Latest news with #MSNOW
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
MSNBC Name Change Mercilessly Mocked as ‘One of the Worst Branding Disasters in Media History'
"MSNBC's horrible rebrand is going to bring Americans together again," one social media user jokes Versant's Monday announcement that MSNBC will be rebranded as MS NOW (My Source News Opinion World) has generated comparisons online to Warner Bros. Discovery's multiple HBO name changes in recent years and has been met with widespread derision. The rebrand comes as parent company Comcast plans to spin off its cable news channels into a new company called Versant. When that plan was originally announced, there were concerns that MSNBC's separation from NBCUniversal would result in it losing its easily identifiable name. More from TheWrap MSNBC Name Change Mercilessly Mocked as 'One of the Worst Branding Disasters in Media History' Spike Lee's Colin Kaepernick Docuseries Scrapped at ESPN Due to 'Creative Differences' David Geffen Responds to Ex-Husband's 'Ludicrous and Contrived' Lawsuit: 'Petty Gossip and Salacious Lies' State Department Papers Found on Alaska Hotel Printer Include Sensitive Details of Trump's Summit With Putin Those concerns were temporarily dispelled when Versant's prospective CEO Mark Lazarus told staffers in January that they did not have to worry about the network changing its name. Now, not only is MSNBC rebranding, but its name change also brings with it a new logo that does not feature the NBC Peacock logo that has long helped identify the network as part of the NBCUniversal family. 'This name further underscores our mission: to serve as your destination for breaking news and thoughtful analysis and remain the home for the perspectives that you've relied on for nearly 30 years,' the network wrote in an official statement shared Monday morning. 'For our viewers who have watched us for decades, it may be hard to imagine this network by any other name,' the statement continued. 'We understand. But our promise to you remains as it always has. You know who we are, and what we do.' Social media users were swift to express their displeasure with the change. One user on X called it 'one of the worst branding disasters in media history' and wrote that the new MS NOW logo 'looks like it belongs on a discount computer from 1998.' Another user vowed that, much like how they refused to call HBO Max just 'Max' after it was temporarily rebranded, they will 'never call [MSNBC] the new name.' 'This rebrand leaves me a little speechless,' a different user also admitted on X, while another user joked that 'MSNBC's horrible rebrand is going to bring Americans together again.' You can check out some of the morning's social media reactions yourself below. The post MSNBC Name Change Mercilessly Mocked as 'One of the Worst Branding Disasters in Media History' appeared first on TheWrap.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
MSNBC Name Change Mercilessly Mocked as ‘One of the Worst Branding Disasters in Media History'
"MSNBC's horrible rebrand is going to bring Americans together again," one social media user jokes Versant's Monday announcement that MSNBC will be rebranded as MS NOW (My Source News Opinion World) has generated comparisons online to Warner Bros. Discovery's multiple HBO name changes in recent years and has been met with widespread derision. The rebrand comes as parent company Comcast plans to spin off its cable news channels into a new company called Versant. When that plan was originally announced, there were concerns that MSNBC's separation from NBCUniversal would result in it losing its easily identifiable name. More from TheWrap MSNBC Name Change Mercilessly Mocked as 'One of the Worst Branding Disasters in Media History' Spike Lee's Colin Kaepernick Docuseries Scrapped at ESPN Due to 'Creative Differences' David Geffen Responds to Ex-Husband's 'Ludicrous and Contrived' Lawsuit: 'Petty Gossip and Salacious Lies' State Department Papers Found on Alaska Hotel Printer Include Sensitive Details of Trump's Summit With Putin Those concerns were temporarily dispelled when Versant's prospective CEO Mark Lazarus told staffers in January that they did not have to worry about the network changing its name. Now, not only is MSNBC rebranding, but its name change also brings with it a new logo that does not feature the NBC Peacock logo that has long helped identify the network as part of the NBCUniversal family. 'This name further underscores our mission: to serve as your destination for breaking news and thoughtful analysis and remain the home for the perspectives that you've relied on for nearly 30 years,' the network wrote in an official statement shared Monday morning. 'For our viewers who have watched us for decades, it may be hard to imagine this network by any other name,' the statement continued. 