MSNBC rebrands as part of split from NBC

The cable news network on Monday said it would switch its name to My Source News Opinion World, or MS NOW, later this year. The network produces left-leaning content with well-known commentators including Rachel Maddow, Jen Psaki, and Joe Scarborough. Comcast last year separated MSNBC, CNBC, USA, E!, and other cable networks from NBCUniversal and NBC News. Following the split, Comcast created a new company called Versant to oversee the channels. The new MS NOW and other spun off networks will drop the iconic peacock logo as NBC plans to continue to use the image, according to a report by CNN, citing Versant CEO Mark Lazarus.

What is the history of MSNBC? A joint venture between Microsoft and NBC created the network in 1996 and it began to offer both news and opinion shows. Microsoft left the partnership in 2012 and MSNBC began to focus more on left-leaning political commentary. The network gradually shifted further to the left than its sister channel NBC News and it suffered significant declines in viewership following the 2024 presidential election. The channel has stepped up hiring in recent months as it is building its own newsroom.

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