MSNBC Will Change Name To MS NOW Following Split From NBC News — What Do You Think Of The Rebrand?
MSNBC is undergoing an extreme makeover: Upon its split from NBC News, the cable network will be rebranded as My Source News Opinion World (MS NOW).
The change comes as Comcast spins off its cable networks — including CNBC, E!, Golf Channel, Oxygen, Syfy and USA Network — all of which are now part of a new company, Versant, and as MSNBC untethers itself from NBC News.
"During this time of transition, NBCUniversal decided that our brand requires a new, separate identity," MSNBC president Rebecca Kutler said in a memo Monday morning. "This decision now allows us to set our own course and assert our independence as we continue to build our own modern newsgathering operation."
In a separate memo, Versant CEO Mark Lazarus added that "the peacock is synonymous with NBCUniversal, and it is a symbol they have decided to keep within the NBCU family.... MSNBC will debut a new name to accelerate the distinction between the MSNBC and NBC News organizations, while remaining true to our mission and our commitment to audiences."
The change will take effect in the next few months, as the cable news network prepares to enter its 30th year on air.
Sister network CNBC will also undergo a brand refresh, and unveil a new logo that gets rid of the iconic peacock. However, unlike MSNBC, the channel will get to retain its name — an acronym that refers not to NBC, but to Consumer News and Business Channel.
What do you think of the MS NOW rebrand? Leave a comment and let us know.