MSNBC executives tapped Joe Scarborough to deliver the news to its dwindling audience, and the forced excitement in his voice is easily heard.
“We have breaking news as it pertains to our network. This morning a new name for the network. By the end of the year, we will become MS NOW, which stands for My Source for News, Opinion, and the World,” Scarborough says in a clip posted by Mo News on Instagram.
NBC Universal announced it was splitting off its cable networks in November of 2024 to a new holding company called Versant.
Curits Houck of Media Research Center says NBC won't let it keep the peacock, much less the name.
“For MSNBC to be bullied into changing their name is objectively hilarious,” says Houck.
The Twitterverse was also having fun with the name change as many criticized the name change. Media personality and political commentator Megyn Kelly posted, “MSNBC gets shivved by NBC (can’t share our respected name!) as NBC pretends it has some impeccable reputation to protect.”
Houck says the network itself is struggling with the rebrand.
“…saying that they will continue to be a progressive audience, but they will also focus on holding political figures from both parties to account. That is comical,” Houck comments.
He says it's a sure bet there will be no editorial changes in the offing.
“The people that they're hiring are fake Republicans. They still have Scarborough. They bring on people like David French on the regular, Lincoln Project types,” Houck says.
