MSNBC

{{Evolution of Comcast NBCUniversal}}

MSNBC was established in 1996 under a strategic partnership between NBC and Microsoft. NBC executive Tom Rogers was instrumental in developing the partnership. James Kinsella, a Microsoft executive, served as president of the online component, MSNBC.com, and represented the technology company in the joint venture.{{Cite web |last=Huhn |first=Mary |date=January 13, 1999 |title=MSNBC.com Nets Cyber Pioneer As Head |url=https://nypost.com/1999/01/13/msnbc-com-nets-cyber-pioneer-as-head/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191216033104/https://nypost.com/1999/01/13/msnbc-com-nets-cyber-pioneer-as-head/ |archive-date=December 16, 2019 |access-date=March 12, 2019 |website=New York Post |language=en}} Microsoft invested $221 million for a 50 percent share of the cable channel.{{Cite news |last1=Lesly |first1=Elizabeth |last2=Rebello |first2=Kathy |date=July 15, 1996 |title=Network Meets Net: How big an audience is there for Microsoft and NBC's cable-Web news venture? |work=Bloomberg BusinessWeek |url=http://www.businessweek.com/stories/1996-07-14/network-meets-net |url-status=dead |access-date=August 13, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130607140238/http://www.businessweek.com/stories/1996-07-14/network-meets-net |archive-date=June 7, 2013}} MSNBC and Microsoft shared the cost of a $200 million newsroom in Secaucus, New Jersey, for msnbc.com. The network took over the channel space of NBC's two-year-old America's Talking (AT) network, although in most cases cable carriage had to be negotiated with providers who had never carried AT.{{citation needed|date=November 2024}}

{{Main|History of MSNBC: 1996–2007}}

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MSNBC was launched on July 15, 1996. The first show was anchored by Jodi Applegate and included news, interviews, and commentary.{{Cite news |last=Williams |first=Brian |author-link=Brian Williams |date=July 15, 2021 |title=Mine was the second voice ever heard on MSNBC. 25 years later, our future is limitless. |publisher=MSNBC |url=https://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/mine-was-second-voice-ever-heard-msnbc-25-years-later-n1273771 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210715115029/https://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/mine-was-second-voice-ever-heard-msnbc-25-years-later-n1273771 |archive-date=July 15, 2021}} During the day, rolling news coverage continued with The Contributors, a show that featured Ann Coulter and Laura Ingraham, as well as interactive programming coordinated by Applegate, John Gibson, and John Seigenthaler. Stories were generally longer and more detailed than the stories CNN was running. NBC also highlighted their broadcast connections by airing stories directly from NBC's network affiliates, along with breaking news coverage from the same sources.{{Cite book |last=Collins |first=Scott |url=https://archive.org/details/crazylikefoxinsi00coll |title=Crazy Like A Fox: The Inside Story of How Fox News Beat CNN |publisher=Portfolio |year=2004 |isbn=978-1-59184-029-9 |oclc=53887528 |url-access=registration |via=Internet Archive}}

MSNBC gradually increased its emphasis on politics.{{cite news | last=Moss | first=Linda | title=MSNBC Shifts Shows | publisher=Cable World | date=July 2, 2001}} After completing its seven-year survey of cable channels, the Project for Excellence in Journalism said in 2007 that "MSNBC is moving to make politics a brand, with a large dose of opinion and personality."{{Citation |last1=Kennedy |first1=Courtney |title=ASSESSING THE RISKS TO ONLINE POLLS FROM BOGUS RESPONDENTS |date=March 19, 2008 |chapter-url=http://stateofthemedia.org/2007/cable-tv-intro/public-attitude |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220922005018/https://www.pewresearch.org/2008/03/19/public-attitudes-toward-the-war-in-iraq-20032008/ |chapter=Public Attitudes Toward the War in Iraq: 2003-2008 |publisher=Pew Research Center Project for Excellence in Journalism |archive-date=September 22, 2022 |last2=Hatley |first2=Nick |last3=Lau |first3=Arnold |last4=Mercer |first4=Andrew |last5=Keeter |first5=Scott |last6=Ferno |first6=Joshua |last7=Asare-Marfo |first7=Dorene}}

