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MS NOW
MS NOW is a rebranded cable news network turned direct-to-consumer membership platform, actively commissioning original series fronted by its own on-air talent to drive subscriber growth.
Current mandate
MS NOW, the rebranded successor to MSNBC, is navigating one of the more consequential pivots in cable news: a structural split from NBC News and NBCUniversal that has left it building its own newsgathering infrastructure while simultaneously launching a direct-to-consumer membership product anchored by exclusive original programming. Under president Rebecca Kutler, the network has assembled a new journalism team, hiring prominent reporters including David Rohde, Jacob Soboroff, Carol Leonnig, and Ken Dilanian, and forged newsgathering alliances with AccuWeather and Sky News. The strategic ambition is to combine opinionated hosting with original reporting capable of initiating news cycles, not merely reacting to them.
The most visible expression of that ambition is a cluster of five ordered originals, all dated September 2026, that define the current acquisition pattern: long-form interview programming ("Rachel Maddow: In Conversation With..."), weekly polling analysis ("Off the Charts," hosted by Ali Velshi), behind-the-scenes commentary ("The Very Last Word," hosted by Lawrence O'Donnell), kitchen-table political conversation ("Political Potluck," hosted by former Sen. Claire McCaskill), and a weekly legal Q&A fronted by Andrew Weissmann. Every ordered title is hosted by a known MS NOW on-air personality, signaling that the platform's content strategy is tightly tied to talent it already controls. Budgets on all five titles were not disclosed. The network is also producing digital packages and TikTok content to extend reach beyond the linear feed.
Material reaches MS NOW primarily through direct partnership arrangements. The network's public seeking statement explicitly references its Crooked Media deal as the model for future outside content partnerships, particularly for weekend primetime taped programming. No open submission portal or fellowship program is documented in tracked data; every observed deal has come through an established production or media partnership. Producers with finished or near-finished news and politics programming, particularly formats suited to weekend primetime, are the most likely candidates for the kind of partnership MS NOW has publicly signaled it is pursuing.
Signature peaks
- 5 titles Membership Originals Ordered — All five ordered in September 2026, spanning legal Q&A, polling analysis, long-form interviews, and political conversation formats.
- $653.9M Ad Sales Forecast 2025 — Ad sales projected to fall 11% in 2025 to $653.9 million, with an uptick forecast in 2026 ahead of midterm election coverage.
- -59% Viewership Decline (Q3 2025) — Adults 25-54 viewership was down 59% across the programming day in Q3 2025, intensifying pressure to grow the direct-to-consumer product.
Mandate dimensions
- Genre focus
- News & Politics, Talk, Documentary
- Territory focus
- United States
- Budget tier (observed)
- Not disclosed
- Access pattern
- Every tracked deal has come through a direct talent or media partnership arrangement, with no open submission portal or named fellowship documented. MS NOW has publicly named its Crooked Media deal as the model for future outside content partnerships, particularly for weekend primetime taped programming, and trade press indicates further partnership announcements are expected.
- Deal structure
- MS NOW orders original series as content acquisitions for its direct-to-consumer membership platform, with all disclosed deals structured as content orders rather than distribution rights purchases; budgets on recent titles have not been disclosed. The network is also pursuing outside production partnerships for weekend primetime taped programming, modeled on an existing Crooked Media arrangement.
Recent acquisitions
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Andrew Weissmann untitled legal Q&A series
Andrew Weissmann's untitled weekly legal Q&A show
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Off the Charts
"Off the Charts" — weekly Thursday polling analysis hosted by Ali Velshi
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Political Potluck
"Political Potluck" — kitchen-table conversations hosted by former Sen. Claire McCaskill
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Rachel Maddow: In Conversation With…
"Rachel Maddow: In Conversation With…" — monthly long-form interviews hosted by Rachel Maddow
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The Very Last Word
"The Very Last Word" — weekly behind-the-scenes show hosted by Lawrence O'Donnell
Market context
MS NOW is actively seeking outside content partnerships for weekend primetime taped programming, modeled on its Crooked Media deal, with announcements expected in the coming weeks and months.
Cable news brands building direct-to-consumer membership products with exclusive originals rather than relying on the linear bundle.
Common questions about MS NOW
Does MS NOW accept unsolicited scripts or show pitches?
No unsolicited submission pathway is documented in tracked data. Every observed deal has come through an established media or production partnership. MS NOW has publicly signaled it is seeking outside content partnerships modeled on its Crooked Media arrangement, specifically for weekend primetime taped programming. Producers with relevant formats should pursue a direct partnership approach rather than a cold script submission, as no open call or portal has been identified.
What budgets does MS NOW typically work at for original programming?
Budget figures have not been disclosed on any of the five originals ordered in September 2026, and no budget tiers appear in tracked deal data. MS NOW is a cable news and direct-to-consumer membership platform, so production budgets are likely calibrated to talk, interview, and analysis formats rather than scripted drama or high-end documentary. Producers should expect news and non-fiction television budget norms rather than premium streaming scales.
What festivals does MS NOW source content from?
No festival acquisition activity is documented in tracked data for MS NOW. The platform's content focus is news, politics, legal analysis, and political conversation programming, genres that do not typically originate at film or television festivals. Observed deals have come through direct talent and partnership arrangements, not festival markets. Producers should not treat festival positioning as a primary route to MS NOW.
How do I get my show or format in front of MS NOW?
The most clearly documented route is a direct partnership arrangement. MS NOW's public seeking statement names its Crooked Media deal as the template for future outside partnerships, particularly for weekend primetime taped programming. Trade press indicates announcements are expected in the coming weeks and months. Producers with finished or near-finished news and politics formats, especially those suited to weekend primetime, are the most relevant candidates for this kind of outreach.
What genres is MS NOW currently acquiring?
All five titles ordered in September 2026 fall within News and Politics or Talk genres: long-form interviews, weekly polling analysis, behind-the-scenes commentary, kitchen-table political conversation, and legal Q&A. The platform's content focus statement also lists political conversation and behind-the-scenes commentary as priorities. MS NOW is not documented acquiring scripted, documentary, or entertainment formats at this time.
Is MS NOW currently active in the market?
Yes. MS NOW ordered five original series in September 2026 and has publicly stated it is seeking additional outside content partnerships for weekend primetime. The network is also investing in a new journalism team and digital content production. Activity metrics show five unique deals in the past 90 days. The platform is in an active build phase as it transitions from a linear cable network to a direct-to-consumer membership product under president Rebecca Kutler.
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Related reading
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