MSNBC to Officially Change Its Name On Nov. 15

After nearly three decades on air, MSNBC is getting a new name as the network officially rebrands to MS NOW on November 15, launching what it calls a “modern news organization” built for both television and digital audiences.

The rebrand, according to executives, aims to reflect a more agile, cross-platform approach while maintaining the network’s long-established editorial identity – promising “Same mission. New name” – with the first phase of a broader marketing campaign set to roll out at the beginning of next month.

MS NOW – short for My Source for News, Opinion, and the World – will retain its current programming lineup, including Morning Joe, The Rachel Maddow Show and The Briefing with Jen Psaki, among others, and will maintain its channel position.

In the lead-up to the change, MS NOW has expanded its Washington bureau and signed a multi-year deal with Sky News to bolster international reporting. The network says it will continue to emphasize “integrity, accuracy, and fairness” as its guiding principles.

In an internal memo to staff seen by Mediaite, network president Rebecca Kutler highlighted that audiences would be made aware of the change with “15-second” spots from MSNBC’s most trusted figures:

Team,

On the morning of Nov. 15, we will officially make the switch to MS NOW.

This moment comes after months of meticulous planning and thoughtful collaboration across
every corner of our organization. We are facing it head-on, and our success in the months and years ahead will depend on our innovation and entrepreneurial approach.

Next week, we will unveil the powerful and moving messaging for our external campaign, and I can’t wait to share it with all of you first. We will then embark on an extensive and
broad-reaching national marketing effort to introduce people across the country to MS NOW.

Ahead of that, our audience will begin seeing 15-second spots featuring some of our trusted
hosts today. These brief spots reinforce that while our name will soon change, who we are and where viewers can find us will not: Same mission. New name.

This is just the beginning.

Additional information on where audiences can watch, stream, and engage with MS NOW can be found at msnbc.com/MSNOW.

Rebecca Kutler
President, MS NOW

The rebrand coincides with MSNBC’s planned spin-off from Comcast NBCUniversal into Versant, a newly formed publicly traded media company that will also include CNBC, USA Network, and E!.