Microsoft To Launch Own News Network In Late October

Now that MSNBC has become NBCNews the team at Microsoft is planning to role out its own news operation. According to a Reutersreport Microsoft’s Product Management Group general manager Bob Visse confirmed the software giants move.

According to Visse Microsoft is making a “big, multi-million dollar investment” in order to develop a “decent-sized media operation.”

Microsoft plans to redesign the MSN portal to accommodate the news networks efforts and according to reports the new portal will be geared more heavily towards tablets and touchscreen PC users.

The tech firm is not abandoning its old partner as Microsoft plans to aggregate much of its content from the like of Reuters, the Associated Press, and NBC. Microsoft also plans to keep in its employ at least some journalists to create original stories. The company has not yet said how many writers it will hire into the mix.

With MSN generating nearly 480 million visitors per month the ability to aggregate news to the masses could score Microsoft a big win with very little internal effort.

Because the MSN portal will also be optimized for Windows 8 touchscreen use Microsoft could also find itself off to an early lead against its competitors who will scramble to figure out the best way to deliver news when Microsoft Windows 8 customers are involved.

News of the Microsoft led news project comes just months after the company sold its 50 percent stake in MSNBC.

Are you willing to give Microsoft another try in the news space or will you stick with your current favorite news sources?