In January 2001, Mike Barnicle's MSNBC show started, but it was canceled in June 2001 because of high production costs.{{Cite news |last=Starr |first=Michael |date=June 26, 2001 |title=Starr Report - MSNBC scrapes off Barnicle |language=en-US |work=New York Post |url=https://nypost.com/2001/06/26/starr-report-23/ |access-date=September 26, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210920150032/https://nypost.com/2001/06/26/starr-report-23/ |archive-date=September 20, 2021}} In June, Microsoft chief executive officer Steve Ballmer said that he would not have started MSNBC had he foreseen the difficulty of attracting viewers.{{Cite news |last=Olsen |first=Stefanie |date=June 7, 2001 |title=Ballmer: Would not launch MSNBC again |publisher=CNET |url=http://news.cnet.com/2100-1023-268073.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130116202743/http://news.cnet.com/2100-1023-268073.html |archive-date=January 16, 2013}}

After the September 11, 2001, attacks, NBC used MSNBC as an outlet for the up-to-the-minute coverage being provided by NBC News as a supplement to the longer stories on broadcast NBC. With little financial news to cover, CNBC and CNBC Europe ran MSNBC for many hours each day following the attacks. The year also boosted the profile of Ashleigh Banfield, who was present during the collapse of Building 7 while covering the World Trade Center on September 11.{{Cite news |last=Gough |first=Paul J. |date=September 11, 2006 |title=Five years later, memories of a trying task |work=Today |url=http://www.today.com/popculture/five-years-later-memories-trying-task-wbna14783031 |url-status=live |access-date=April 26, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170427102111/http://www.today.com/popculture/five-years-later-memories-trying-task-wbna14783031 |archive-date=April 27, 2017}} Her Region in Conflict program capitalized on her newfound celebrity and showcased exclusive interviews from Afghanistan.{{Cite web |title=CNN Profiles – Ashleigh Banfield – Host, HLN's Primetime Justice with Ashleigh Banfield |url=http://www.cnn.com/profiles/ashleigh-banfield-profile#about |url-status=deviated |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170425135715/http://www.cnn.com/profiles/ashleigh-banfield-profile#about |archive-date=April 25, 2017 |access-date=April 26, 2017 |publisher=CNN}}

In the aftermath of September 11, MSNBC began calling itself "America's NewsChannel" and hired opinionated hosts like Alan Keyes, Phil Donahue, Pat Buchanan, and Tucker Carlson.{{Cite magazine |last=Dana |first=Rebecca |date=March 25, 2013 |title=Slyer Than Fox |url=https://newrepublic.com/article/112733/roger-ailes-msnbc-how-phil-griffin-created-lefts-fox-news |url-status=live |magazine=The New Republic |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190428125305/https://newrepublic.com/article/112733/roger-ailes-msnbc-how-phil-griffin-created-lefts-fox-news |archive-date=April 28, 2019 |access-date=April 21, 2017}} This branding makeover, however, was followed by declining ratings.{{Cite book |last1=Stempel III |first1=Guido H. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GHACCwAAQBAJ&pg=PA283 |title=The 21st-Century Voter: Who Votes, How They Vote, and Why They Vote [2 volumes] |last2=Hargrove |first2=Thomas K. |date=December 14, 2015 |publisher=ABC-CLIO |isbn=9781610692281 |access-date=April 26, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200105180935/https://books.google.com/books?id=GHACCwAAQBAJ&pg=PA283 |archive-date=January 5, 2020 |url-status=live}}

On December 23, 2005, NBC Universal announced its acquisition of an additional 32 percent share of MSNBC from Microsoft,{{cite news | url=https://variety.com/2005/digital/markets-festivals/peacock-plucks-msnbc-1117935156/ | title=Peacock plucks MSNBC | last=Learmonth | first=Michael | date=December 23, 2005 | work=Variety | access-date=April 26, 2017 | archive-date=April 27, 2017 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170427101835/http://variety.com/2005/digital/markets-festivals/peacock-plucks-msnbc-1117935156/ | url-status=live }} which solidified its control over television operations and allowed NBC to further consolidate MSNBC's backroom operations with NBC News and its other cable properties. (The news website msnbc.com remained a separate joint venture between Microsoft and NBC for another seven years.) NBC later exercised its option to purchase Microsoft's remaining 18 percent interest in MSNBC.

