Will MSNBC Regret Its Name Change?

For nearly 30 years, MSNBC has stood as a recognizable name in the cable news world. Now, that brand is about to disappear. NBC announced that the network will be renamed MS NOW, short for My Source New Opinion World. While the new name aims to reflect a fresh identity, it has left many viewers, advertisers, and media watchers scratching their heads.

Why Change a Recognized Brand?

Executives admit the decision wasn’t quick or simple. Behind closed doors, there were long discussions before they landed on MS NOW. The intention seems to be carving out a space that emphasizes opinion-driven content. Still, changing a familiar brand in today’s fast-moving media landscape carries serious risks. The main reason for the name change? NBC Universal spun off (4) of its networks and created a separate division called Versant. These channels are being separated from NBC Universal in a corporate restructuring.

There are plenty of cautionary tales. Warner Bros. Discovery, for example, dropped “HBO” from HBO Max in 2023 in hopes of broadening its streaming platform’s appeal. Within a year, the company realized the HBO label had too much brand power to abandon and reversed course. MSNBC could find itself facing a similar dilemma if MS NOW fails to resonate.

The Advertising Question

The network’s rebrand also creates uncertainty on the business side. Historically, MSNBC advertising has often been packaged with other NBCUniversal outlets, like NBC Nightly News, Today, Dateline, CNBC, and NBC News Now. With MSNBC now part of NBC’s spinoff group, Versant, that dynamic could shift.

For now, Versant struck a two-year deal that allows NBCUniversal to keep selling MSNBC ads through its “One Platform” system. But down the road, advertisers may not be as willing to buy in if MS NOW doesn’t carry the same credibility that MSNBC once did.

A Look Back at the “MS”

The “MS” in MSNBC originally came from Microsoft, which co-founded the network with NBC in 1996. When Microsoft exited in 2005, NBC kept the MSNBC name because it had already built a strong brand. Nearly two decades later, the decision to discard that name feels puzzling, especially since CNBC is keeping its own identity intact.

A Risky Bet

The media world has shown that changing a name is rarely just cosmetic. Twitter’s abrupt shift to “X” drew backlash and confusion, proving that recognition matters as much as content. With MS NOW, NBC is betting that a fresh start will draw new audiences—but it could just as easily alienate existing ones.

In the end, the question is simple: will MS NOW become the next chapter in cable news success, or will it be remembered as a branding misstep that never quite landed?

Cate Bender, the author, is Project Coordinator of Marketing Keys