new, separate identity. This decision now allows us to set our own course and assert our independence as we continue to build our own modern newsgathering operation.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cThe future of our success is not tied to remaining within the NBC family and using the peacock as part of our identity. While our name will be changing, who we are and what we do will not. Our commitment to our work and our audiences will not waiver from what the brand promise has been for three decades.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tKutler wrote that the re-branding will come with a \u201cbroad-based marketing campaign, unlike anything we have done in recent memory.\u201d The switch to MS NOW appears to be a way of distinguishing itself from NBC while still retaining elements of its brand identity, as it already has been referred to as \u201cMSN\u201d for short. In adopting \u201cNOW\u201d as part of its name, the network is using a word that has also been used by linear outlets to identify streaming ventures, including NBC News Now and HBO Now, although those are not part of acronyms.<\/p>\n

\n\tThere is some risk in making the name change, as Warner Bros. Discovery experienced with its rebrand of \u201cHBO Max\u201d to simply \u201cMax,\u201d only to change it back again. <\/p>\n

\n\tOn a recent episode of the Pivot podcast, Rachel Maddow, the network\u2019s top anchor, made the case for the network distinguishing itself from NBC News, noting that \u201cwe\u2019re spinning off with a huge standalone, newly built news gathering organization that is designed specifically for our purposes and nothing else. We have an incredibly loyal, very large audience, and and we\u2019re universally platformed on a device called the television, which Americans use, despite media reports to the contrary.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tIn a separate memo, Lazarus wrote that CNBC would be retaining its name, noting that it stands for Consumer News and Business Channel. But it, too, will get a new logo.<\/p>\n

\n\tSports programming on USA Network and Golf Channel \u201cwill come together under a new brand moniker of USA Sports,\u201d he wrote, with new logos for USA Sports and Golf Channel. <\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cAs we all know, the peacock is synonymous with NBCUniversal, and it is a symbol they have decided to keep within the NBCU family,\u201d Lazarus wrote in his memo. \u201cThis gives us the opportunity to chart our own path forward, create distinct brand identities, and establish an independent news organization following the spin.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tMSNBC launched as a joint venture between Microsoft and NBC, with a special focus on growing internet connectivity in the mid-1990s. Microsoft sold its stake in 2005, and the channel has established itself with its lineup of progressive opinion hosts.<\/p>\n

\n\tIn building up its news division, MSNBC has hired figures including The\u00a0Washington Post\u2019s\u00a0Carol Leoning, Catherine Rampell and Jackie Alemany, while Jacob Soboroff, Vaughn Hillyard and Antonia Hylton are among those joining from NBC News. <\/p>\n

\n\tLazarus\u2019 memo is below:<\/p>\n

\n

Team,\u00a0<\/p>\n

From the moment we announced the creation of VERSANT, we knew it would mark the beginning of a new journey for us and our iconic brands. Together, we have been focused on building our individual identity and vision for the future while laying a foundation for the continued growth and success of our businesses.<\/p>\n

To that end, a few of our brand designs will change in the coming months. As we all know, the peacock is synonymous with NBCUniversal, and it is a symbol they have decided to keep within the NBCU family. This gives us the opportunity to chart our own path forward, create distinct brand identities, and establish an independent news organization following the spin.<\/p>\n

This means we will redesign our logos where the peacock has been incorporated into our brands. In addition to a new logo, MSNBC will debut a new name to accelerate the distinction between the MSNBC and NBC News organizations, while remaining true to our mission and our commitment to audiences.
Each of these changes will go into effect closer to our spin at the end of the year. More on each of these changes below:<\/p>\n

MY SOURCE NEWS OPINION WORLD (MS NOW)<\/strong><\/p>\n

MSNBC will unveil a new name for the network:\u00a0MS NOW<\/strong>, which stands for\u00a0My Source for News, Opinion and the World.<\/strong><\/p>\n

This new name underscores the brand\u2019s mission to serve as the destination for domestic and international breaking news and the best-in-class opinion journalism. MSNBC has been building toward this moment and welcoming a wave of exceptional journalists to their newsgathering operation. Most importantly, while the name will be different, the brand\u2019s commitment to its audience will not change.<\/p>\n

