MSNBC Rebrands as MS NOW Amid Corporate Spinoff from NBC Universal
MSNBC rebrands as MS NOW, forming new publicly traded company Versant, separating from NBC Universal. This aims for a distinct identity and independent news division.
MS NOW: Everything Wrong With MSNBC’s New Name and Logo
New York Magazine
MSNBC changing name to MS NOW after corporate split from NBC
New York Daily News
MSNBC Is Rebranding As MS NOW
New York Post
MSNBC is changing its name
Boston Globe
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Overview
- MSNBC is undergoing a significant rebrand, changing its name to MS NOW, which stands for "My Source for News, Opinion, and the World," to establish a distinct identity.
- This name change is part of a larger corporate divorce from Comcast's NBC Universal, leading to the formation of a new publicly traded company called Versant.
- The rebrand includes dropping the iconic NBC peacock logo and unveiling a new identity to distance itself from NBC News and prevent brand confusion.
- Mark Lazarus will lead the new Versant company as CEO, while MSNBC President Rebecca Kutler confirmed the carefully considered decision despite inherent risks.
- The strategic move aims to create MSNBC's own separate news division, addressing underlying tensions between its news operations and its former liberal-leaning counterpart within NBC.
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Analysis
Center-leaning sources frame this story by emphasizing the significant, perhaps reactive, nature of MSNBC's rebrand and spinoff. They highlight the network's political identity and suggest the changes are a response to broader industry challenges and a need for greater independence, sometimes noting perceived inconsistencies in prior statements.
"It seems like an understatement to say that online reaction to the MSNBC name change has been negative."
Gizmodo"Changing its name to MS NOW underscores the brand's mission to serve as the destination for domestic and international breaking news and the best-in-class opinion journalism."
CBS News"MSNBC will operate as a standalone news-gathering machine, with its own set of fact-finders, its own Washington bureau and a fresh leadership team."
USA TODAY"This decision now allows us to set our own course and assert our independence as we continue to build our own modern newsgathering organization."
ABC News"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."
NBC News"This decision now allows us to set our own course and assert our independence as we continue to build our own modern newsgathering organization."
Associated PressArticles (21)
Center (6)
FAQ
MS NOW stands for 'My Source for News, Opinion, and the World,' reflecting the channel's intent to convey a distinct point of view as it becomes independent from NBC News.
The rebrand and removal of the NBC peacock logo are part of Comcast's spin-off of MSNBC into Versant, a separate publicly traded company, to establish an independent news organization distinct from NBCUniversal and prevent brand confusion.
Mark Lazarus has been named CEO of the new publicly traded company Versant, which will include MS NOW after the spinoff from NBCUniversal.
MSNBC will build its own independent news division and newsgathering operations, separate from NBC News, including hiring dozens of new staff and some NBC News journalists moving to the cable operation.
Along with MSNBC, other cable networks like CNBC, Golf Channel, GolfNow, and SportsEngine are also being spun out into Versant and will drop the NBC peacock logo as part of the rebranding.
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