MS NOW, the cable news network formerly known as MSNBC, has reported double-digit viewership growth in total day and weekday primetime since its November 15, 2025, rebrand, with primetime audiences now double those of a decade ago despite a shrinking cable landscape.
The gains come amid a challenging period for cable news, where overall households with cable have declined significantly.
Network executives attribute the increases to strong post-election coverage, loyal on-air talent, and a $20 million marketing campaign emphasizing "Same mission. New name."
The rebrand stemmed from Comcast's spin-off of MSNBC and other channels into the new company Versant, severing ties to NBCUniversal, the NBC name, peacock logo, and shared news resources. MS NOW (a backronym for "My Source for News, Opinion, and the World") relocated to new studios at 229 West 43rd Street in New York, built its own newsroom with about 100 new hires, and formed partnerships like one with Sky News for international reporting.
Programming, hosts (including Rachel Maddow, Joe Scarborough, and Jen Psaki), and the network's progressive-leaning editorial direction remain unchanged. Host Stephanie Ruhle playfully dubbed the new brand "MS WOW" on air, inspiring headlines celebrating the early ratings success.
While MS NOW still trails Fox News by a wide margin, the post-rebrand bump—highlighted in a December 29, 2025, Forbes article—marks a rare bright spot in the industry.
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