In addition to MS NOW, USA Network and Golf Channel will merge into a new USA Sports brand and CNBC will change its logo but retain its name

The Versant split means that journalists and executives that have previously worked for both networks now have to choose one.

Comcast unveiled eight new members of the first board of directors of Versant Media Group, which will house the bulk of NBCUniversal’s cable networks and certain digital businesses, including Versant CEO Mark Lazarus.

Comcast’s Cable TV Spinoff Now Has a Name: Versant The spinoff will house Comcast's cable TV assets like USA, MSNBC, CNBC and E!, as well as some digital brands like Fandango.

Comcast on Thursday announced the expected board members of its cable networks spinout, Versant. They come from backgrounds in media, technology, finance and other industries, according to Versant.

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