MSNBC Shake Up

[freelanceproducer 188]

1 hour ago, Geoffrey said:

 

I'm not sure it was adjusted up so much as the black bar below was removed, exposing a tiny bit of the picture below.

 

Alex Witt Reports had a new look, as expected. It looks like the newscasts (as opposed to opinion oriented shows) will use blue lower-thirds.

 

I don't like how most of the headline texts appear squished.

The studios are really nice! 
 

I will admit I really, really liked the old MS supers more (top 3 all time supers for me). With the new pkg, I think the supers look better left justified. If I could change one thing, it would be the bottom bar. The Reports logo is in color and looks nice down there. But all the other shows today it was just a white background with black text or inverted. It would look better (IMO) with a custom background for each show or at least put the logo in color. 
 

Example: for The Weekend, I think the white background is fine but the logo should be colored like a blue or purple to match their graphics. Velishi’s could be a green/blue, Morning Joe could be burgundy, etc etc.

Edited November 16, 2025 by freelanceproducer

[JRyan 694]

Interesting move that they decided to keep the existing theme music for MS NOW Reports.  The music still works, although I'm wondering if they might intend to swap that out later on.  Keeping the music for now certainly helps for continuity sake.

[tyrannical bastard 4678]

10 hours ago, Manny NYC said:

I ran into this on accident but the answer is the USA Network app. Like the old NBA app you can watch all of Versant's networks through that.

No sign of the USA Network app on Roku... It's probably one of those apps they once offered but It's still supported for existing viewers.

[Geoffrey 960]

Breaking news graphics turn red and black, with the "bug bar" also turning black. I'm still not sure how they decide where to put people's names/titles.

[Viper550 318]

It also looks like the bar will turn black for primetime programming, if The Weekend Primetime was any indication last night.

 

In general it looks like a mix between the previous MSNBC graphics, CBC News (with the behavior of names/titles being separate from the L3), and a sports studio show (where I see centered text like this a lot more often)

[JosiahCubed 301]

On 11/15/2025 at 9:44 PM, freelanceproducer said:

The studios are really nice! 
 

I will admit I really, really liked the old MS supers more (top 3 all time supers for me). With the new pkg, I think the supers look better left justified. If I could change one thing, it would be the bottom bar. The Reports logo is in color and looks nice down there. But all the other shows today it was just a white background with black text or inverted. It would look better (IMO) with a custom background for each show or at least put the logo in color. 
 

Example: for The Weekend, I think the white background is fine but the logo should be colored like a blue or purple to match their graphics. Velishi’s could be a green/blue, Morning Joe could be burgundy, etc etc.

You weren’t wrong about your idea about the bottom bar turning burgundy for Morning Joe. Because that’s what it is for the show.

[ref1997 60]

Is this 15px gap between the lower border and the bottom strap intentional or just a technical glitch? The gap has been there ever since Velshi on Saturday:

 

During recorded programmes (e.g Morning Joe: Weekend, The Briefing with Jen Psaki: Weekend etc...), the gap doesn't exist; However, there is a gap between the lower thirds and the strap:

[NowBergen 924]

I noticed the studio this am has some elements of exposed brick, bringing long time viewers memories of their original Secaucus studios (now MLB Network until they move to Elmwood Park in the coming years). With MLB eventually vacating the Secaucus space, would MSNOW consider taking it back? 

[obxwatcher 23]

2 hours ago, NowBergen said:

I noticed the studio this am has some elements of exposed brick, bringing long time viewers memories of their original Secaucus studios (now MLB Network until they move to Elmwood Park in the coming years). With MLB eventually vacating the Secaucus space, would MSNOW consider taking it back? 

If I recall, MS NOW said the new location was a “summer camp” until they found a permanent space.

 

Stupid idea: Why doesn’t Versant think of moving in ABC’s old place in Times Square. I have to think Disney left all the electronics in there. 
 

