MSNBC is going through big changes. The network is leaving NBC News and will soon become part of a new company called Versant. With that move, MSNBC is also changing its name to “MS NOW,” which stands for “My Source for News, Opinion, and the World.” But not everyone is happy about the new direction, especially the name.
Some staff members think the name “MS NOW” sounds confusing. Inside the company, people have long called the network “MS,” which originally stood for Microsoft. But Microsoft left the partnership back in 2012. One staffer said, “It doesn’t feel meaningful,” while another joked that it might as well be called “MS-13,” a reference to a violent gang—clearly not the image the network wants.
Still, some employees believe it’s smart to keep familiar initials. It may help viewers recognize the network even as it changes. One insider even said they liked the name. But overall, the name has not been well received on social media.
The split from NBC News is part of a larger business move. Last year, Comcast, which owns NBC, decided to spin off several of its cable networks into a new company. This new company, Versant, will include MSNBC, CNBC, USA Network, and others. NBCUniversal will keep NBC News, Telemundo, and Bravo.
For MSNBC, this means losing access to NBC’s large newsroom and resources. The network is also leaving its offices in New York’s Rockefeller Center and its bureau in Washington, D.C. That’s a big shift for a network that has long worked closely with NBC News.
Despite the uncertainty, many at MSNBC are hopeful. One insider said the move might give the network more freedom. Under NBC and Comcast, they often had to deal with many layers of bureaucracy. Staffers say it was hard to make changes or expand shows because they needed approval from many managers.
One recent example of internal conflict was the short-lived hiring of Ronna McDaniel, the former head of the Republican National Committee. NBC hired her as a political analyst, but MSNBC hosts strongly opposed it. She was even interviewed harshly by MSNBC’s Kristen Welker. That episode showed how far apart NBC News and MSNBC had grown.
Now, with the split, MSNBC staffers believe they will be able to shape their own future. One employee said, “I think losing the NBC branding is good for us.” They also said MSNBC will likely struggle at first, especially during daytime hours, but expect it to recover by early next year.
One big concern is what kind of leadership MS NOW will have at Versant. Staffers say they’ve received mixed messages about how much will really change. Officially, MSNBC leaders insist that only the name is changing. President Rebecca Kutler wrote in a memo, “Our commitment to our work and our audiences will not waiver.”
Still, the break from NBC raises important questions for U.S. politics and media. MSNBC has long positioned itself as a voice of the political left. With President Trump back in office, the network seems ready to continue acting as a loud critic of his administration. Staffers see themselves as playing the “opposition” role.
But without NBC’s support, the network will have to find new ways to build trust with viewers and create content. It will also need to prove it can stand on its own in a crowded media world where cable news is losing ground to streaming services and independent platforms.
As the network prepares to relaunch this fall, all eyes will be on how MS NOW performs. The early months may be rough, but the coming year will show whether MSNBC’s new identity can survive—and thrive—without its old partner.
