Elon Musk sparked fresh media industry buzz by suggesting he might buy MSNBC, responding "How much does it cost?" to Donald Trump Jr.'s social media prompt. The X owner's interest comes just as parent company Comcast plans to spin off its cable news networks.
But any potential sale faces a complicated path: Trump's incoming administration would hold significant regulatory power over media deals. While Comcast can freely separate its news networks, future buyers would need approval from Trump-appointed regulators – and MSNBC has long been in Trump's crosshairs.
"There are only two media entities that Donald Trump dislikes more than CNN. One is MSNBC and the other is NBC," notes media veteran Craig Moffett. The former president's previous administration notably challenged major media mergers, including a costly delay of the AT&T-Time Warner deal.
Signs of regulatory pressure are already emerging. Trump's FCC nominee recently linked the Skydance-Paramount deal review to news coverage, raising concerns about political influence over media transactions. Yale's Jeffrey Sonnenfeld warns that even deals that eventually succeed could be damaged by deliberate delays.
Interesting times lie ahead for MSNBC.
