MSNBC is changing its name and embracing the ethos of a startup.

2 hours ago7 min read

In a move that feels less like a quiet separation and more like a high-stakes political campaign, MSNBC is officially rebranding itself as MS NOW this weekend, a strategic pivot that severs its long-standing corporate ties to NBC News. Network president Rebecca Kutler, framing the transition with the battle-ready slogan 'Same Mission.New Name,' is preparing to 'flood the zone' to reassure viewers that the core product they trust will remain intact come November 15th. This corporate divorce, orchestrated by parent company Comcast to spin off its cable assets into the new entity Versant, underscores a brutal truth in today's media wars: cable television is increasingly viewed as a diminishing asset, a liability that giants are now strategically abandoning.The initial sentiment within the ranks, as voiced by prime-time host Jen Psaki, was one of uncertainty—'a lot of us really didn't know what it meant, and it didn't feel great initially'—a reaction familiar to any campaign team after a surprising shake-up. Yet, the newly independent MS NOW is rapidly adopting the ethos of a political startup, unshackled from the more rigid corporate structure of NBC News and free to experiment with new frontiers.We're seeing the rollout of new tactics: *Morning Joe* is launching its own newsletter, podcast ideas are being aggressively encouraged, and the network is expanding its live event operations, turning its television stars like Rachel Maddow into field operatives who can directly engage with the base at events like her upcoming Chicago gathering. Nighttime host Michael Steele reframed the narrative, suggesting, 'I didn’t see this as a divorce.I see this as the kid growing up and leaving home,' a metaphor for a campaign coming into its own. The core platform, a focus on news and commentary from a liberal perspective, remains the party line, with its star candidates—Maddow, Nicolle Wallace, and Ari Melber—all holding their positions.The physical headquarters have also shifted west of Broadway, a symbolic move into the former home of *The New York Times* that conveniently ends the geographical oddity of being stationed directly across Sixth Avenue from its political rival, Fox News Channel. To build its own intelligence apparatus, MS NOW has recruited a news staff of about three dozen, including *Washington Post* veterans Jackie Alemany and Carol Leonnig, and has forged strategic alliances with Sky News for international coverage and AccuWeather, much like a campaign forming coalitions.Veteran news executive Kate O’Brian noted that this independence 'gives it the opportunity to make deals on its own to supplement its cable existence,' positioning the network as 'lean, nimble and niche,' a trifecta of attributes essential for adapting to the emergent platforms that now decide elections. However, the campaign trail is not without its headwinds; the network's prime-time audience has shrunk by 29% this year to 1.17 million viewers, a decline largely attributed to its viewers' disappointment with the presidential election results—a classic case of voter apathy impacting turnout. In stark contrast, Fox News Channel, popular with the victorious Trump supporters, has seen a 14% surge to 3.11 million. Yet, MS NOW still commands roughly double the audience of a struggling CNN, which suffered an identical 29% drop, and was buoyed by a strong election night performance that ran neck-and-neck with Fox, even without its key data analyst, Steve Kornacki, who defected to remain with NBC News.This newfound freedom has become a recruiting tool, attracting reporters like Jacob Soboroff, who chose MS NOW over NBC News, and Rosa Flores, who left CNN seeking the opportunity to break out of a single-issue beat. 'I felt like being part of a news organization that was building solutions from the ground up was so unique that I wanted to be a part of it,' Flores stated, echoing the sentiment of a volunteer joining a grassroots movement.The company is backing this rebrand with a reported $20 million marketing blitz—the equivalent of a massive ad buy—with billboards in strategic locations like Times Square and Washington, D. C., while smaller, symbolic gestures, like a mug on the *Morning Joe* set with MSNBC crossed out, signal the change on the ground. As cohost Joe Scarborough assessed, with the media landscape as fluid as a volatile electorate, 'success or failure will ultimately be decided by who has the content people most want to see. ' This isn't just a name change; it's a full-scale campaign for relevance in a fragmented media nation.

#lead focus news

#MSNBC rebrand

#MS NOW

#media startup

#corporate spinoff

#cable news

#liberal perspective

#viewership changes

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