Comcast's corporate reorganization will move cable news channels CNBC and MSNBC, along with other TV brands, into a new company tentatively named SpinCo, sparking speculation about their future.
After the announcement, some users on X, formerly Twitter, speculated that the reorganization signaled MSNBC was up for sale. Among them was Donald Trump Jr., son of President-elect Donald Trump.
On Friday, Trump Jr. jokingly suggested that Tesla CEO Elon Musk, the world's richest man and a Trump surrogate, buy the progressive network, calling it the "funniest idea."
Musk joined the conversation, asking, "How much?"—a reference to his 2017 tweet when he asked the same question about buying Twitter, five years before acquiring the platform for $44 billion.
Trump Jr. continued the conversation by mocking MSNBC's value, posting, "I mean it can't be much. Look at the ratings."
The rise of streaming platforms has transformed consumer habits, leaving legacy cable networks grappling with declining viewership. According to an Associated Press report, MSNBC's ratings have dropped since Trump's election victory.
However, Comcast has said that neither MSNBC nor CNBC is for sale. The reorganization reflects a broader strategy to separate its traditional cable properties from its streaming and broadcast operations. SpinCo will manage MSNBC, CNBC and other cable networks, such as USA, E! and The Golf Network, while NBC News will remain directly under Comcast's oversight.
MSNBC faces questions about its future, including whether it will retain its name. MSNBC's staff and studios are housed in the same Rockefeller Center offices as NBC News, but it remains uncertain whether they will stay there, according to remarks made by Lazarus to MSNBC employees on Wednesday.
MSNBC's relationship with NBC News has occasionally created tension, particularly as the network has gained a reputation for its roster of liberal commentators, contrasting with NBC News' emphasis on impartiality.
The potential impact of a second Trump administration on MSNBC is already drawing attention. Trump ally Steve Bannon recently issued a stark warning on his radio show to the network's anchors and producers: "You better be worried," he said. "You better lawyer up."
Last week, MSNBC's Morning Joe co-hosts Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski revealed on air that they had "gone to Mar-a-Lago to meet personally" with the president-elect "to restart communications." Although unrelated to Bannon's remarks, the admission has raised questions about the network's relationship with Trump.
Comcast reported revenue of more than $32 billion and profit of $1.12 per share in its most recent quarter, boosted by the summer box-office success of Despicable Me 4, which grossed more than $1 billion worldwide.
The spin-off is targeted for completion in about a year, the entertainment giant said Wednesday, pending financing and approval from its board and government regulators.
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