You might have seen the headlines swirling around or caught a snippet of a "breaking news" alert on your phone. The chatter is everywhere: who is buying MSNBC? For years, the network was the crown jewel of the liberal-leaning media landscape, tucked safely under the massive wing of Comcast. But things just changed.
Honestly, the answer isn't a single billionaire walking in with a briefcase full of cash. It’s a lot more "Wall Street" than that. In early 2026, the dust finally settled on a massive corporate divorce. MSNBC—now officially rebranded in many spaces as MS NOW—wasn't "bought" by an outside competitor like Disney or some tech mogul. Instead, it was spun off into a brand-new, independent public company called Versant Media Group.
If you're a Comcast shareholder, look at your brokerage account. You're technically the one "buying" it, whether you realized it or not.
The Birth of Versant: Why Comcast Let Go
Comcast didn't just wake up and decide to ditch its news assets. This was a calculated, cold-blooded business move. For a long time, cable networks were the "cash cows" that funded everything else. But cord-cutting changed the math. High-growth areas like 10G internet and theme parks (looking at you, Epic Universe) started to look a lot more attractive than traditional TV channels.
So, Comcast executives, led by President Mike Cavanagh, decided to play "offense." They bundled MSNBC, CNBC, USA Network, Oxygen, E!, Syfy, and the Golf Channel into a separate entity.
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Versant Media Group (NASDAQ: VSNT) officially started trading on January 5, 2026.
It’s a "pure-play" cable company. That’s fancy talk for "we only do cable TV and related digital stuff." By spinning these networks off, Comcast cleaned up its own balance sheet. They kept the things that "power" their streaming service, Peacock—like NBC News, NBC Sports, and the Bravo network. Everything else? It went to Versant.
The Identity Crisis: From MSNBC to MS NOW
One of the weirdest parts of this transition is the name change. You’ve probably noticed the "Peacock" logo disappearing from the corner of your screen during primetime.
As part of the deal, the new company had to separate itself from the "NBC" brand. On November 15, 2025, the network formally rebranded to MS NOW. The letters "MS" are a callback to its history (remember, it was originally a joint venture between Microsoft and NBC), and the network now uses the backronym: My Source for News, Opinion, and the World.
It’s not just a logo change. They actually moved out of the iconic 30 Rockefeller Plaza. The new headquarters is at 229 West 43rd Street in Manhattan—the old New York Times building.
Who Is Actually Running the Show?
If you’re worried about the content changing, look at the leadership. The man at the top is Mark Lazarus. He was a heavy hitter at NBCUniversal for years, and now he’s the CEO of Versant. He’s joined by Anand Kini, who stepped over from Comcast to be the CFO and COO.
These aren't outsiders. They are the same people who were running these channels when they were part of the mother ship.
"As a standalone company... we're going to be able to invest into them," Lazarus told CNBC on the first day of trading.
Basically, the argument is that MSNBC was being ignored because Comcast was too busy worrying about streaming movies and high-speed internet. Now, as Versant, the network can spend its own $7 billion in annual revenue however it wants.
The Financial Rollercoaster
It hasn't been all sunshine and rainbows. When Versant (VSNT) hit the Nasdaq, investors were... skeptical. The stock dropped more than 25% in its first three days of trading.
Why? Because big index funds that own Comcast don't necessarily want to own a company that relies on cable TV. They sold off their shares immediately. Plus, advertising revenue for linear TV has been soft. People are still cutting the cord, and that makes Wall Street nervous.
What This Means for Your Favorite Shows
The big question for most viewers isn't about stock tickers or corporate headquarters. It’s: Is Rachel Maddow still going to be on?
For now, the answer is a resounding yes. The core talent—Maddow, Nicolle Wallace, Ari Melber, and the Morning Joe crew—remained with MS NOW during the transition. However, there is a big structural shift happening behind the scenes.
- Editorial Independence: MS NOW has its own editorial standards team now. They no longer follow the exact same guidelines as NBC News.
- Newsgathering: Under President Rebecca Kutler, the network has been hiring its own DC bureau and national correspondents. They can't just borrow NBC News reporters like they used to.
- Digital Push: Because they don't "own" Peacock anymore, MS NOW is investing heavily in its own podcasts, newsletters, and a standalone app to reach people who don't have cable.
The "Buyer" Might Still Be Out There
While Versant is currently an independent, publicly traded company, many experts think this is just a pit stop.
Think about it. It’s much easier for a company like Warner Bros. Discovery or a private equity firm to buy a "packaged" group of cable networks than it is to try and buy them out from under a titan like Comcast. By putting MSNBC and CNBC into their own "bucket," Comcast has made them "for sale" in a way they never were before.
There are even rumors that the new company might look to acquire other struggling networks to gain more leverage with cable providers. It's a "consolidate or be consolidated" world right now.
Actionable Insights for Viewers and Investors
If you've been following the saga of who is buying MSNBC, here is what you actually need to know moving forward:
- Check Your Apps: If you watch via streaming, you might need to look for the "MS NOW" branding or a specific Versant-owned app, as the ties to Peacock are technically weakening over time.
- Watch the Ticker: If you're an investor, keep an eye on VSNT. Its performance will be a bellwether for the entire cable industry. If it stabilizes, expect other media giants to try similar spinoffs.
- Expect More "Opinion": Without the constraints of the traditional NBC News "hard news" umbrella, MS NOW is likely to lean even harder into the opinion-based programming that drives its highest ratings.
- The Name Game: Don't be surprised if "MSNBC" eventually fades away entirely in favor of the new branding. The legal agreements with NBCUniversal usually have strict timelines for how long a spun-off company can keep using the old name.
The media landscape of 2026 looks nothing like it did five years ago. MSNBC isn't disappearing; it's just growing up and moving out of its parents' basement. Whether it can survive on its own in a world of TikTok and Netflix is the multi-billion dollar question.