New York – MSNBC.com has been renamed NBC.com. The rebrand followed news of Microsoft selling its 50 percent stake in the website to NBC News’ parent company, NBCUniversal, for a reported US$300 million.

Bob Visse, General Manager, Microsoft Online Services Division, wrote on MSN’s official blog that the arrangement will release Microsoft from its contract of exclusivity with NBC, thereby allowing the company to provide a broader perspective of current affairs – not only feature content from NBC on MSN and Bing but content from other sources as well.

NBC News President Steve Capus announced that NBC News is now the full owner and operator of Msnbc Digital Network, which includes msnbc.com, TODAY.com, NightlyNews.com, BreakingNews.com, Newsvine.com, EveryBlock.com, and the existing apps and digital extensions of these respective properties.

All of NBC News’ digital businesses, including the Msnbc Digital Network properties, theGrio.com, NBCLatino.com, EducationNation.com, social media and all of the network’s digital initiatives will combine to form a new division entitled NBC News Digital.

Under the NBC News umbrella, NBC News Digital joins the news network’s television properties including TODAY, NBC Nightly News, Meet the Press, Dateline and Rock Center; its cable arm, MSNBC TV; its radio and mobile arms, NBC News Radio and NBC News Mobile; its educational arm, NBC Learn; its production arm, Peacock Productions; and over 200 of its local affiliate stations across the country.

MSNBC TV will also launch a new digital home in 2013. The digital presence will be an extension of the MSNBC TV on-air brand. Until then, MSNBC TV’s digital content will continue to be available on its current platforms.