MSNBC will change its name to MS NOW and lose its peacock logo later this year as part of its split from parent company NBC Universal.
The new name stands for My Source News Opinion World.
Comcast and NBC Universal announced in November it is spinning-off several of its cable channels, including CNBC, Golf Channel, USA, Oxygen, E! and SYFY into a new company called Versant.
CNBC (which stands for “Consumer News and Business Channel”) will retain its name, but also drop the peacock logo.
“The peacock is synonymous with NBCUniversal, and it is a symbol they have decided to keep within the NBCU family,” Versant CEO Mark Lazarus wrote in a memo to employees.
“This gives us the opportunity to chart our own path forward, create distinct brand identities, and establish an independent news organization following the spin.”
Leaders at MSNBC believe this will give them more opportunity keep the network’s editorial tone and distance themselves from NBC News.
“This was not a decision that was made quickly or without significant debate,” MSNBC President Rebecca Kutler wrote in the memo.
“During this time of transition, NBC Universal decided that our brand requires a new, separate identity. This decision now allows us to set our own course and assert our independence as we continue to build our own modern newsgathering organization.
“This new branding underscores our mission: to serve as a destination for breaking news and best-in-class opinion journalism, all rooted in accurate and reported facts.”
The news network was originally a partnership between Microsoft and NBC News, debuting in 1996. The name stuck when the software company sold its stake.
MSNBC currently ranks second to Fox News in cable news ratings.
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