MSNBC to rebrand to MS NOW

MSNBC, the progressive cable network owned by NBCUniversal, is rebranding to MS NOW, an acronym that stands for My Source for News, Opinion and the World.

Why it matters: The rebrand is part of a wider effort by NBCU to create a distinction between the cable networks it plans to spin out and the remaining NBCU parent company.

Zoom in: As part of the rebrand, select cable networks that will be spun out into Versant, including CNBC, Golf Channel, GolfNow, MSNBC and SportsEngine, will all drop the iconic peacock logo that has for decades served as NBCU's 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 noted in a companywide memo Monday morning.
• "This gives us the opportunity to chart our own path forward, create distinct brand identities, and establish an independent news organization following the spin."

The big picture: The rebrand represents a larger set of changes for MSNBC, as it aims to separate itself from NBC News' broader newsgathering operations and develop its own identity.

• MSNBC has been hiring for dozens of new positions over the past few months as it prepares to be spun off from NBCU.

What's next: NBCU parent Comcast expects the Versant spinout to be completed by the end of the year.