MSNBC is forging a new path on the small screen.
On Monday, August 18, the network announced that it will soon change its name to My Source News Opinion World, MS NOW for short, as a part of their separation from Comcast. MSNBC is one of several channels that will live under the new company Versant, headed by Mark Lazarus, including CNBC, USA Network, E!, Oxygen, SYFY, Golf Channel, SportsEngine, and GolfNow.
News of the name change comes seven months after Lazarus previously announced that MSNBC’s name would remain the same. “I know there was some discussion with the MSNBC name, so you can take that off of your worry list on things,” he told staffers during a January meeting, per Deadline.
“The only thing I’ll say is the worst thing any leader can do is change something that’s working just because they can,” Lazarus added. “So, if this is working, then there’s no reason to change it.”
What does MSNBC’s name change mean for the future of the network? Here’s what we know so far.
Why is MSNBC changing its name?
The network will rebrand as MS NOW as a result of its move from Comcast to Versant. As a result, MS NOW and other channels involved in the move will lose their NBC peacock logo, as Comcast owns NBCUniversal.
“The peacock is synonymous with NBCUniversal, and it is a symbol they have decided to keep within the NBCU family,” Lazarus said in a staff memo on Monday, per NBC News. “This gives us the opportunity to charge our own path forward, create distinct brand identities, and establish an independent news organization following the spin.”
According to NBC News, CNBC will keep its name, which stands for Consumer News and Business Channel, but will also receive a new logo. Comcast will reportedly retain other NBCUniversal networks, including NBC, NBC News, NBC Sports, Bravo, and the streaming service Peacock.
Versant
When will MSNBC shut down?
The network’s name change will reportedly happen later this year, though an exact date has not been announced.
What shows will remain on MSNBC?
MS NOW will likely keep the same shows as MSNBC, as no major programming changes have been announced. In a Monday memo to staffers, MSNBC President Rebecca Kutler stated that the network will not change its news coverage amid the separation.
“While our name will be changing, who we are and what we do will not,” Kutler said, per NBC News. “Our commitment to our work and our audiences will not waiver from what the brand promise has been for three decades.”
What have MSNBC personalities said about the rebrand?
“If there was ever a time for us to change our name, this is it — because we’re not just separating from NBC News in corporate terms, we’re competing with them now. So I think the distinction is going to be good for us,” Rachel Maddow told Variety in a statement on Monday. “What NBC [is] doing in its legacy timeslots — the Today show, [NBC] Nightly [News], Meet the Press — is just a world away from the 24/7 totally independent news operation that we’re able to stand up now, thanks to the spin-off.”
Maddow added, “While I will admit to having no idea how to pronounce ‘MS NOW’ (and I’m still not all that sure about pronouncing ‘Versant,’ either), we’re at least dropping our syllable count from five to three! An efficiency gain!”
Former MSNBC host Keith Olbermann, meanwhile, slammed the network’s name change via X. “MSNBC to change name to MS NOW no I’m not kidding,” he wrote on Monday, adding in a follow up post, “They can change it to LES MS for all it matters they still screwed up what I built for them 🤦🏼♂️.”
What have fans said about the rebrand?
Viewers expressed their mixed feelings over the name change via social media, with one X user writing, “Interesting move by MSNBC. ‘My Source (for) News, Opinions (and the) World’ feels like a mouthful. Hope the content’s as fresh as the name! 📺.” Another person added, “If I saw MS NOW, I would think it was a charity that wants a cure, effective treatment or solutions to Multiple Sclerosis (MS) – which I would honestly love to see, but isn’t a news org.”
“That’s not a catchy network name at all,” a different user shared via X, while someone else wrote, “MS NOW’s new meaning sounds intriguing, but will it shift their narrative? Fingers crossed for balanced ‘Opinions (and the) World’! 📰 #Rebrand.”