NBC News begins cutting 150 jobs ahead of Versant spinoff

NBC News cut about 150 jobs the week of Oct. 13, 2025, including eliminating standalone teams dedicated to diverse verticals.

The layoffs were widely anticipated as its parent, Comcast, continues to put the finishing touches on spinning off most of its linear cable networks into Versant.

NBC News has long been responsible for providing most editorial operations for MSNBC and CNBC.

With the spinoff looming, the division was facing the fact that, if it kept its current staffing levels, it would be using the same workforce to produce less content, though this doesn’t account for earlier rounds of layoffs and cuts that many networks, including NBC, have made in recent years that have generally left newsrooms at lower staffing levels overall.

At least some of the positions within NBC that were focused on MSNBC and CNBC will be transferred to Versant, including producers assigned to specific shows on those networks as well as some in more broad roles specific to those networks.

The network began notifying affected staffers that their jobs would be eliminated within two months the week of Oct. 13.

The network’s cuts garnered specific attention for cutting the nine staffers who were dedicated to editorial content aimed at diverse audiences, including examining the unique issues and challenges these often marginalized communities face.

NBC News will still offer its NBC BLK (for Black audiences), NBC Asian America, NBC Out (for LGBTQ+ audiences) and NBC Latino brands, but two senior editors will be responsible for commissioning and culling content for the verticals.

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The network hopes at least five of those staffers assigned to the verticals will be able to find new roles within the news division.

While NBC did not indicate specific reasons for lightening its investment in the diverse verticals, it’s likely to face at least some backlash as the current political climate continues to take aim at companies were work to provide diversity, equity and inclusion efforts.

NBC says it is providing severance and career services to affected staffers, though no specifics were offered.