Inside MS NOW’s Reboot: An Anchor’s Candid Take

The upcoming transformation from MSNBC to MS NOW represents a pivotal moment in broadcast journalism, marking a strategic shift towards greater editorial independence and digital innovation. This Saturday, the familiar NBC peacock will officially disappear as the network rebrands under its new name and tagline, “Same Mission. New Name.” The change comes as parent company Versant prepares to spin out from NBCUniversal, requiring the separation from NBC branding while CNBC retains its identity for now.

Rebecca Kutler, president of MS NOW, has spent months constructing an entirely new news division in preparation for this transition. She has secured partnerships to fill coverage gaps and developed comprehensive digital strategies for the launch. Inside the network’s temporary Times Square offices, affectionately dubbed “Summer Camp” by executives, four prominent journalists shared candid perspectives about the rebranding process and their vision for the future.

Stephanie Ruhle, Ali Velshi, Katy Tur, and Brandy Zadrozny discussed everything from initial reactions to the name change to the opportunities presented by operating outside a major corporate structure. Interestingly, Velshi will serve as both the final anchor to broadcast from MSNBC’s Rockefeller Center studios and the first to launch programming from MS NOW’s Times Square location.

When asked about their initial response to the rebranding, Tur acknowledged some disappointment. “We were told the name would stay,” she revealed. “It took adjustment to understand how this would work.” However, she emphasized that in today’s fragmented media landscape, the strength of their journalism matters more than the network name. “Viewers recognize our faces and reporting style regardless of what appears in the corner of the screen.”

Velshi noted how channel placement concerns that once dominated network strategy have become irrelevant. “Nobody knows what number any channel is anymore,” he observed. “In three years, even the ‘MS’ part won’t matter.” He expressed appreciation for the perceived independence the new structure provides, particularly valuable in an era where corporate media faces increased scrutiny.

Zadrozny highlighted how individual journalist brands build audience trust. “The story is what matters,” she stated, recalling her experience at The Daily Beast where she constantly had to spell the publication’s name. “Strong journalist brands create connection with viewers.”

Ruhle brought her characteristic energy to the discussion, joking that she reads the new name as “MS WOW.” She framed the change as an exciting disruption rather than a concern. “Anywhere people are defending the status quo, you’re either in the wrong place or you’re dead wood hiding beneath it,” she remarked. “Shake-ups create opportunities to end up on top.”

The journalists expressed enthusiasm about the editorial freedom the new structure enables. Tur highlighted their ability to “break news again” without competing with NBC News for resources or attention. The network has already recruited prominent journalists including Carol Leonnig, Philip Bump, and Jacob Soboroff to strengthen their investigative capabilities.

Velshi emphasized how the independence allows them to “fully lean into holding power to account,” something that becomes increasingly complicated within traditional corporate media structures. “Our viewers across the political spectrum want accountability journalism,” he noted, “and now we can deliver it without second-guessing.”

Zadrozny described the environment as “freeing,” particularly for her disinformation reporting. “My mission has never been clearer, the lane has never been wider,” she said. The network plans to launch new podcasts focused specifically on misinformation under the leadership of former NBC senior vice president Madeline Haeringer.

The conversation turned to the challenges of navigating an information ecosystem flooded with AI-generated content and sophisticated disinformation. Velshi described how his social media behavior has completely transformed. “I don’t even know how to respond when someone asks why we’re not reporting on something, I don’t know what that ‘something’ is anymore,” he admitted.

Tur explained how she’s become a “truth discernment” resource for friends and family. “Our responsibility becomes greater because people look to us to separate fact from fiction,” she said. The journalists described implementing rigorous verification processes and relying on specialists like Zadrozny to investigate suspicious content before reporting.

Digital expansion emerged as a central theme in their vision for MS NOW. Tur described successfully adapting content across platforms, with TikTok clips sometimes generating more recognition than her television appearances. “We exist in multiple spaces because each platform reaches different audiences,” she explained, noting that a recent YouTube interview attracted 800,000 views within days.

Velshi and Ruhle have launched an innovative YouTube program that functions as an interactive economic explainer. “It’s like a modern call-in radio show,” Ruhle described. The format allows them to address viewer questions directly, bridging gaps in economic understanding that traditional programming might miss.

Velshi shared a revealing interaction with a viewer who admitted finding portions of his coverage “over my head.” Rather than dismissing the comment, he gave her his number and asked her to text when concepts became unclear. “If it’s over your head, I need you to tell me because I’ll fix it,” he told her. This commitment to accessibility informs their digital strategy.

The journalists also discussed plans to expand data journalism beyond election coverage. Velshi envisions transforming the network’s data visualization capabilities into a “data machine” that can illustrate everything from unemployment patterns to AI’s impact on energy costs.

Ruhle emphasized how data-driven reporting helps distinguish their work from opinion-based programming. “There’s a difference between opinion and perspective,” she noted. “We want to surround facts with experts who can explain what they mean rather than telling people what to think.”

This approach extends to their guest selection process, where they prioritize bringing authentic experts to discussions rather than assigning stories to general assignment correspondents. “We want the people who know the beats intimately,” Ruhle explained, citing Zadrozny’s misinformation expertise as an example of the specialized knowledge they can now highlight.

As MS NOW prepares for its official launch, these journalists embody the network’s transition from traditional broadcast entity to a multiplatform news organization built for contemporary media consumption. Their enthusiasm for the rebranding stems not from nostalgia for what was, but from excitement about what they can build, a news operation that combines journalistic rigor with digital innovation while maintaining the audience trust they’ve cultivated over years of reporting.

(Source: Hollywood Reporter)