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MS NOW is betting its followers need more than news and opinion in the moment.
The Versant-backed news outlet unveiled its most detailed plans yet around the launch of a new subscription based “Membership” service that
is expected to debut in September for $7.99 per month or $79.99 annually.
The network sees “Membership” as an additive experience to what it already offers on cable and via digital, and aims to amplify the connections viewers have wits MS NOW’s anchors and reporters.
“Our Membership is the first step in a long-term strategy to deepen our relationship with audiences in ways that build on what they already value about MS NOW, while addressing what consumers told us was missing from the news experience,” said Rebecca Kutler, president of MS NOW, in a statement. “We will continue to research, test, and refine this experience because we want it to be something that our loyal MS NOW fans genuinely love, as well as something that future fans genuinely need.”
The new service aims to create new opportunities for subscribers to interact with MS NOW’s roster of reporters anchors and contributors. The new platform will feature original content and new verticals that explore how news and politics impact everyday life, along with 24/7 access to live streams and television programming.
MS NOW is the last of the nation’s three main cable-news outlets to offer a stand-alone subscription service. The network hasexperimented with different streaming models over the years, but never really seemed to find its groove. In 2014, the media outlet, then known as MSNBC, launched “Shift,” a separate platform aimed at bringing new topics and contributors to the outlet’s followers. Among the new offerings were “The Briefing,” a political program hosted Monday and Fridays by Luke Russert, and “Code Forward,” a discussion of issues raised by new technology, developed in partnership with the tech-news outlet once known as Re/Code. One program, “Reporter’s Notebook” hosted by Beth Fouhy, let MSNBC reporters offer the back story on their reportage. Janet Mock, a transgender rights activist, led “So Popular,? which examined celebrity and pop-culture news through a progressive lens.
MSNBC more recently tried to work with Peacock, the NBCUniversal streaming outlet, before Versant was split off by corporate parent Comcast. One new show for Peacock from MSNBC was anchored by Zerlina Maxwell. Other programs also appeared on the cable network, but produced original shows for the streaming service. Ayman Mohyeldin led one of these “hybrid” programs until MSNBC opted to shake uip the strategy in 2022.
At $7.99 per month, the MS NOW “Membership” service looks to be a mid-priced option. CNN’s “All Access” subscription costs $6.99 per month, while Fox News Media’s Fox Nation costs $8.99 per month.
