MSNBC to change name to MS NOW amid spinoff from NBCUniversal
Comcast announced last year that it would spin off most of its cable television networks into a separate publicly traded company called Versant. The new company will include MSNBC and the financial news channel CNBC as well as the USA Network, Oxygen, E!, SYFY and the Golf Channel.
The branding changes represent Versant's emphasis on 'building our individual identity and vision for the future while laying a foundation for the continued growth and success of our businesses,' Versant CEO Mark Lazarus said in a memo to staff Monday morning.
'The peacock is synonymous with NBCUniversal, and it is a symbol they have decided to keep within the NBCU family,' Lazarus said. 'This gives us the opportunity to charge our own path forward, create distinct brand identities, and establish an independent news organization following the spin.'
MSNBC President Rebecca Kutler said the network will not change editorial direction, saying in part: '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.'
Comcast will retain NBCUniversal assets such as the NBC broadcast network, NBC News, NBC Sports, the streaming platform Peacock and the cable brand Bravo.
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