'We understand. But our promise to you remains as it always has. You know who we are, and what we do.' Social media users were swift to express their displeasure with the change. One user on X called it 'one of the worst branding disasters in media history' and wrote that the new MS NOW logo 'looks like it belongs on a discount computer from 1998.' Another user vowed that, much like how they refused to call HBO Max just 'Max' after it was temporarily rebranded, they will 'never call [MSNBC] the new name.' 'This rebrand leaves me a little speechless,' a different user also admitted on X, while another user joked that 'MSNBC's horrible rebrand is going to bring Americans together again.' You can check out some of the morning's social media reactions yourself below. The post MSNBC Name Change Mercilessly Mocked as 'One of the Worst Branding Disasters in Media History' appeared first on TheWrap. Solve the daily Crossword
Daily Mail
3 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
New MSNBC logo spells out VERY unfortunate phrase as internet mocks renaming of liberal news network
Social media users had no mercy for MSNBC following the news of its surprise name change to MS NOW on Monday - with one lambasting the network's new logo and acronym in particular. Taking to Bluesky to do so, the user pointed out how an American flag insignia next to the new name could be perceived as the letter 'K.' 'This logo literally looks like it says KMS NOW,' they wrote. 'KMS' is an acronym used to shorten the words 'kill myself.' MS NOW, unveiled suddenly on Monday after execs promised MSNBC would keep its name as-is, stands for 'My Source News Opinion World.' More ridicule came in from figures as far-ranging as Megyn Kelly and longtime MSNBC anchor Keith Olbermann. The station's new name and slogan - after being stripped of all inklings of anything NBC - left both sides of the fence perplexed. Some billed the development as the result of a sort of slight by NBC, which will no longer be associated with MSNBC - even in name. 'MSNBC gets shivved by NBC,' wrote former NBC anchor Kelly, before remarking in parentheticals, '(can't share our respected name!) The Bluesky user pointed out how an American flag insignia next to the new name could be perceived as the letter 'K.' 'This logo literally looks like it says KMS NOW,' they wrote 'NBC pretends it has some impeccable reputation to protect,' she scathed. Olbermann - who hosted Countdown with Keith Olbermann on MSNC from 2003 to 2011 - simply wrote: 'No I'm not kidding,' after taking to X. Moments before, Morning Joe's Joe Scarborough broke the news during his broadcast. Mark Lazarus, the CEO of the soon-to-be-solidified spinoff company that will contain MSNBC, stressed to staffers in a memo that 'while the name will be different, the brand's commitment to its audience will not change.' Network boss Rebecca Kutler, in her own company-wide correspondence, appeared to hint at a fight to keep the 'NBC' in 'MSNBC' behind the scenes. 'This was not a decision that was made quickly or without significant debate,' she said, adding how 'over the last eight months, [staffers] have worked to untether ourselves from NBC News and embrace our independence under Versant. 'We've hired dozens of first-rate reporters and newsroom leaders and have been recruiting for nearly 100 roles across our new and nimble organization,' she wrote, after firing Joy Reid as one her first moves as boss this year. 'We continue to supercharge our non-linear products, achieving rapid success on YouTube, TikTok, audio, digital, live events, and more – all while aggressively developing a direct-to-consumer product.' Onlookers, however, weren't buying it, with one dubbing the announcement 'one the worst branding disasters in media history. 'The logo looks like it belongs on a discount computer from 1998, not a serious news network,' the user wrote on X, calling the artwork 'absurd.' Several, like Olbermann had, reiterated how the rebrand was 'not a joke.' 'MSNBC's rebranding is even dumber than HBO becoming 'MAX',' wrote someone else. 'This is the corniest, lamest name they could've come up with. Seriously, fire your branding team. What a joke.' 'MSNBC rolls "worst name ever", asked to leave cable television,' joked someone else. 'I think it should really be called "BS NOW", another user remarked. 'This is not a joke. They really did this,' added Yahoo Sports writer Kendall Baker on X. 