MSNBC, NBCUniversal’s cable news channel, rebrands to MS NOW starting today, a move that could surprise its loyal viewers despite assurances from hosts that programming and personalities remain unchanged.
Every MSNBC host has repeatedly emphasized in promotional spots, on-air, and in interviews: “We’re not going anywhere and we’re not changing.” Co-host Joe Scarborough stated in a recent Zoom interview, “‘Morning Joe’ will still be ‘Morning Joe.’ Chris Hayes will still be Chris Hayes. Rachel Maddow will still be Rachel. Lawrence O’Donnell will still be Lawrence.”
No programming changes are planned, but the rebrand tests brand awareness in a fractured media landscape. MSNBC retained its name for 29 years, even after Microsoft exited its stake.
MS NOW stands for “My Source for News, Opinion and the World.” The rebrand stems from the progressive network’s spin-off into Versant, a new company also including CNBC, USA Network, Oxygen, E!, and Golf Channel.
Parent Comcast announced this last year to separate from cable’s decline and boost its stock; Versant becomes publicly traded in January.
The shift separates MSNBC from NBC News, which ran it since 1996. Though Versant initially planned to keep the name, NBCUniversal sought to detach its brand from a channel it no longer controls.
Versant executives may eye Nielsen ratings nervously post-launch, but Julie Doughty, regional executive director of naming and verbal identity at Landor, calls the change minor, predicting quick consumer adjustment.