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MSNBC to Rebrand as ‘MS NOW’ and Drop Peacock Ahead of Versant Spinoff

Leaders say the rebrand follows the Versant spin-off to give the channel a distinct identity from NBCUniversal.

Image: Versant
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The MSNBC logo and MS NOW

Overview

  • The channel will relaunch as MS NOW (My Source News Opinion World) later this year with a new logo and a national marketing campaign timed to the planned year-end spin-off.
  • NBCUniversal is retaining the NBC name and peacock, so Versant networks will adopt new logos; CNBC keeps its acronym but will remove the peacock.
  • MSNBC president Rebecca Kutler says editorial direction remains unchanged as the network builds a standalone newsgathering operation separate from NBC News.
  • Hiring continues for roughly 100 roles, including a Washington bureau of about 40 journalists recruited from outlets such as CNN, Bloomberg and Politico.
  • The announcement drew mixed reactions across media and social platforms, with critics mocking the name and logo and some hosts praising the move as a statement of independence.