MSNBC's name will change after Comcast split

MSNBC is being renamed after parent company Comcast spins the cable news channel off into a separate corporate entity later this year.

- STEPHEN BATTAGLIO

THE MS NOW acronym - complete with new logois meant to convey that the channel has a viewpoint.

The left-leaning channel will be known as MS NOW once it becomes part of Versant, a new company, and is no longer associated with NBC News, staffers were told Monday.

“Morning Joe” co-host Joe Scarborough informed viewers of the pending change on his program.

“This shows we're independent,” Scarborough said. “I'm excited.”

In a memo obtained by The Times, Versant Chief Executive Mark Lazarus indicated it was NBCUniversal’s decision to remove NBC and its famous peacock logo from the MSNBC name.

The MS NOW acronym— standing for “my source, news, opinion and world” — is intended to convey that the channel has a point of view.

“The peacock is synonymous with NBCUniversal, and it is a symbol they have decided to keep within the NBCU family,” Lazarus wrote. “This gives us the opportunity to chart our own path forward, create distinct brand identities, and establish an independent news organization following the spin.”