MS NOW (formerly MSNBC digital)
U.S. left / progressive
Background
The network launched on July 15, 1996, as MSNBC — a joint venture between NBC and Microsoft, with Microsoft contributing $221 million for a 50% stake in the cable channel and its companion website. Microsoft gradually reduced its role over the following decade, and NBCUniversal eventually took full control of both the channel and digital properties. Through the 2000s and 2010s, MSNBC shifted from general cable news toward left-leaning political opinion and commentary, drawing sustained criticism from conservatives and media critics for ideological slant. When Comcast announced plans to spin off most of its cable networks into a new entity called Versant, MSNBC separated from the NBCUniversal News Group and rebranded as MS NOW on November 15, 2025 — the name is a backronym for 'My Source for News, Opinion, and the World.' Versant completed its spin-off from Comcast on January 2, 2026, becoming an independent, publicly traded company. Under new president Rebecca Kutler, the outlet has leaned further into its progressive brand, with a forthcoming subscription service explicitly marketed as 'a digital hub for progressives.' During Trump's second term, it brought Rachel Maddow back to nightly prime-time hosting and has maintained a broadly critical editorial posture toward the administration.
Sources
- MS NOW - Wikipedia
- MSNOW | Formerly MSNBC, Anchors, Shows, History | Britannica Money
- MSNBC to rebrand as MS NOW under Versant ownership
- Exclusive: MS Now, formerly MSNBC, to launch subscription product
- MSNBC will lean into its progressive roots in Trump era
- Versant Plans Launch of MS NOW Subscription Service
- MS NOW Rebrand: What's In a Name?
- MS WOW: Rebranded Network Sees Double-Digit Growth Since Shedding The MSNBC Name
Profile compiled 2026-07-13; refreshed when ownership, funding, or the administration changes.