Then again, the odds probably favor the World’s largest Shake Shack coming into that spot. 

[mouseboy33 137]

Having seen the entire graphics package and the sets for MsNOW. It was a lost opportunity to do something new and fresh. But instead same old same old. I knew it wasnt going to be anything fresh when I saw that  (Youtube/FAST start up opinion channel" style logo.  They claimed they were now unrestrained by NBC News and had more freedom to do what they want. Well it seems they didnt know how to exercise this new found freedom. Certainly was a lost opportunity. Boring graphic layout. Clunky. As much as I didnt like SkyNews Graphics completely they have grown on me. They are well thought out and clean. And have proven to be dynamic and have been given more dynamic refresh recently. They could have done something a bit like SkyNews or something. I thought MsNow would have done something more different. Yawn. And dont get me started on the awful set graphics. Horrible. ITs seems like they used all the ideas so it just looks messy. (and yes I know the sets are temporary) But they couuld have really made themselves looks completely different than anything seen on US telly. Ohh Well. 

Edited November 17, 2025 by mouseboy33

[MediaZone4K 2663]

On 11/16/2025 at 1:44 PM, Geoffrey said:

Breaking news graphics turn red and black, with the "bug bar" also turning black. I'm still not sure how they decide where to put people's names/titles.

The breaking news title cards are really nice. I wish the lower thirds used that

same gloss and shine instead of being flat.

 

Overall the graphics are pretty good,  better than CNN. The studios look great, and retain much of the MSNBC look. The L3s are a decent B-. The name ID L3s are unique concept. Not the best, not the worst.

 

The MSNOW logo needs to be more creative. Overall not a bad rebrand after leaving NBC.

 

i'm not a modern MSNBC fan, but it's hard to think the brand that I've known my entire life is no more. Growing up and seeing msnbc on the MSN homepage was nostalgic.

Edited November 18, 2025 by MediaZone4K

[AmericanErrorist 267]

This is almost certainly the biggest "MSNBC Shakeup" in the network's entire history.

[Geoffrey 960]

And this is what it looks like when there are two people's names on the screen at the same time.

 

Yes, the bug bar has been raised a few pixels. Not only does it take up way too much space, but now seeing the picture below the bar makes it look like a mistake. Either stretch the bar all the way to the bottom, or crop the left and right sides (similar to the CNN ticker).

 

In my scanning of coverage the last few day, I've seen multiple instances where they used the wrong show's lower-thirds. Most of the time, it's most noticeable when a white box appears when it should be blue, but you can also see it when the banner first appears and displays the show's title. I saw The 11th Hour over the weekend, Way Too Early during Morning Joe (at least that's the same ugly color scheme), and The 11th Hour again during Katy Tur Reports.

 

I know this is super nerdy but this is the only place to dump my nerdy observations.

[NowBergen 924]

9 hours ago, obxwatcher said:

 

Stupid idea: Why doesn’t Versant think of moving in ABC’s old place in Times Square. I have to think Disney left all the electronics in there. 

ABC/Disney’s old complex of buildings have been sold to developers.  It’s all coming down. 

[MediaZone4K 2663]

6 minutes ago, NowBergen said:

ABC/Disney’s old complex of buildings have been sold to developers.  It’s all coming down. 

but does that include the Times Sq studio which to my understanding they did not own?

[NowBergen 924]

18 minutes ago, NowBergen said:

ABC/Disney’s old complex of buildings have been sold to developers.  It’s all coming down. 

They didn’t own it and probably way too small. The new studio were active studios before. 

[Geoffrey 960]

Happy Thanksgiving! This is the first time we've seen (or at least I've seen) the "MS NOW Reports" branding being used.

 

I'm not sure when this happened but it looks like the bug no longer explains the backronym of their new name.

 

Also, they're trying to promote their new website (msnow.com is taken -- I feel like they should have considered this) but it's so unnecessarily tiny in that graphic. What an odd design choice.

