Can media-company spinoffs of brands like CNN and CNBC be good for investors? Here’s what history tells us.

Recent corporate media spinoffs have been a mixed bag, with many failing due to the way they were set up, Wall Street analysts say

Last Updated: June 2, 2025 at 10:08 a.m. ET
First Published: May 31, 2025 at 8:30 a.m. ET

Spinoff drama has hit the television business, but with one big cliffhanger: Can these new companies thrive on their own? 

Comcast Corp. CMCSA has been working to carve off a group of cable channels, including CNBC and MSNBC, from NBCUniversal later this year and into a new company to be called Versant. Lionsgate Studios Corp. LION, meanwhile, just completed a spinoff of its cable channel and streaming business from its studio business into a new company called Starz Entertainment Corp STRZ.