The rebrand has rattled MSNBC’s progressive base. Loyal viewers and even network staff vented online and in private discussions that the new name feels like a downgrade for what was once the Democratic Party’s cable megaphone.
“MS is the new BS,” one insider quipped, echoing the widespread sentiment that MS NOW lacks credibility and prestige without the NBC affiliation. For Democrats who saw MSNBC as a counterweight to Fox News, losing the NBC branding feels like a symbolic blow to their side of the media landscape.
Rachel Maddow’s show remains one of the highest-rated programs outside Fox, but critics warn that stripping away the NBC link weakens the network’s aura of journalistic authority at a time when trust in media is already fragile.
Conservatives Cheer the Decline
On the other side of the aisle, conservatives greeted the announcement with undisguised glee. Republican commentators mocked the move as proof that MSNBC is losing cultural and commercial relevance.
Social media buzzed with nicknames like “Most Surely No One Watching” and “Majorly Skewed News Overly Woke,” a reflection of how right-leaning audiences see the rebrand as both a blunder and a sign of deeper collapse.
The Ratings Reality
The rebrand comes against a sobering backdrop: MSNBC’s audience is shrinking fast.
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In the first quarter of 2025, the network averaged just 593,000 total day viewers.
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In the key 25–54 demographic, the figure dropped to 57,000 viewers—anemic compared to competitors.
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By contrast, Fox News continues to dominate cable ratings, and CNN, while struggling, has managed to maintain slightly stronger digital growth.
These numbers illustrate why analysts see the rebrand not just as a cosmetic change but as an attempt to stop the bleeding. The challenge is that ditching the NBC name could deepen the perception that MSNBC is sliding from mainstream relevance into niche territory.
Industry Context: Cable News at a Crossroads
MSNBC’s gamble reflects a broader identity crisis in cable news. Cord-cutting and the migration to streaming platforms have eroded audiences across the board. Legacy brands now face the question: double down on traditional cable, or reinvent for digital?
CNN recently attempted its own digital push with CNN+, only to shutter the service weeks after launch. Fox News, by contrast, has had relative success with its Fox Nation streaming platform, leveraging loyalty among its base.
In this environment, Comcast’s decision to spin off its cable properties and rebrand MSNBC underscores the industry’s struggle: traditional branding power is waning, and networks are desperate to redefine themselves before becoming irrelevant.
What Comes Next for MS NOW
Versant executives insist the rebrand is not a retreat but a fresh start. Network President Rebecca Kutler promised an aggressive marketing campaign and emphasized that the editorial mission will remain intact.
Still, critics argue the shift is less about renewal and more about managing decline. Without NBC’s legacy name and imagery, MS NOW must build credibility from scratch in a media landscape already saturated with opinion-driven platforms.
Whether it succeeds or not, the rebrand has exposed MSNBC’s vulnerabilities—and reminded both allies and opponents just how fragile cable news empires have become in the streaming era.
DailyClout.IO will continue to follow this story.
https://www.wsj.com/business/media/msnbc-to-change-its-name-and-lose-the-peacock-logo-0c3e34a7
https://nymag.com/intelligencer/article/ms-now-msnbc-new-name-logo-everything-wrong.html
https://nypost.com/2025/08/18/media/msnbc-gets-mercilessly-mocked-over-new-ms-now-name-most-surely-no-one-watching
https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2025/08/18/msnbc-is-becoming-ms-now-my-source-news-opinion-world
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Author: Sean Probber
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