MS NOW Entering DTC Era With Launch Of Membership Program And Dedicated Streaming Outlet

MS NOW will enter the direct-to-consumer era on Wednesday, launching a membership plan and dedicated streaming service.

The 30-year-old cable network, like its linear peers, has been looking for ways to balance streaming with traditional pay-TV delivery as cord-cutting continues to eat into subscriber levels. In the news business, the track record for subscription streamers has been decidedly mixed, but MS NOW and its corporate parent, Versant, believe they have a stronger hand to play. They point to success with live events and a loyal viewership base with a strong connection to on-air talent. CNN and Fox News both have subscription offerings, but with differentiated strategies.

MS NOW memberships will cost $7.99 a month or $79.99 year before taxes and fees. An introductory offer in effect through Sept. 30 will make annual subscriptions $39.99.

Along with gaining access to 24/7 video programming, MS NOW subscribers will be able to interact directly with talent via Q&As and other means.

“From the beginning, we’ve approached this deliberately. When we launched MS NOW, our ‘We the People’ campaign was never just a tagline. Our mission has always been to inform, engage and empower our audience,” MS NOW President Rebecca Kutler said in a statement. She called the membership initiative “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.”

MS NOW, which rebranded from MSNBC earlier this year as part of the Versant spinoff from Comcast, has prioritized digital and social media in its new incarnation. It surpassed 3.2 billion views across YouTube and TikTok year to date, racking up more than 80 million podcast downloads so far this year.

There is less than 10% overlap between MS NOW’s television and digital audiences, according to Comscore Content Measurement, which is an additional data point arguing for stand-alone streaming.