Comcast Corp is planning to spin off a large part of its NBCUniversal’s cable TV channels into a separate publicly traded company (SpinCo).

On Wednesday, Comcast announced the birth of a new independent company currently called “SpinCo,” which will be a “tax free spin-off” composed of several NBCU cable networks: MSNBC, CNBC, USA Network,

NBCU execs past and present feel a bit resigned to the fact that the halcyon days of cable TV are over, and that it's all about managing a slowly dying business at this point. No

Comcast just jump-started a new season of major change across the television industry. And no one quite knows what will happen next.

Comcast may be proceeding with a transaction as a signal to the rest of the media industry that consolidation is necessary.

Bravo stays with NBC, but other longtime cable networks such as E!, USA and MSNBC will be part of a new company.

Comcast is officially cutting the cord on most of its cable networks. The company announced a plan Wednesday that will offload the bulk of NBCUniversal’s financially challenged cable portfolio — excluding Bravo — into a new entity owned by Comcast shareholders.