After nearly three decades, the American liberal news network MSNBC has officially changed its name to MS Now, a rebranding forced by its parent company NBCUniversal. The new name stands for 'My Source for News, Opinion and the World,' with the 'MS' retained from its original partnership with Microsoft, which ended over a decade ago.
The change was announced at the network's annual fan event in New York, where co-host Mika Brzezinski attempted to reassure viewers, saying, 'MS Now: don't worry, you’ll get used to it.' The network president, Rebecca Kutler, acknowledged the challenge, stating, 'It is a big deal to rebrand a company after 30 years. We understand it is a challenge, and we’re here for it.'
The rebrand comes as part of a broader restructuring by NBCUniversal, which is spinning off MSNBC and other cable networks into a new company called Versant. The network has invested $20m in a national advertising campaign featuring stars like Rachel Maddow and Jen Psaki to promote the new name.
Prime-time host and former White House press secretary Jen Psaki admitted she initially saw the name change as a 'headache,' but later concluded that viewers are more loyal to individual hosts than the network's name. 'There’s a commitment and dedication to certain faces who are part of the brand,' she said.
Despite the transition, the network has moved from its iconic 30 Rockefeller Plaza location to a less glamorous office in Times Square. However, co-host Joe Scarborough downplayed the significance of the change, telling fans, 'It doesn’t matter what we call the network, it doesn’t matter where we film it.'
