MSNBC will rebrand as MS NOW (My Source for News Opinion and the World) following the spin-off of NBCUniversal’s cable assets into a new company, Versant, led by Mark Lazarus.
The rebrand is necessary because NBCU is keeping its Peacock logo, forcing Versant’s networks to adopt new identities. MSNBC will separate from NBC News and compete directly with it, building its own news operation under chief Rebecca Kutler.
USA Network and Golf Channel will be merged into USA Sports, with new logos.
CNBC will keep its name but update its logo.
The move highlights a larger industry trend where renaming risks weakening brand recognition, as seen with HBO’s shift to Max. Some confusion may arise with NBC News Now, a streaming service.
MSNBC has been hiring its own journalists, including former NBC News staff, and Versant has also recruited senior NBCU executives.
Kutler said the network will expand aggressively into digital, streaming, and direct-to-consumer products, backed by a major marketing campaign.
MSNBC will soon become MS NOW, marking a major break from NBC News as both move from sibling networks to direct competitors.