In late 2005, MSNBC began attracting liberal and progressive viewers as Keith Olbermann began critiquing and satirizing conservative media commentators during his Countdown With Keith Olbermann program. He especially focused his attention on the Fox News Channel and Bill O'Reilly, its principal primetime commentator.

On June 7, 2006, Rick Kaplan resigned as president of MSNBC after holding the post for two years.{{Cite news |last1=Stelter |first1=Brian |author-link1=Brian Stelter |date=June 7, 2006 |title=Rick Kaplan Exits: Effective Immediately, President Of MSNBC Steps Down |work=TVNewser |url=http://www.mediabistro.com/tvnewser/rick-kaplan-exits-effective-immediately-president-of-msnbc-steps-down_b9986 |url-status=dead |access-date=January 23, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110110035451/http://www.mediabistro.com/tvnewser/rick-kaplan-exits-effective-immediately-president-of-msnbc-steps-down_b9986 |archive-date=January 10, 2011}} Five days later, Dan Abrams, a nine-year veteran of MSNBC and NBC News, was named general manager of MSNBC with immediate effect. NBC News senior vice president Phil Griffin would oversee MSNBC while continuing to oversee NBC News' Today program, with Abrams reporting to Griffin.

On June 29, 2006, Abrams announced the revamp of MSNBC's early-primetime and primetime schedule. On July 10, Tucker (formerly The Situation with Tucker Carlson) started airing at 4 p.m. and 6 pm ET (taking over Abrams' old timeslot), while Rita Cosby's Live & Direct was canceled. Cosby was made the primary anchor for MSNBC Investigates at 10 and 11 pm ET, a new program that took over Cosby and Carlson's timeslots. According to the press release, MSNBC Investigates promised to "complement MSNBC's existing programming by building on [the channel's] library of award-winning documentaries."{{Cite web |date=June 29, 2006 |title=MSNBC Announcement |url=http://nbcumv.com/release_detail.nbc/msnbc-20060629000000-msnbcannouncesprim.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080317181458/http://blogs.kansascity.com/tvbarn/2006/06/tucker_carlson_.html |archive-date=March 17, 2008 |access-date=January 23, 2008}} The move to taped programming during 10 and 11 p.m. probably resulted from MSNBC's successful Friday "experiment" of replacing all primetime programming with taped specials.

On September 24, 2007, Abrams announced that he was leaving his general manager position so he could focus on his 9:00 pm ET talk show, Live With Dan Abrams. Oversight of MSNBC was shifted to Phil Griffin, a senior vice president at NBC.{{Cite news |last=Kurtz |first=Howard |author-link=Howard Kurtz |date=September 25, 2007 |title=MSNBC's Abrams Quits His Day Job |page=C03 |newspaper=The Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/24/AR2007092401490.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080911082716/https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/24/AR2007092401490.html |archive-date=September 11, 2008}}

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MSNBC and NBC News began broadcasting from their new studios at NBC's 30 Rockefeller Plaza complex in New York City on October 22, 2007.{{Cite news |last=Ariens |first=Chris |date=October 11, 2007 |title=NBC News to Begin Broadcasting from New World Headquarters |work=TVNewser |url=http://www.mediabistro.com/tvnewser/nbc-news-to-begin-broadcasting-from-new-world-headquarters-oct-22_b16529 |url-status=dead |access-date=January 23, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101126142500/http://www.mediabistro.com/tvnewser/nbc-news-to-begin-broadcasting-from-new-world-headquarters-oct-22_b16529 |archive-date=November 26, 2010}} The extensive renovations of the associated studios allowed NBC to merge its entire news operation into one building. All MSNBC broadcasts and NBC Nightly News originate from the new studios. More than 12.5 hours of live television across the NBC News family originate from the New York studios daily. MSNBC also announced new studios near the Universal Studios lot.{{cite news|url=https://www.multichannel.com/news/msnbc-move-new-york-city-studio-366532|title=MSNBC to Move to New York City Studio|last=Moss|first=Linda|date=October 11, 2007|work=Multichannel News|access-date=January 6, 2020|archive-date=January 14, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210114000433/https://www.nexttv.com/news/msnbc-move-new-york-city-studio-366532|url-status=live}} MSNBC's master control did not make the move to 30 Rock. It remained in the old Secaucus headquarters until it completed its move to the NBC Universal Network Origination Center located inside the CNBC Global Headquarters building in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey in 2007.