CNBC<\/strong>\u00a0<\/p>\n

Since its inception in 1989, CNBC \u2013 originally known as the \u201cConsumer News and Business Channel\u201d \u2013 has distinguished itself as a trusted leader covering exclusively the global financial and business sectors. CNBC will retain its name and is working on a new logo, which will look back at its history and nod to the deep expertise of the network.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

USA SPORTS<\/strong><\/p>\n

Sports programming on USA Network and Golf Channel will come together under a new brand moniker of\u00a0USA Sports<\/strong>. New logos for USA Sports and Golf Channel are well underway. These new logos will aim to honor USA Network\u2019s legacy in sports and entertainment as well as Golf Channel\u2019s 30-plus year history as TV\u2019s home for golf, all with a nod to the future. We look forward to unveiling those in the weeks to come.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

ENTERTAINMENT<\/strong>\u00a0<\/p>\n

The brands within our entertainment portfolio will remain unchanged with each holding a unique place in the daily lives of audiences by delivering distinctive, genre-defining content that resonates deeply with viewers. Together, these networks play an essential role in shaping conversations and will continue to evolve alongside their audiences and remain a vital part of everyday life.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Additionally,\u00a0SportsEngine<\/strong>, best known for its technology serving thousands of youth sports organizations and more, will also redesign its logo without the peacock.<\/p>\n

Regardless of the iconography, each of our businesses will remain true to their charge. VERSANT is the house for our brands, each of which already succeeds on their own and will continue to do so by creating deeper connections with our audiences and identifying opportunities for growth.<\/p>\n

Thank you for all you do and continue to do as we shape this bold new direction together.<\/p>\n

Mark<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

\n\tKutler\u2019s memo is below:<\/p>\n

\n

All,\u00a0<\/p>\n

Following up on what you may have already seen from Mark, later this year, we will take on a new name:\u00a0MS NOW,\u00a0<\/strong>which stands for\u00a0My Source<\/strong>\u00a0for\u00a0News<\/strong>,\u00a0Opinion,<\/strong>\u00a0and the\u00a0World<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

This new branding underscores our mission: to serve as a destination for breaking news and best-in-class opinion journalism, all rooted in accurate and reported facts.\u00a0<\/p>\n

I know this announcement will be met with questions, and I want to acknowledge that for many of you who have spent years or decades here, it is hard to imagine the network by any other name. This was not a decision that was made quickly or without significant debate.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Over the last eight months, we have worked to untether ourselves from NBC News and embrace our independence under VERSANT. We\u2019ve hired dozens of first-rate reporters and newsroom leaders and have been recruiting for nearly 100 roles across our new and nimble organization. We continue to supercharge our non-linear products, achieving rapid success on YouTube, TikTok, audio, digital, live events, and more \u2013 all while aggressively developing a direct-to-consumer product.\u00a0<\/p>\n

During this time of transition, NBCUniversal decided that our brand requires a new, separate identity. This decision now allows us to set our own course and assert our independence as we continue to build our own modern newsgathering operation.<\/p>\n

The future of our success is not tied to remaining within the NBC family and using the peacock as part of our identity. While our name will be changing, who we are and what we do will not. Our commitment to our work and our audiences will not waiver from what the brand promise has been for three decades.\u00a0
In conjunction with the brand relaunch, we will be making a significant investment in a broad-based marketing campaign, unlike anything we have done in recent memory. Planning is now underway for an employee all-hands meeting next week, where I will have more to share \u2013 more news on that soon.\u00a0
Until then, we have millions of people who rely on us to continue doing what we do best. As I said on my first day, our most important job is to show up for our audience, the community that is depending on us now more than ever.<\/p>\n

Rebecca<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"MSNBC will be rebranded as My Source News Opinion World, or MS NOW, later this year, as the…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":7238,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[265],"tags":[7419,18,7420,117,19,17,7421,7422,7423,128,7424],"class_list":{"0":"post-7237","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-tv","8":"tag-comcast","9":"tag-eire","10":"tag-electionline","11":"tag-entertainment","12":"tag-ie","13":"tag-ireland","14":"tag-ms-now","15":"tag-msnbc","16":"tag-nbc-news","17":"tag-tv","18":"tag-versant"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7237","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7237"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7237\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7238"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7237"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7237"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7237"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}