Exclusive: MS Now to launch membership-based subscription product next summer
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Rachel Maddow and Lawrence O'Donnell in conversation at MSNBCLIVE '25. Photo: Courtesy of MS NOW
MS NOW, formerly MSNBC, plans to launch a membership-based, direct-to-consumer product next summer, the network's president Rebecca Kutler plans to announce during an investor day presentation for parent company Versant on Thursday.
Why it matters: It represents the most significant digital investment in the network's 30-year history.
Zoom out: Unlike other subscription services announced by news networks in recent weeks, MS NOW's offering aims to lean into the fandom of its progressive personalities more than live news.
- "What we are building is a membership community designed to serve our core audience in three ways: By unlocking access to our talent through live and virtual events, providing curated insights just for them, and empowering communities with new moderated spaces for intelligent discussion," Kutler plans to tell investors, according to prepared remarks shared with Axios.
- "We know that in this fragmented, digital landscape, people are craving connection. When our fans sign up for MS NOW's DTC offering, they will be able to interact with people who share their interests and passions, whether that's neighbors in their local communities or people from across the country," she added.
Zoom in: The membership is heavily focused on building moments where MS NOW's progressive community can engage online, a reflection of the success it's had in bringing its audience together for ticketed live events.
- The subscription aims to connect fans with the network's biggest stars through interactive features. It will also give consumers 24/7 access to the live MS NOW linear network.
Catch up quick: MSNBC announced it would rebrand to MS NOW, an acronym that stands for My Source for News, Opinion and the World, in August.
- The rebrand is part of a reimagining of the decades-old cable network's market position amid its spinout from its parent NBCUniversal, which is owned by Comcast. The company recently launched a multimillion dollar marketing campaign under the banner, "We The People," which is intended to highlight civic engagement and news.
- In addition to MS NOW, several other cable networks formerly under the NBCU umbrella have also been spun out. Collectively, they are part of a new, soon-to-be publicly traded company called Versant.
By the numbers: So far, the pivot seems to be working. Ratings for MS Now, were up 25% in primetime after its first week since the rebrand. The network's off-year election coverage likely helped boost numbers as well.
The big picture: More news networks are eyeing digital subscriptions as a way to hedge against linear television's terminal decline.
- NBC News this week is launching its first-ever digital subscription product, focused on digital video, web articles and podcasts, Axios reported.
- CNN launched a new all-access subscription streaming service in October, aimed at closely mirroring the live news report it offers on its linear TV feeds.