Major League Baseball uses the former MSNBC building for MLB Network, which launched from the facility on January 1, 2009.{{cite news|url=https://www.newscaststudio.com/2008/10/20/mlb-network-taking-over-former-msnbc-hq/|title=MLB Network taking over former MSNBC HQ|last=Hill|first=Michael P.|date=October 20, 2008|work=Newscast Studio|access-date=January 6, 2020|archive-date=January 14, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210114000451/https://www.newscaststudio.com/2008/10/20/mlb-network-taking-over-former-msnbc-hq/|url-status=live}}File:MSNBC logo (2008-2015).svg

{{Main|History of MSNBC: 2008–2015}}

From mid-2007 to mid-2008, MSNBC enjoyed a large increase in its Nielsen ratings.{{Cite news |last=Kurtz |first=Howard |author-link=Howard Kurtz |date=May 28, 2008 |title=MSNBC, Leaning Left And Getting Flak From Both Sides |newspaper=The Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/05/27/AR2008052703047_pf.html |url-status=live |access-date=August 28, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120409055532/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/05/27/AR2008052703047_pf.html |archive-date=April 9, 2012}} Primetime viewings increased by 61 percent. In May 2008, NBC News president Steve Capus said, "It used to be people didn't have to worry about MSNBC because it was an also-ran cable channel.... That's not the case anymore." Tim Russert's sudden death in June 2008 removed the person whom The Wall Street Journal called the "rudder for the network" and led to a period of transition.{{Cite news |last=Dana |first=Rebecca |date=August 28, 2008 |title=MSNBC Anchors' Fights Go Live |work=The Wall Street Journal |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB121989105850778775 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170809172637/https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB121989105850778775 |archive-date=August 9, 2017}}

During the 2008 presidential election, MSNBC's coverage was anchored by Olbermann, Chris Matthews, and David Gregory. They were widely viewed as the face of the channel's political coverage. During the first three months of the presidential campaign, MSNBC's ratings grew by 158 percent. Olbermann and Matthews, however, were criticized for expressing left-leaning opinions on the channel. Both were later removed from their anchor positions. Audience viewership during the 2008 presidential campaign more than doubled from the 2004 presidential election, and the channel topped CNN in ratings for the first time during the last three months of the campaign in the key 25–54 age demographic.{{cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/15/arts/television/15netw.html | work=The New York Times | title=Election's Over, So What's Next for the Cable News Channels? | first=Bill | last=Carter | date=November 15, 2008 | access-date=May 13, 2010 | archive-date=April 10, 2009 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090410220140/http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/15/arts/television/15netw.html | url-status=live }}