[NowBergen 924]

Interesting.  Early morning MSNOW coverage of trump's attack on Iran was with the Weekend (AM) crew. At 7, it was live Morning Joe with Joe, Mika, Willie and many of their premier commentators like Peter Baker (NYT) and Richard Haas, David Rhode and others.  Good move by MSNOW mgt.  

[MorningNews 1711]

Rachel Maddow anchored the 1pm edition of MS NOW Reports.

 

They made a good decision with bulking up their live news coverage on the weekends last year. It’s shining on a day like today.

[GodfreyGR 812]

1 hour ago, MorningNews said:

Rachel Maddow anchored the 1pm edition of MS NOW Reports.

 

They made a good decision with bulking up their live news coverage on the weekends last year. It’s shining on a day like today.

Fox News has also met the moment... They had Sandra Smith and John Roberts on when I was at the gym, and running ads that Martha MacCallum and Brett Baier would do special editions of their shows later today. Another screen showed Wolf Blitzer on CNN's coverage.

 

NBC did a fantastic job this morning with Peter Alexander and Laura Jarrett replacing Weekend Today with a Special Report before passing the baton to Kristen Welker. When I flipped to CBS and ABC, they ran the traditional weekend versions of Mornings and GMA. I did notice that CBS did work in reports of the developing news, albeit with the usual show graphics and a small "Breaking News" banner above the logo (ABC May had done likewise, but I missed it).

[AmericanErrorist 267]

14 hours ago, MorningNews said:

Rachel Maddow anchored the 1pm edition of MS NOW Reports.

 

They made a good decision with bulking up their live news coverage on the weekends last year. It’s shining on a day like today.

Was that before or after the transition to Versant? The fact that the new company had to start licensing the documentaries and Dateline from NBC (and I note Meet the Press is gone) might've made it cost effective to start doing live programming in those slots.

Edited March 1 by AmericanErrorist

[Georgie56 3661]

Ana Cabrera is leaving.

 

 

[Glimmer 340]

https://variety.com/2026/tv/news/ms-now-shake-up-ali-velshi-11th-hour-morning-joe-daytime-1236692201/

 

Cabrera leaving part of a number of big changes:

 

-Stephanie Ruhle leaving The 11th Hour to anchor a new 9-11am block as Morning Joe’s 9am hour gets cut 

-Ali Velshi becomes the new anchor of The 11th Hour with Jacob Soboroff taking Velshi’s weekend slots

-Alicia Menendez becoming an afternoon anchor as Cabrera leaves and Chris Jansing moves off the anchor chair to become MS NOW’s chief political correspondent

-Luke Russert taking Menendez’s spot on The Weeknight

-All In with Chris Hayes going back to a 5 night a week schedule after taking Mondays off in recent years 

[NowBergen 924]

8 minutes ago, Glimmer said:

https://variety.com/2026/tv/news/ms-now-shake-up-ali-velshi-11th-hour-morning-joe-daytime-1236692201/

 

Cabrera leaving part of a number of big changes:

 

-Stephanie Ruhle leaving The 11th Hour to anchor a new 9-11am block as Morning Joe’s 9am hour gets cut 

-Ali Velshi becomes the new anchor of The 11th Hour with Jacob Soboroff taking Velshi’s weekend slots

-Alicia Menendez becoming an afternoon anchor as Cabrera leaves and Chris Jansing moves off the anchor chair to become MS NOW’s chief political correspondent

-Luke Russert taking Menendez’s spot on The Weeknight

-All In with Chris Hayes going back to a 5 night a week schedule after taking Mondays off in recent years 

 

Essentially Rhule is going back to her old time slot before the expansion of Morning Joe.

Hopefully the 8 am hour of Morning Joe is live, rather than mostly taped pieces from the first two hours and other features.

[MorningNews 1711]

Breaking that “Weeknight” trio up is a risky move. Their chemistry is exceptional and has been since they were on Saturday and Sunday mornings. Bummer.