Elon Musk hinted he might explore buying MSNBC on Friday, days after it was reported the network would be spun off from NBC News and potentially sold by Comcast.
Donald Trump Jr. shared a meme on Friday afternoon on X/Twitter claiming MSNBC was up for sale.
He tagged Musk and commented, “Hey @elonmusk I have the funniest idea ever!!!”
The Tesla and SpaceX CEO replied, “How much does it cost?”
How much does it cost?
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 22, 2024
After the exchange went viral, Musk commented, “The most entertaining outcome, especially if ironic, is most likely.”
The most entertaining outcome, especially if ironic, is most likely 😂 https://t.co/YX2EznXfoF
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 22, 2024
Years before Musk purchased Twitter in 2022 for $44 billion, he asked a similar question about the cost of the social media platform:
Comcast/NBCUniversal did not announce any plans to sell MSNBC or CNBC on the open market when it was confirmed the networks would be spun off from NBC News. The Wall Street Journal reported:
Comcast announced Wednesday that it is moving forward with a plan to spin off its NBCUniversal cable TV networks, acknowledging that it will be better off without a business that was once its crown jewel. The company, which last month said it was studying the idea, will separate off entertainment and news channels including MSNBC, CNBC, USA, Oxygen, E!, Syfy and Golf Channel. Those assets generated about $7 billion in revenue in the 12 months ended Sept. 30. Details of the plan were first reported by The Wall Street Journal Tuesday.
[…]
The transaction, structured as a tax-free spinoff to Comcast shareholders, is expected to take around a year to complete. The new cable venture will have an ownership structure that mirrors Comcast’s, with Comcast Chairman and CEO Brian Roberts holding a one-third voting stake. Roberts won’t be on the board of the new venture.
Mark Lazarus, who is currently the chairman of NBCUniversal’s media group, with oversight of TV and streaming platforms, will be named chief executive of the new venture. Anand Kini, who has served as chief financial officer of NBCUniversal, will be the CFO and operating chief of the new company.