'New Name. Same Crazy,' joked conservative journalist Christian Toto. Network talent reacted to the news as well, with Rachel Maddow telling 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. So I think the distinction is going to be good for us,' she elaborated. Jesse Rodriguez, the Vice President of Booking & Editorial for MSNBC, wrote on X: 'Exciting news. Our mission will not change. Our commitment to our loyal viewers will not change. Who we are is not changing.' Colby Hall, the founder of Mediaite, added, 'Jokes aside, I think MS NOW is an elegant solution.' Joe Flint, of the Wall Street Journal, gushed: 'Just love that the MS still remains!' Lazarus, meanwhile, announced more changes to other logos and brands in the cable-centered spinoff company's portfolio set to go in affect either at the end of next year or toward the start of 2026 in his internal memo as well, including that sports programming from its USA Network and Golf Channel will be combined 'under a new brand moniker' set to be dubbed 'USA Sports'. CNBC, he revealed, 'will retain its name and is working on a new logo.' Other assets in Versant's largely linear arsenal include the GolfNow, SyFy, Oxygen, E! and SportsEngine. Execs are hoping the spinoff - announced earlier this year in response to losses Comcast's share price - will transform what is widely viewed as a declining asset into the flagship of a growing startup, while also bringing in more money from other sources such as streaming. 'We have the ability to transcend this linear cable box,' Kutler - the leader of programming for the failed CNN+ - told Politico earlier this summer. 'We have the ability to build things.' The new branding will debut as the network enters its 30th year, and as it continues to build up a newsgathering operation entirely independent of NBCU. To do so, it has poached a plethora of big names from publications the New York Times, CNN, and even NBC News itself, including key correspondent Jacob Soboroff. Other hires have included Carol Leoning, Catherine Rampell and Jackie Alemany from the Washington Post, and Eugene Daniels from Politico. The Versant spin off is expected to take place between late 2025 and early 2026. An exact date has yet to be announced.
Hindustan Times
4 hours ago
- Business
- Hindustan Times
MSNBC rebranding to ‘MS NOW' generates buzz as ‘Multiple Sclerosis' trends on X; ‘They could do worse than…'
MSNBC's decision to change its name to MS NOW has drawn several reactions on Internet. The cable news network on Monday announced that it is dropping the 'NBC' from its name since NBC Universal has decided to split its cable channels into Versant, a new firm. MS NOW stands for 'My Source News Opinion World'. MSNBC rebranding: During his show on Morning Joe, Joe Scarborough revealed that the new design, which does not feature the NBC peacock, was 'very sporty' and that it 'shows we're independent.'(AP) During his show on Morning Joe, Joe Scarborough revealed that the new design, which does not feature the NBC peacock, was 'very sporty' and that it 'shows we're independent.' 'I'm excited about this,' stated Scarborough. Meanwhile, journalist Andrew Ross Sorkin concurred, stressing MS NOW's 'independence' and disassociation from 'legacy media.' Rachel Maddow calls MSNBC branding perfect moment Rachel Maddow, their coworker, also expressed same excitement, calling it a perfect moment 'for us to change our name because we're now competing with NBC News'. 'So I think the distinction is going to be good for us. What NBC is doing in its legacy timeslots — the Today Show, Nightly, Meet the Press — is just a world away from the 24/7 totally independent news operation that we're able to stand up now, thanks to the spin-off,' she told Variety. The new branding, according to MSNBC President Rebecca Kutler, underlines 'our mission: to serve as a destination for breaking news and best-in-class opinion journalism, all rooted in accurate and reported facts.' Meanwhile, Richard Hudock, senior vice president of communications, suggested that 'adaptability, flexibility, and an open mind' are necessary for change, adding that this shift is beneficial for them. Also Read: Who is Michael Franti's wife and what is his net worth? 'I broke my wife's trust, I broke her heart' Netizens react to MSNBC rebranding Additionally, CNN's Andy Kaczynski questioned critics, asking: 'What's the problem? This seems fine.' Meanwhile, another critic Kyle Smith of The Wall Street Journal remarked, 'It sounds like a fundraiser for multiple sclerosis.' 'Multiple Sclerosis' was among the top five trending topics on X as of mid-morning Monday. Yashar Ali was deadpanned for reporting on the rebranding. Jonah Goldberg noted that if a renowned feminist magazine and a leading feminist organization decided to launch a cable news network, 'they could do worse' than introducing themselves as 'Ms. Now.' '… If MSNBC got to stay MSNBC long after Microsoft left the venture, why can't they remain MSNBC after NBC leaves the venture?' inquired Jacob Rubashkin. 'MSNBC is rebranding as MS NOW. Good lord. MSNBC's brand is so toxic that they won't even let them use the NBC brand any more,' remarked Clay Travis.
