MSNBC, the left-leaning cable channel known for anchors like Rachel Maddow, faced ridicule after announcing its rebrand to MS NOW, drawing comparisons to the infamous New Coke flop.
The acronym, standing for My Source News Opinion World, sparked mockery online, with users dubbing it “Majorly Skewed News Overly Woke,” “Most Surely No One Watching,” or simply “BS NOW.” Some even noted the “MS” could be mistaken for “multiple sclerosis.”
The name change, accompanied by a new red-and-white striped flag logo on a blue background, stems from Comcast’s plan to spin off MSNBC into a new publicly-traded company called Versant by year’s end. This move severs ties with NBC and its iconic Peacock symbol, which will remain with NBCUniversal.
 |
| Mark Lazarus |
NBCUniversal declined to comment, but Versant’s future leader, Mark Lazarus, explained in a memo that the Peacock symbol stays with NBCUniversal. This rebrand contradicts Lazarus’ earlier assurances to MSNBC staff that the name and logo would remain unchanged following the $7 billion spinoff announcement last November.
The reversal has sparked concerns, with one insider telling The NY Post it undermines trust in the new company’s leadership.
Hoswever, Rachel Maddow defended the rebrand, arguing MS NOW would free the channel from relying on NBCUniversal’s “leftovers” and allow it to compete independently by prioritizing its own reporting needs. Despite her optimism, the internet’s response remained scathingly critical of the new name and its implications.