Goodbye, MSNBC. Hello, MS NOW.
That was the word Monday as MSNBC announced it would rebrand itself to MS NOW. Gone is the peacock logo and the MSNBC brand that the network has used for nearly 30 years. In is…whatever this logo is supposed to signify.
The MS NOW brand is an acronym standing for “My Source for News, Opinion, and the World.”
The rebrand comes as NBCUniversal and the new Versant cable company — spun off by the conglomerate — attempt to create a distinction between the two entities.
Previously, MSNBC had shared that it planned to keep the name it has featured for nearly 30 years. However, in a memo to staffers on Monday morning, Versant CEO Mark Lazarus stated that the previous branding of MSNBC was essentially reclaimed by NBCUniversal as the two companies prepare to split.
“The peacock is synonymous with NBCUniversal, and it is a symbol they have decided to keep within the NBCU family,” Lazarus shared. “This gives us the opportunity to chart our own path forward, create distinct brand identities, and establish an independent news organization following the spin.”
From where I sit, I see some good, some bad, and some ugly when it comes to the MSNBC rebrand to MS NOW.
The Good
Separating MSNBC from the NBC News umbrella by rebranding to MS NOW might look questionable at first, but it actually creates an opportunity that should not be ignored. The network has long lived in the shadow of NBC, carrying the weight of a legacy name that often feels at odds with the more opinion-driven, personality-focused content that fills its schedule.
By shedding the traditional brand tie, MS NOW can finally lean into what it already is, and doesn’t have to worry about what effect that might have on its network counterpart.
“Legacy media” has become a dirty phrase, and MS NOW has a chance to skirt that label by embracing its own identity. No longer having to carry the expectation of being tied to the more “serious” wing of NBC News gives it freedom to establish a clearer tone and voice that matches its actual audience. MS NOW can now take on an “insurgent” or “upstart” brand, despite being well-established.
It is almost the best of both worlds. Because in a rapidly changing TV environment, having a new brand that is no longer tied to the anchor of a network news counterpart is probably a good thing.
For years, MSNBC has existed in an awkward middle ground. It wasn’t exactly the prestige outlet NBC wanted it to be, nor was it fully empowered to become a bold, modern media brand. MS NOW is a fresh start. Instead of debating whether it’s “too partisan” or “not traditional enough,” the network can finally decide how it wants to present itself without constant comparison to its parent company.
The Bad
The name stinks. There’s really no way around it. I know there was probably a whole “We can’t throw NBCUniversal under the bus,” but the new leaders of Versant should have just thrown NBCUniversal under the bus.
If another company says “Yeah, you can keep your name and logo after we break up. That’s fine,” you should — logically — think that you’re getting to keep your name and logo in the breakup. And when they come back a few months later and say never mind, you should get to throw them under the bus. Few would argue with that.
So, when the new name and logo debuted, the idea that you’re trying to shoehorn “My Source for News, Opinion, and the World” into the new name is a dumb idea. No one — not an exaggeration, literally no one — is going to call it “My Source for News, Opinion, and the World.” It reeks of someone at the top coming up with a bad idea and name, and all the underlings being too afraid to say, “Hey, boss? This idea is terrible.”
In the defense of MSNBC or MS NOW (I don’t know what I’m supposed to call it when, which is another problem in and of itself), it was put into a bad spot by NBCUniversal. Having to come up with an idea on the fly — especially when it comes to a situation as important as this — is never easy. I think that switching from MSNBC to MSNOW would probably be the easiest transition if you kept it all one word. Keep it simple. Keep it easily recognizable. Rebrand in a way that makes it difficult to distinguish that you even changed anything.
While I’m not as negative toward the logo as others — especially those who think that it could be viewed as saying “PMS”, I don’t think it’s really all that great or remarkable, either. Alternatively, of all the branding elements in American television history, the famed peacock logo is probably the most difficult to replace. So, even a brilliant logo and identifier was likely to fall short compared to the peacock. I think simplicity would have went a long way here. Just changing the letters “BC” in MSNBC to “OW”, and dropping the peacock in place of something — virtually anything? — else would have landed better, in my opinion.
The Ugly
NBCUniversal’s decision to strip MSNBC of the NBC News name and the iconic peacock logo makes one thing perfectly clear: the company no longer views MS NOW as an extension of NBC News, but as a direct competitor.
MSNBC’s most prominent anchor, Rachel Maddow, admitted as much in a statement to Variety.
“If there was ever a time for us to change our name, this is it — because we’re not just separating from NBC News in corporate terms, we’re competing with them now,” she said. “So I think the distinction is going to be good for us.”
For years, the illusion seemed that MSNBC and NBC News operated somewhat jointly, but there was certainly no acrimony. Yet, this move signals that the relationship is not as friendly as it once appeared.
When NBCUniversal reclaims its most valuable branding assets, it’s not simply about visual identity. It’s about planting a flag that says MS NOW is going to stand on its own. It is sink or swim time. The days of seamless synergy are gone. Instead, NBC News will protect its traditional brand while MS NOW is pushed to build an audience without leaning on familiar icons.
The competition now becomes more pronounced because MS NOW is essentially forced to prove it can draw and retain viewers without the built-in recognition of NBC News. That doesn’t mean it’s doomed, but it does present new challenges that it probably wasn’t originally prepared to face. It is abundantly clear that the parent company sees two distinct products now, not one big happy family.
Ultimately, this sets up a fascinating dynamic inside NBCUniversal. Is the company worried about the MSNBC brand hurting NBC News? If that was the case, wouldn’t this rebrand have been completed years ago?
While all those questions persist, one aspect of the story is answered by the actions of NBCUniversal. MS NOW isn’t just a cable network with a new name — it’s a challenger brand to NBC News. It has been freed, or maybe forced — to go head-to-head with NBC News rather than ride its coattails. And that split will define whether the rebrand is viewed years from now as a bold success or a costly miscalculation.
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.
