Far-left cable outlet MSNBC has officially dropped the “NBC” from its name, announcing a rebrand as “MS NOW” in a move widely seen as a desperate attempt to salvage its failing image. The split comes after years of collapsing ratings, credibility problems, and its disastrous role in promoting the Trump–Russia collusion hoax.
The network, once launched as a joint venture between Microsoft and NBC in 1996, will now operate under its new branding after parent company Comcast spun off MSNBC and other struggling cable networks into a separate entity called Versant. While CNBC kept its name under the same corporate shift, MSNBC was stripped of the NBC brand entirely—a sign that NBC News no longer wants to be associated with the outlet’s toxic reputation.
MSNBC President Rebecca Kutler attempted to spin the rebrand in an internal memo, claiming that “MS NOW” represents “My Source for News, Opinion, and the World” and would allow the channel to build “its own modern newsgathering operation.” However, critics note that dropping the NBC name and iconic peacock logo is a massive blow, signaling that MSNBC has become an embarrassment to the parent company.
Once a ratings powerhouse under Rachel Maddow, MSNBC’s audience collapsed following President Donald Trump’s 2024 re-election. Viewers, demoralized after years of being misled by false promises of Trump’s downfall, abandoned the network. Since then, ratings have remained in free fall, leaving MSNBC a shell of its former self.
The rebrand mirrors other corporate blunders, such as Warner Bros. Discovery’s decision to drop “HBO” from its HBO Max streaming service—a move that failed to resonate with audiences. Industry observers argue that “MS NOW” sounds like a generic digital start-up, not a trusted national brand.
By shedding the NBC label, MSNBC is now isolated as it struggles to reinvent itself. For many conservatives, the move is a long-overdue admission that years of biased reporting, failed narratives, and elitist punditry have finally caught up with the far-left outlet.