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Farewell, MSNBC. Hello, 'My Source for News, Opinion and the World.' Wait, What?
The MSNBC name is about to be phased out. Early Monday, as the news brand preps for a future separated from NBC News, the cable TV stalwart unveiled a new name, logo and acronym-driven identity: MS NOW, meaning 'My Source for News, Opinion and the World.' The shift retires a name that was christened in 1996 with the launch of the co-branded partnership between Microsoft and NBC News that carried the MSNBC name. And, while Microsoft exited a couple years later, the cable brand home to Rachel Maddow, Jen Psaki, Chris Hayes, Lawrence O'Donnell and more had stuck with the original branding for decades. More from The Hollywood Reporter Jacob Soboroff Joining MSNBC As Split From NBC News Looms 'NBC Nightly News' EP Meghan Rafferty Exits to Join Versant MSNBC Brings Back Live Fan Event In Bid to Build New Revenue Lines The impetus for the change? NBCUniversal owner Comcast is spinning off most all of its TV channels into a separate publicly-traded company, Versant, in a deal that may close this fall. Because of that, the formerly named MSNBC is rebuilding its news organization for a world in which it doesn't collaborate directly with NBC News and carry the peacock imagery that's staying with the home base. As the rebrand hit inboxes today, Hollywood Reporter editors chatted about the move, and read in-between the lines on what it could signify. Erik Hayden: For months, with Comcast planning to spin off its declining cable TV assets — MSNBC, CNBC, USA Network, Oxygen, E!, Syfy and the Golf Channel — into a new company, the nondescript Versant, the question was, 'What does MSNBC look like without NBCUniversal and NBC News?' So while it was surprising to see this rebrand for the Rebecca Kutler-run news brand, the writing was on the wall that there needed to be some pivot. And while it's also not that surprising that Comcast wanted to keep the peacock imagery and NBC lettering for its own flagship news services, it's still a bit jarring to see the new identity. What was your first read? Tony Maglio: My first read went something like this: 'Um, what's-that-now?' The MS thing is so weird: Microsoft has had exactly zero ties to MSNBC since 2012 (and from the TV channel, since 2005). Back then, you wouldn't want to change a web address or an established channel/brand name. But now, why not? Instead, Versant (already a confusing name itself) elected to back in to an acronym? Who is making these choices? If you want your own brand, as Versant CEO Mark Lazarus and Kutler have said, just start over. 'MS NOW' to me reads like it's a random Microsoft application I'd uninstall from my PC when storage space got tight. EH: Also, this wasn't a decision made from a position of strength. I doubt that, were it not to be cleaved off from Comcast, that MSNBC executives would like to undertake a rebrand that nearly erases its entire name. I can't think of a single major news organization that has undergone that sort of name change. Usually, it's the corporate parent that changes its name when times get bleak (thinking of Los Angeles Times' owner Tribune trying to go BuzzFeed with ill-fated Tronc) but the names of the news brands themselves stay. I can't imagine many will be using the acronym's meaning, My Source for News, Opinion, and the World, on second reference either. TM: Yeah, that part is just crazy. But it is Versant's expectation, and also just how we would often do it to remind readers that this is, indeed, an acronym, and not some stylization choice. (Example: STARZ is not an acronym, so we write it as Starz, no matter how StArZ wants it written in the media.) But My Source for News, Opinion, and the World is an absurd way to write or to speak. No one will ever say this except with a mocking tone. The acronym is so reverse-engineered and forced. MSNBC was a mashup of Microsoft and NBC News — it actually called for an acronym. EH: Also, what does it say about the relative strengths of the brand — and internal politics at Versant — that CNBC was able to keep its name under the explanation that it was originally known as 'Consumer News and Business Channel' (i.e. not National Broadcasting Channel, trademark Comcast)? That reads to me like it's seen as a safer, more durable brand. Finance news has generally seen more stability than political news and there appears to be a template that CNBC chiefs are following (build like Bloomberg or The Wall Street Journal with Pro tiers while leaning on strengths and access of live TV). TM: CNBC is so interesting because it launched as a bogus acronym itself. Yes, 'Consumer News and Business Channel' is ostensibly what it stood for, but in reality, the acronym stood for Cablevision NBC — as in National Broadcasting Channel — because those were the joint venture partners. We can all play pretend on this one a bit more because the double entendre happened