In September 2008, the channel hired political analyst and Air America Radio personality Rachel Maddow to host The Rachel Maddow Show. The move to create a new program for the channel was widely seen as a well-calculated ratings move, where beforehand, MSNBC lagged behind in coveted primetime ratings.{{Cite news |last=Friedman |first=Jon |date=November 24, 2008 |title=At MSNBC, The 'M' Is For (Rachel) Maddow |publisher=CBS News |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/at-msnbc-the-m-is-for-rachel-maddow/ |url-status=live |access-date=March 26, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101114233507/http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/11/24/business/marketwatch/main4628803.shtml |archive-date=November 14, 2010}} The show regularly outperformed CNN's Larry King Live, and made the channel competitive in the program's time slot for the first time in over a decade.{{Cite news |last=Baird |first=Julia |author-link=Julia Baird (journalist) |date=November 21, 2008 |title=When Left is Right |work=The Daily Beast |url=http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/2008/11/21/when-left-is-right.html |access-date=March 26, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121003003638/http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/2008/11/21/when-left-is-right.html |archive-date=October 3, 2012}}{{Cite news |last=Calderone |first=Michael |date=March 31, 2009 |title=For first time, MSNBC tops CNN in primetime |work=Politico |url=http://www.politico.com/blogs/michaelcalderone/0309/For_first_time_MSNBC_tops_CNN_in_primetime_.html |access-date=March 26, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101224003840/http://www.politico.com/blogs/michaelcalderone/0309/For_first_time_MSNBC_tops_CNN_in_primetime_.html |archive-date=December 24, 2010}}

In the first quarter of 2010, MSNBC beat CNN in primetime and overall ratings for the first time since 2001.{{Cite news |last=Gorman |first=Bill |date=March 30, 2010 |title=MSNBC Beats CNN in 1Q 2010 In Primetime; And In Total Day Among Adults In March, First Time Since 2001 |work=TV by the Numbers |url=http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2010/03/30/msnbc-beats-cnn-in-1q-2010-in-primetime-and-in-total-day-among-adults-in-march-first-time-since-2001/46635 |url-status=dead |access-date=March 31, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101118013129/http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2010/03/30/msnbc-beats-cnn-in-1q-2010-in-primetime-and-in-total-day-among-adults-in-march-first-time-since-2001/46635 |archive-date=November 18, 2010}} The channel also beat CNN in total adult viewers in March, marking the seventh out of the past eight months that MSNBC achieved that result. In addition, the programs Morning Joe, The Ed Show, Hardball with Chris Matthews, Countdown with Keith Olbermann, and The Rachel Maddow Show finished ahead of their time slot competitors at CNN.{{cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/05/business/media/msnbc-rachel-maddow-andrew-lack-ratings.html | title=Led by Rachel Maddow, MSNBC Surges to Unfamiliar Spot: No. 1 in Prime Time | last=Grynbaum | first=Michael M. | date=June 5, 2017 | work=The New York Times | access-date=June 14, 2017 | issn=0362-4331 | archive-date=June 9, 2017 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170609231335/https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/05/business/media/msnbc-rachel-maddow-andrew-lack-ratings.html | url-status=live }}

In the third quarter of 2010, MSNBC continued its solid lead over CNN, beating the network in total day for the first time since the second quarter of 2001 in the key adult demographic.{{Cite news |last=Bill |first=Gorman |date=September 28, 2010 |title=MSNBC Beats CNN In Total Day In 3Q Among A25-54, First Time Since 2Q 2001 |work=TV by the Numbers |url=http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2010/09/28/msnbc-beats-cnn-in-total-day-in-3q-among-a25-54-first-time-since-2q-2001/65585/ |url-status=dead |access-date=September 10, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110909052954/http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2010/09/28/msnbc-beats-cnn-in-total-day-in-3q-among-a25-54-first-time-since-2q-2001/65585 |archive-date=September 9, 2011}} The network also beat CNN for the fourth consecutive quarter, among both primetime and total viewers, as well as becoming the only cable news network to have its key adult demographic viewership grow over the last quarter, increasing by 4 percent. During this time, MSNBC also became the number-one cable news network in primetime among both African American and Hispanic viewers.

