The breakup announced late on Sunday dissolves the 16-year marriage between Microsoft and NBC News, which is now owned by Comcast Corp. MSNBC.com will be rebranded as NBCNews.com, and readers who logged into MSNBC.com late on Sunday were automatically redirected to NBCNews.com.
The website will move its headquarters away from Microsoft's corporate campus in Redmond, to NBC News' long-time home in New York.
According to reports, Microsoft was required by contract terms to exclusively feature MSNBC.com content on its own websites. It was said that exasperation was exacerbated by the MSNBC cable channel's strategy to counter Fox News Channel's appeal to conservative viewers by tailoring its programming for an audience with a different viewpoint.
There will be a two-year transition period which NBCNews.com will continue to provide news for Microsoft's MSN.com. It is believe that Microsoft will launch its own news service later this year.
Oh, Microsoft spent $220 million (USD) for the MSNBC joint venture back then.
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