RL “NETWORK SHAKE-UP!” — MSNBC’s Sudden Rebrand to MS Now Sends Shockwaves Through Morning Joe Fans
Major Media Shake-Up Sees MSNBC Relaunch as MS Now
A significant restructuring in the media landscape has resulted in the rebranding of MSNBC, which officially relaunched on Saturday, November 15, as MS Now. The new name, an acronym for My Source for News, Opinion, and the World, marks a new chapter for the cable news channel. This change is part of a larger corporate shift where MSNBC, along with several other prominent networks including E!, Oxygen, CNBC, USA Network, and SYFY, separated from their long-time parent company, Comcast, and its NBCUniversal division. These channels now operate under a new entity known as Versant.
Amidst this transition, viewers and industry observers have been watchful for its impact on the network’s flagship programming. However, the co-hosts of the popular morning news program Morning Joe, Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski, have confirmed the show’s continuity and addressed the corporate evolution, emphasizing that the core identity of their broadcast remains steadfast.
Hosts Affirm Show’s Unchanging Mission and Identity
In a detailed interview with People magazine published on Monday, November 17, both Scarborough and Brzezinski offered reassurances to their dedicated audience, explaining that the spirit and substance of Morning Joe would not be altered by the network’s new name and logo. Brzezinski highlighted that the program’s foundation is its people and the tight-knit community they have built over nearly two decades.
“Morning Joe is about the people, and between the family that we’ve created on the air and off the air in almost 20 years, like, we have been this bunch that has moved around all over the place,” Brzezinski stated. She also pointed to the cast’s resilience and adaptability, skills that were sharply honed during the global pandemic. “Then, through COVID, we learned to do the show in a million different places at once.”
Brzezinski stressed that the team’s cohesion is the key to their consistency, regardless of external changes. “We’re excited about working with Willie [Geist] and [Mike] Barnicle and [Jonathan] Lemire and all of our friends… we’re good if we’re together,” she explained. “We’re completely good with whatever they call us, because we don’t change. The show doesn’t change, and our attitude doesn’t change.”
The Art of Storytelling in a Shifting Media World
Echoing his co-host’s sentiment, Joe Scarborough centered his comments on the fundamental principles of communication and community that he believes are the bedrock of their work. For him, the platform or brand name is secondary to the essential task of journalism and commentary. “At the end of the day, it’s all about telling stories, and it’s all about telling stories well… Being able to talk to people and building a community,” Scarborough said.
He also conveyed a strong sense of optimism about the future of the industry, expressing his belief that genuine talent will always be in demand, even as technology continues to reshape the media environment. “I’m optimistic that the people that have a distinct voice and can communicate well and tell stories, those people, there will always be a great, great need for them, regardless of wherever technology takes us,” he added.
The hosts’ comments reflect a confidence that the value of their program lies in its content and personalities, not its corporate affiliation. Brzezinski further noted that Morning Joe has consistently adapted since its debut. The show has “evolved” over the years, she said, both “in terms of what we’re covering [and] how we’re covering it.”
A Personal and Professional Partnership
The on-air chemistry and personal history of Scarborough and Brzezinski are central to the identity of Morning Joe. The pair have co-hosted the program since its premiere in 2007. At the time, Scarborough was married to his second wife, Susan Waren, and Brzezinski was married to her now ex-husband, Jim Hoffer. Following their respective divorces, their professional relationship blossomed into a romance. They confirmed their engagement in May 2017 and were married in November 2018.
This unique dynamic of being both partners in life and on live television is something the couple openly discussed. Brzezinski remarked on their constant companionship, stating, “We’re together 24/7, and that really works for us.”
Scarborough elaborated on this point, describing how the intense, shared experience of producing a daily four-hour live broadcast strengthens their bond in a way few could understand. “I guess, for some people, the strange thing is we love being together all the time,” he shared. “Getting up at 4:30 in the morning, and getting shot out of a cannon at 6 and tap dancing for four hours, there’s literally nobody on the planet that understands what that’s like, except for the person that I’m with all the time. She understands.”
This deep personal and professional synergy, they feel, contributes to the show’s enduring appeal. “I think that, as far as our dynamics go, we’re so lucky,” Brzezinski concluded. “We feel really lucky that we’re still doing this almost 20 years later, and it’s still just as vital.” As MS Now finds its footing, the message from its morning headliners is one of stability and unwavering commitment to their audience and their craft.