way back in 1989. To be fair, MSNBC losing the MS and now the NBC does put Versant in a tough spot. It is really hard to rebrand from scratch, but this attempt at a half-rebrand (and hope no one asks about the acronym) feels desperate and beneath what MSNBC has achieved. EH: If I was to try and think of a silver lining on this rebrand, at this time, I might say, 'Well, this is a new political moment with massive disruption for traditional media. Brand names, in general, aren't as powerful as they once were and if MS NOW really hopes to thrive it'll need to lean in to the big Rachel Maddow-like names (and hire more) to try and distinguish itself in a fractured environment.' But the problem is that the MSNBC name does mean something, especially to the audience that watches it regularly on linear TV. And yes, that may be an older audience that is getting smaller as more viewers cut the cord. TM: Right. Clearly, Versant wanted the closest-possible thing to 'MSNBC' without the 'NBC.' But the 'MS' was never the point (for television) — the 'NBC' was. So to make the exception for CNBC but not MSNBC feels not tethered to a whole lot. Unfortunately, 'MS NOW' is just like a 'NowThis News' to me. It feels like a media publication that launched 30 minutes ago, not 30 years. MS NOW will have strong resources, but a name that — initially, at least — implies no differentiation from any other ALL CAPS play. EH: It does remind me of NowThis News, or a bunch of similar start-up names that maybe fell by the wayside in the BuzzFeed-Mashable 2010s Facebook traffic era. To use a different example, Cable News Network was the origin of CNN's name. I can't see, even when the last lights are turned off on Cable TV, CNN pivoting from that name — it's like National Public Radio and NPR, the acronym means something at this point, not the medium it originated in. TM: Exactly. Those are branded phrases that became acronyms. Acronyms exist as an accepted societal shorthand for things we all know. Versant is doing this fully backwards. You can picture how this went down, right? A conference room and a whiteboard with:M ______S_______N ______________________ And tuna subs. 'No one leaves this room until we have a new five-letter brand name that starts with MSN and stands for … something.' It's the worst Wheel of Fortune puzzle ever. EH: Speaking of which, MSN still exists as a giant web portal that millions of readers visit, so the argument that the 'MS'-Microsoft connection is not relevant because it was an old reference to a partnership ended long ago when Microsoft was in the news business doesn't quite track. TM: Great point. Those of us in the media are well aware of the reach of MSN. It's a lot more than non-MSN users might think. It's just a staple landing page for endless news content. I don't personally use it, but I can see a universe in which I never left finance for journalism and it is My Source for News and something World… and I've already lost what MS NOW stands on the subject of CNN vs. MSNBC MS NOW: MSNBC had momentum in the fight for second place behind Fox News Channel (FNC to some, because that's actually how initials work!). This feels like a moment for CNN to actually rally — they must be thrilled. EH: The rebrand also does feel like it undercuts efforts to take the MSNBC brand to more platforms than just live TV. There is a burgeoning live events business (the next one is MSNBCLIVE '25, at the Hammerstein Ballroom in October) that now will need to be retrofitted. Obviously the news business relies on talent that can cut through the clutter, or creators with a ton of audience. But, barring that (and in an era of belt-tightening for TV news, which is something relatively new to that side of the media business, unlike print or digital media), brand names are all you have to differentiate yourself. It's tough thinking that 'My Source' stands out in an era of just YouTube tiles asking for clicks. TM: Maybe it's a 'Thai Food Near Me' situation. What I want to know, is did much of the marketing team that came up with 'Peacock,' which was widely mocked at the time, go over with Versant? I do want to give Versant and MS NOW an opportunity for optimism here. The reality is, most brand names don't make all the sense until they do. (Tronc had no chance.) So if MS NOW does an absolutely killer job and becomes essential in the news-gathering and news-reporting industry, we will all become numb to it. In a good way. EH: I remember, back in 2011, when MSNBC's marketing tagline 'Lean Forward' was seen as a bet on embracing an identity. Even if 'forward' was vague in the eye of the beholder. Arguably, this new rebrand does the opposite. TM: Are we able to put a gif in a story? Because… Best of The Hollywood Reporter How the Warner Brothers Got Their Film Business Started Meet the World Builders: Hollywood's Top Physical Production Executives of 2023 Men in Blazers, Hollywood's Favorite Soccer Podcast, Aims for a Global Empire
