MSNBC Rebrands as MS NOW: Shedding NBC Ties for a New Identity and Focus on Breaking News and Opinion Journalism

In a significant shift, MSNBC is set to rebrand as MS NOW, marking the end of its partnership with NBC. The new moniker, which stands for My Source for News, Opinion, and the World, underscores the channel’s mission to provide breaking news and high-quality opinion journalism rooted in factual reporting.

In an internal memo, MSNBC President Rebecca Kutler explained that the rebranding reflects a commitment to serving as a premier destination for news and opinion journalism. “This new branding underscores our mission: to serve as a destination for breaking news and best-in-class opinion journalism, all rooted in accurate and reported facts,” she said.

MSNBC was initially launched in 1996 as a joint venture between Microsoft (the MS part) and NBC. However, following Microsoft’s sale of its stake in the venture, the name remained unchanged until now.

The impending change comes as Comcast spins off most of its cable channels into a new company called Versant. This separation is slated to take effect later this year.

Versant CEO Mark Lazarus announced on Monday that Comcast’s NBCUniversal, which is retaining the NBC broadcast network and other assets, will continue to use the iconic peacock symbol for its own purposes. As a result, MSNBC, along with other channels like Golf Channel and CNBC, will need to redesign their logos where the peacock has been incorporated.

While CNBC will retain its original name, Consumer News and Business Channel, the renaming of MSNBC will help clarify the distinction between it and NBC News, a confusion that has persisted for decades.

The cable channel has historically relied on NBC News correspondents and infrastructure for news coverage. However, as MSNBC’s top-rated shows shifted left during the Bush and Obama years, while NBC News remained centrist, internal tensions and suggestions for a name change emerged.

During the Trump years, the differences between the two entities have become even more pronounced. MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow recently commented that “we have a consolidating dictatorship in our country,” a statement that contrasts starkly with NBC News anchors’ descriptions of the Trump administration.

The cable channel spinoff has been seen as an opportunity to clarify the two different news brands. MSNBC has recently embarked on a hiring spree, bringing on dozens of journalists to staff a new newsroom intended to compete with NBC News and numerous other outlets.

Initially, it was expected that MSNBC would keep its name during the spinoff. However, in a memo, Kutler explained that “during this time of transition, NBCUniversal decided that our brand requires a new, separate identity.” She added that this decision allows MSNBC to chart its own course and assert its independence as it continues to build its modern news-gathering operation.

Despite the name change, Kutler emphasized that MSNBC’s commitment to its work and audiences remains unwavering, reflecting the brand promise for three decades.