NBC News has begun cutting 7% of its workforce — about 150 of its roughly 2,000 employees — as the network prepares to operate independently from its long-standing cable affiliates, according to a person familiar with the matter.
The layoffs, which began on Wednesday, come as NBC News parent company Comcast’s NBCUniversal moves ahead with plans to spin off several of its cable networks, including MSNBC and CNBC, into a new entity called Versant. The decision is believed to be tied to the growing challenges facing the traditional cable television industry as audiences continue their steady migration toward digital and streaming platforms.
In a statement, NBC News attributed the cuts to a “tough business climate” and to the operational restructuring prompted by the spinoff. The company explained that certain roles supporting MSNBC and CNBC would no longer be necessary once those networks begin operating separately under Versant.
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Despite the layoffs, NBC News said it currently has about 140 open positions across the organization and is encouraging affected employees to apply.
“We have had to make some difficult decisions, including the elimination of positions across NBC News,” NBCUniversal News Group Chairman Cesar Conde said in a memo to staff. “While these decisions are necessary to remain strong as an industry leader, they are not easy and are never taken lightly.”
Conde acknowledged the emotional toll of the decision, calling Wednesday “a hard day” for the organization.
“We have sought to minimize the number of affected team members,” he wrote, adding that those departing “should not be seen as a reflection on our colleagues who will be leaving. We will miss them and their valuable contributions.”
End of a Shared Era
The separation marks the end of a decades-long relationship between NBC News, MSNBC, and CNBC — one that has often been productive but occasionally strained. For years, the three outlets shared resources, reporters, and production infrastructure, with NBC News providing hard-news credibility and its cable counterparts offering specialized coverage and analysis.
However, MSNBC’s evolution into a more left-leaning, opinion-driven network sometimes complicated its association with the NBC News brand, which positions itself as a straight-news organization. The separation will now allow each outlet to define its editorial direction independently, but it also means MSNBC and CNBC will lose access to NBC News’ vast newsgathering network.
According to people familiar with internal planning, MSNBC is preparing for a full rebranding — adopting the new name “MS NOW” and dropping the iconic NBC peacock logo from its on-air identity. The rebrand is expected to be accompanied by a broader effort to distinguish the network’s political commentary and prime-time opinion programming from NBC’s fact-based reporting.
Building for a Streaming Future
NBC News, meanwhile, is moving aggressively into the streaming space. The network plans to launch a new subscription-based streaming service later this year, featuring select live coverage, original reporting, and premium programming developed exclusively for online audiences.
Conde has said that the service is part of NBC News’ broader plan to “reaffirm its identity as a rigorous, fact-based source of journalism” in an era of eroding public trust in news media. The network is also expanding its sports and investigative reporting portfolios and preparing a major marketing campaign aimed at reinforcing its brand credibility.
While MSNBC and CNBC are still in the early stages of developing their own streaming strategies, both are expected to experiment with digital-first shows and partnerships to attract younger audiences. CNBC, in particular, has been exploring content integration with NBCUniversal’s streaming platform, Peacock, as part of efforts to capture a new generation of business and finance viewers.
Impact on Reporting and Local Collaboration
Internally, some at NBC News have expressed concerns about how the spinoff will affect day-to-day newsgathering operations. For years, the network’s cable and digital divisions relied heavily on resource-sharing — from correspondents and producers to field operations and newsroom technology. The transition to independent management could complicate that synergy.
To counterbalance potential gaps, NBC News has been strengthening its collaboration with local affiliates, a segment of the media industry that has proven more resilient amid declining audience trust in national outlets. Since 2023, NBC News has worked more closely with its network of more than 200 local stations to coordinate coverage on major breaking stories, with both national and local teams promoting each other’s work to build credibility and reach.
That strategy — emphasizing proximity, community reporting, and cross-platform integration — has helped NBC News maintain a steady audience base even as national cable news viewership continues to decline.
Second Round of Cuts
This is the second round of layoffs at NBC News this year. In January, the network cut around 40 roles, or roughly 2% to 3% of its workforce, while simultaneously hiring for new digital positions. The company said at the time that it was reallocating resources to prioritize digital storytelling, data journalism, and audience engagement.
The broader context for the latest layoffs reflects an industry-wide contraction as major U.S. media companies grapple with slowing ad revenues, high production costs, and the ongoing disruption caused by streaming services. Across the sector, from Disney to Warner Bros. Discovery, executives have been restructuring legacy television operations to align with the economics of on-demand viewing.
In NBC’s case, the creation of Versant signals Comcast’s intent to streamline operations and free its digital properties from the constraints of the traditional cable model. Analysts say the move will allow the company to allocate resources more efficiently while giving each network more autonomy to pursue digital expansion at its own pace.
The changes represent both a challenge and an opportunity for NBC News. While the layoffs and separation from its cable siblings mark the end of an era, they also position the network to redefine its role in a fragmented media landscape.
With streaming now dominating how audiences consume news, NBC’s push toward subscription-based journalism and renewed focus on fact-based reporting could help it reclaim ground lost to social media and independent digital outlets.