Editing Openai/69486775-45a4-8009-8cd1-c5cd3e355c65 (section)

===== Did Microsoft make money? =====

On the digital side (msnbc.com / “Msnbc Digital Network”): very likely yes, at least on paper.
* In 2012, Comcast/NBCUniversal bought Microsoft’s 50% stake in msnbc.com for a reported ~$300M. Reuters<ref>{{cite web|title=Reuters|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/technology/comcast-buys-microsoft-stake-in-msnbccom-idUSBRE86F04W/|publisher=reuters.com|access-date=2025-12-22}}</ref>
* Microsoft’s own annual report later notes it recognized a gain on divestiture related to selling its 50% share in the MSNBC joint venture. Microsoft<ref>{{cite web|title=Microsoft|url=https://www.microsoft.com/investor/reports/ar13/financial-review/discussion-analysis/index.html|publisher=microsoft.com|access-date=2025-12-22}}</ref>
* One trade press breakdown put the total purchase price at $195M net (after backing out ~$100M cash held at the JV), which suggests the headline “$300M” number may include cash/value adjustments—either way, Microsoft booked a gain. Adweek<ref>{{cite web|title=Adweek|url=https://www.adweek.com/tvnewser/nbcu-spent-195-million-to-buy-back-half-of-msnbc-com/|publisher=adweek.com|access-date=2025-12-22}}</ref>

On the TV-channel side (MSNBC cable network): unclear.
* Microsoft sold most of its stake in the cable channel to NBC Universal in 2005, but financial terms weren’t disclosed in the main announcements. Los Angeles Times<ref>{{cite web|title=Los Angeles Times|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2005-dec-24-fi-msnbc24-story.html|publisher=Los Angeles Times|access-date=2025-12-22}}</ref>
* Some contemporaneous coverage speculated the stake could have been worth a lot based on per-subscriber valuations, but that’s not the same as confirmed sale proceeds. Next TV<ref>{{cite web|title=Next TV|url=https://www.nexttv.com/news/nbc-buying-msnbc-368263|publisher=Next TV|access-date=2025-12-22}}</ref>

So: digital exit = we have numbers + a documented “gain”; TV exit = details are murkier.