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Mark Lazarus

Chief Executive Officer, Versant Media Group, Inc.

Search every verified Mark Lazarus interview, podcast appearance, and on-the-record quote — each transcript cross-checked by AI and human review to confirm speaker identity. Mark Lazarus, CEO of Versant Media, has been discussing the company's strategy and performance since its spin-off from Comcast. At the Gabelli Sports & Media Symposium in June 2026, he stated that Versant is undervalued and that the market is beginning to recognize its value. He outlined the company's focus on four verticals: business news and personal finance (CNBC), political news and opinion (MSNBC), golf (Golf Channel), and sports and genre entertainment (USA, E!, Sci-Fi, Oxygen, Fandango). Lazarus noted that Versant is not pursuing NFL or NBA rights but is open to expanding its sports portfolio with other leagues through USA Sports, citing existing relationships with potential partners. Lazarus has also addressed Versant's transition away from pay-TV dependence. In an April 2026 appearance at the Semafor World Economy event, he said the company currently derives about 80% of its revenue from pay television and aims to grow the non-pay-TV portion to reach a 50/50 split. He discussed plans to build direct-to-consumer products for CNBC and MSNBC, noting that MSNBC previously lacked a video digital presence under NBC. On the topic of NFL media rights, Lazarus said he expects the league to return to its current partners for increased fees, with Paramount likely to negotiate first due to consent rights from its merger. He also commented that broadcast TV remains the primary distribution method for most NFL games, despite the availability of free over-the-air options.

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