MSNBC's Slogans & Taglines

MSNBC was founded on 15 July 1996 by media executive Tom Rogers as a joint venture between Microsoft and NBC (then owned by General Electric), with the name reflecting this partnership. The network launched with the slogan "It's Time to Get Connected," targeting young, tech-savvy audiences with interactive news delivery. In 2005, Microsoft divested its stake in the cable channel, and NBCUniversal acquired full control. In 2012, Microsoft also exited the website partnership, leading to the rebranding of msnbc.com as NBCNews.com. In 2010, the network adopted the iconic slogan "Lean Forward," embracing its progressive political identity. In 2016, it introduced "This is who we are," and in 2024 shifted to "Understand more." In August 2025, as part of Comcast's restructuring and spin-off of NBCUniversal cable assets, the network was rebranded as MS NOW (My Source for News, Opinion, and the World), dropping the NBC peacock logo and operating under the new Versant umbrella.

The brand's core products are news coverage and political commentary, including flagship programs such as The Rachel Maddow Show, Morning Joe, The Last Word with Lawrence O'Donnell, and Deadline: White House. Its portfolio spans live breaking news, in-depth analysis, and opinion programming, serving as the progressive counterpoint to Fox News in the American cable news landscape.

From its earliest tech-focused positioning to the landmark "Lean Forward" era and the contemporary "Understand more" promise, MSNBC has evolved from a Microsoft-NBC experiment into America's second-largest cable news network. Today, as MS NOW, it continues to champion progressive viewpoints and in-depth political journalism for millions of viewers nationwide.