On October 11, 2010, MSNBC unveiled a new $2 million marketing campaign, "Lean Forward"; MSNBC president Phil Griffin considered the two-year campaign an effort to promote the channel as a progressive competitor to the conservative-leaning Fox News Channel, explaining that "we've taken on CNN and we beat them," and that the new slogan was "about making tomorrow better than today, a discussion about politics and the actions and passions of our time."{{Cite news |last=Weprin |first=Alex |date=October 10, 2010 |title=Phil Griffin: 'Lean Forward' Campaign 'Is Going to Define Us As MSNBC' |work=TVNewser |url=http://www.mediabistro.com/tvnewser/lean-forward-campaign-phil-griffi_b33894 |url-status=dead |access-date=October 13, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101015033328/http://www.mediabistro.com/tvnewser/lean-forward-campaign-phil-griffi_b33894 |archive-date=October 15, 2010}}{{Cite news |last1= |date=October 5, 2010 |title=Msnbc to 'lean forward' in two-year brand campaign |publisher=NBC News |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna39507182 |access-date=October 13, 2010 |url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130722142533/https://www.nbcnews.com/id/39507182/ns/business-media_biz |archive-date=July 22, 2013}}

On January 21, 2011, Olbermann announced his departure from MSNBC and the episode would be the final episode of Countdown.{{Cite news |last1=Schwartz |first1=Carly |last2=Mirkinson |first2=Jack |date=January 21, 2011 |title=Keith Olbermann And MSNBC Announce They Are Parting Ways |work=HuffPost |url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/keith-olbermann-countdown-over_n_812506 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220510043044/https://www.huffpost.com/entry/keith-olbermann-countdown-over_n_812506 |archive-date=May 10, 2022}}{{Cite news |last=Bauder |first=David |date=January 21, 2011 |title=Keith Olbermann leaving MSNBC, ends 'Countdown' |publisher=Yahoo! News |agency=Associated Press |url=https://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110122/ap_on_en_ot/us_tv_olbermann_9 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110125133632/http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110122/ap_on_en_ot/us_tv_olbermann_9 |archive-date=January 25, 2011}} His departure received much media attention.{{Cite news |last=Carter |first=Bill |date=January 21, 2011 |title=Olbermann Leaves 'Countdown' on MSNBC |work=The New York Times |url=https://archive.nytimes.com/mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/01/21/olbermann-hosts-last-countdown-on-msnbc/?hp |url-status=live |access-date=September 26, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220926231425/https://archive.nytimes.com/mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/01/21/olbermann-hosts-last-countdown-on-msnbc/?hp |archive-date=September 26, 2022}}{{Cite news |last=Grinberg |first=Emanuella |date=January 21, 2011 |title=Keith Olbermann, MSNBC part ways |publisher=CNN |url=http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2011/01/21/keith-olbermann-leaving-msnbc/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110124225300/http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2011/01/21/keith-olbermann-leaving-msnbc/ |archive-date=January 24, 2011}}{{Cite news |last= |date=January 21, 2011 |title=Olbermann Announces Departure from MSNBC |publisher=Fox News |agency=Associated Press |url=https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/olbermann-announces-departure-from-msnbc/ |url-status=live |access-date=January 21, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120307081926/http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2011/01/21/olbermann-announces-leave-msnbc/ |archive-date=March 7, 2012}} MSNBC issued a statement that it had ended its contract with Olbermann, with no further explanation. Olbermann later revealed that he had taken his show to Current TV.{{cite news | url=http://mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/02/07/olbermann-said-to-be-going-to-current-tv/?partner=rss&emc=rss | work=The New York Times | first1=Bill | last1=Carter | first2=Brian | last2=Stelter |author-link2=Brian Stelter | title=Olbermann Said to Be Going to Current TV | date=February 7, 2011 | access-date=February 16, 2011 | archive-date=February 11, 2011 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110211104507/http://mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/02/07/olbermann-said-to-be-going-to-current-tv/?partner=rss&emc=rss | url-status=live }}

