MSNBC forges distribution deal with Sky News ahead of losing access to NBC News

Soon-to-be-renamed cable channel MSNBC has inked a deal with Sky News to help bolster its global newsgathering as it prepares to split off from using the NBCUniversal News Group resources, according to a joint announcement.

MSNBC, which is slated to become known as MS NOW after NBCU parent Comcast finishes spinning off most of its cable networks into Versant, will be able to draw on Sky News coverage for its broadcasts starting Oct. 1, 2025, just days before MSNBC stops having access to NBC News Oct. 6, 2025.

“In this moment of consequential and historic news events happening around the world that are rapidly reshaping our collective future, we are honored to bring Sky News’ premium, on-the-ground reporting and roster of top journalists to the MSNBC community,” said MSNBC president Rebecca Kutler in a statement.

MSNBC and MS NOW will pay Sky News, whose parent Sky Group is also owned by Comcast, to use reporting produced by Sky.

Terms of the deal, which is being framed as a “distribution deal” by Sky, were not disclosed.

Sky News did note MSNBC and MS NOW will have no role in deciding what Sky News covers, but rather pull from content conceived and developed by Sky, including  live broadcasts, news packages and digital journalism, according to the announcement.

No MSNBC programming is expected to show up on Sky News.

The deal will play a key role in allowing MSNBC and MS NOW to cover stores outside the U.S., which will be lead by NBC, BBC and Sky veteran Ian Sherwood in the role of director of international newsgathering for the network.

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While Versant has been busy building out a standalone newsgathering operation, major facilities have only been announced for New York City and Washington, D.C., meaning there had been little indication about how it might cover stories outside of those cities or other parts of the world.

The fact Versant is drawing on Sky isn’t surprising, given their shared corporate DNA. 

Comcast will continue to own both Versant and Sky Group with the NBC network and news division expected to remain under the Comcast branch of the family tree. Comcast and Versant stock will trade under separate symbols. 

Both NBC and MSNBC have also relied on Sky News coverage of major overseas events in the past, typically ones that break during overnight or weekend hours in the U.S., including direct simulcasts until its own news team could rev up coverage.