MSNBC, the liberal-leaning cable news network, is undergoing a significant corporate and operational restructuring as part of Comcast's broader spinoff of its cable assets into a new entity called Versant.
This process, announced last year, aims to separate MSNBC (along with CNBC and other networks like USA, E!, Oxygen, and Golf Channel) from NBCUniversal, which will retain the NBC broadcast network, NBC News, NBC Sports, Peacock streaming, and Bravo.
The separation will culminate in a legal split by January 1, 2026, but operational changes begin in earnest on October 6, 2025, marking the end of MSNBC's nearly 30-year reliance on NBC News for shared resources, editorial guidance, and on-air talent. This move positions MSNBC as a fully independent news organization, competing directly with its former parent.
The announcement was detailed in an internal memo and editorial call on September 17, 2025, shared with staff by MSNBC's senior vice president of newsgathering, Scott Matthews.
It comes amid MSNBC's rebranding to "MS NOW" (standing for "My Source for News, Opinion, and the World"), revealed in August 2025, which includes dropping the iconic NBC peacock logo to establish a distinct identity.
MSNBC President Rebecca Kutler emphasized that the network's editorial direction—focused on progressive commentary and analysis—will remain unchanged, but it will now build its own standalone newsgathering operation.
The separation is staggered to allow MSNBC to test and refine its independent workflows. Here's a breakdown of the major milestones:
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