When MSNBC rolled out its new MS NOW branding, it became clear very quickly that the network did not stick the landing.
MSNBC was forced to modernize its identity, and is now positioning MS NOW as a news product built for a faster, digital-first audience. Yet the execution feels scattered. It’s as if the network grabbed a new name, slapped it on every surface it could find, and hoped people wouldn’t look too closely at the details.
But the details matter. They always matter.
Let’s start with the basics. MS NOW doesn’t have control of the @MSNOW handle on X or Instagram. Instead, it’s forced to use @MSNOWNews. Those platforms remain some of the most important places to establish a clean, unified digital identity, especially when you’re launching a brand spanking new moniker.
If you can’t secure the most obvious handle, you’re already playing from behind. Meanwhile, the network does own MS NOW on Facebook and TikTok, which is great. But the inconsistency across platforms undercuts the credibility they’re trying to build. A brand that wants to feel sharp and coordinated shouldn’t need a flowchart to explain where to find it online.
Then there’s the website. MSNOW.com? Taken. So the network is using MS.now instead. It’s clever on paper, and I’ll even grant them that it looks sleek. But the average user doesn’t care about aesthetic cleverness. They care about something familiar, reliable, and easy to understand. MS.now doesn’t communicate that, it isn’t natural, and the likelihood that it takes hold with viewers and news consumers immediately doesn’t feel strong. It gives off the vibe of a company picking through the bargain bin of domains after arriving late to the party.
And maybe that’s the core issue. Whether MSNBC anticipated this rebrand or not, the final product makes it look like the network didn’t have its ducks in a row. That impression carries weight. I know it’s anecdotal, but I’m someone who tries not to give money to any business using “LLC” in its web domain, email, or social tags. If you can’t present yourself as polished and legitimate, I’m already questioning the operation behind the curtain. It’s unfair at times, but branding is perception, and perception is reality.
So imagine telling audiences, “Follow us at MS NOW News on X and Instagram, but just MS NOW on Facebook and TikTok, and online MS.now.” It feels disjointed, it feels messy, it feels like someone rushed to glue together whatever pieces they could find because the project was due on Saturday, November 15th, and by god, we’re going to turn something into the teacher.
That approach might be understandable behind the scenes, but it’s not something you want viewers to sense.
Yes, we’ve heard the explanations. By all accounts, MSNBC was thrust into a new brand without much warning. But that isn’t an excuse. Not for a major national news outlet. Not for a network with the resources to do better. The rollout is the rollout. And these are, very simply, blunders.
That’s not to say the MS NOW brand is doomed. Far from it. The name is strong, in spite of the clunky acronym explanation of “My Source for News, Opinion, and the World.” The network’s digital ambitions are valid. And its talent roster gives the brand more credibility than the launch suggests. But first impressions matter, especially in a media environment where attention spans are short and loyalty is fragile. When people see inconsistency, they sense chaos. When they sense chaos, they scroll.
Still, the rebrand is done. Complaining won’t fix the decisions already baked into the cake. It’s time for MS NOW to hit the ground running in spite of its missteps. Clean up what you can. Simplify what’s fixable. Make sure the content is strong enough that the branding confusion fades into background noise. Viewers will forgive a lot if the product delivers.
MS NOW can succeed. MSNBC can turn this into a win. But next time, the network needs to slow down, secure the essentials, and enter the fight with its gear in order. Because in 2025, nothing screams “we weren’t ready” louder than losing the handles you should have conceivably owned from day one.
Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. To stay updated, sign up for our newsletters and get the latest information delivered straight to your inbox.
Garrett Searight is Barrett Media’s News Editor, which includes writing daily news stories, features, and opinion columns. He joined Barrett Media in 2022 after a decade leading several radio brands in several formats, as well as a 5-year stint working in local television. In addition to his work with Barrett Media, he is a radio and TV play-by-play broadcaster. Reach out to him at Garrett@BarrettMedia.com.
I think it’s also important to call out that MSNBC was fully captured by ideologues who didn’t understand that they were actually running a business.
The network has been losing viewers for years and opening themselves up to legal ramifications from sloppy and malicious reporting. So it’s not surprising that Comcast spun them off, and it’s less surprising that the staff has no idea how to actually do anything other than spew propaganda. All that “business” nonsense is better left to the evil capitalists.
Not to mention you can’t get the broadcast from the app because it’s glitching, and relooping to a “preview has ended” message and you can’t watch live.
Spectrum tv has no idea why either.
Look, I think the rebrand is… unfortunate to say the least, and very amusing to say a middling amount. Nothing in your article rises to my own definition of “major mistake”.
At best, they are throw-away gaffes in a sit-com plot.
Everyone just gets more and more hyperbolic. “BEST PIZZA EVER! Worst MOVIE of all time! (came out in 2020)”.
I like how the BARRETT part of your logo reminds me of a SNICKERS label.