On July 16, 2012, Microsoft sold its stake in MSNBC.com to NBCUniversal; concurrently, the website was rebranded as NBCNews.com to associate it with the NBC News division as a whole, while MSNBC.com was later relaunched as a website for the channel itself. Concerns had previously been raised by NBC News executives over potential confusion between the two properties due to their diverging editorial scopes, as MSNBC.com had largely remained a general-interest news website despite the channel's pivot towards political commentary.{{Cite magazine |last1=Morabito |first1=Andrea |last2=Winslow |first2=George |date=July 16, 2012 |title=NBC News Takes Back MSNBC.com From Microsoft |url=http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/487235-NBC_News_Takes_Back_MSNBC_com_From_Microsoft.php |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121107095858/http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/487235-NBC_News_Takes_Back_MSNBC_com_From_Microsoft.php |archive-date=November 7, 2012 |access-date=July 17, 2012 |magazine=Broadcasting & Cable}}{{cite news |last1=Stelter |first1=Brian |author-link1=Brian Stelter |date=October 6, 2010 |title=MSNBC on the Web May Change Its Name |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/07/business/media/07msnbc.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170226122901/http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/07/business/media/07msnbc.html |archive-date=February 26, 2017 |access-date=February 22, 2017 |work=The New York Times}} NBCUniversal News Group was created on July 19, 2012, under chairwoman Pat Fili-Krushel. It has been the news division of NBCUniversal. It is composed of the NBC News, CNBC and MSNBC units.{{cite news |last1=Lieberman |first1=David |date=July 19, 2012 |title=Pat Fili-Krushel To Oversee NBCUniversal News Group |work=Deadline |url=https://deadline.com/2012/07/pat-fili-krushel-to-oversee-nbcuniversal-news-group-303547/ |access-date=July 23, 2012}}

During 2014, MSNBC's total ratings in the 25–54 demographic declined 20 percent, falling to third place behind CNN. Nevertheless, MSNBC retained its lead among the Hispanic and African-American demographics.{{Cite news |last=Kissell |first=Rick |date=December 31, 2014 |title=Fox News Dominates Cable News Ratings In 2014; MSNBC Tumbles |work=Variety |agency=Reuters |url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/fox-news-cable-news-ratings_n_6398220 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190414170650/https://www.huffpost.com/entry/fox-news-cable-news-ratings_n_6398220 |archive-date=April 14, 2019 }}

File:MSNBC 2015-2021 logo.svg

Andrew Lack became the chairman of NBC News and MSNBC in 2015; he would impose a mandate on the network to reduce its emphasis on opinion programming, and place a larger focus on creating closer ties between it and the NBC News division.{{cite news |last=Koblin |first=John |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/31/business/media/msnbc-reshuffles-its-daytime-lineup-ahead-of-brian-williamss-debut.html |title=MSNBC Reshuffles Its Daytime Lineup Ahead of Brian Williams's Debut |work=The New York Times |date=July 31, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150803014410/https://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/31/business/media/msnbc-reshuffles-its-daytime-lineup-ahead-of-brian-williamss-debut.html |archive-date=August 3, 2015 |url-status=live}}{{Cite news |last1=Rutenberg |first1=Jim |last2=Grynbaum |first2=Michael M. |date=May 15, 2024 |title=How MSNBC's Leftward Tilt Delivers Ratings, and Complications |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/15/business/media/nbc-msnbc-trump-biden.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20240525210336/https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/15/business/media/nbc-msnbc-trump-biden.html |archive-date=May 25, 2024 |access-date=May 18, 2024 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}

In 2015, to help revive the struggling network, Griffin announced he was transitioning MSNBC from left-leaning, opinionated programming to hard news programming. Nearly all daytime opinionated news programs were replaced with more generic news programs. Ronan Farrow, Joy Reid, Krystal Ball, Touré, Abby Huntsman, Alex Wagner, and Ed Schultz lost their shows. Al Sharpton's PoliticsNation was relegated to the weekend. News programs presented by established NBC News personalities such as Telemundo anchor Jose Diaz-Balart, Meet the Press anchor Chuck Todd, NBC Nightly News Sunday anchor Kate Snow, Thomas Roberts, and former NBC Nightly News anchor Brian Williams replaced the opinion shows.{{Cite news |last=Reaney |first=Patricia |date=June 18, 2015 |title=Brian Williams dropped from NBC's 'Nightly News,' will join MSNBC |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-media-brianwilliams-idUSKBN0OY22Y20150618 |url-status=dead |access-date=July 1, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151016215158/http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/06/18/us-media-brianwilliams-idUSKBN0OY22Y20150618 |archive-date=October 16, 2015}} The revamped on-air presentation debuted in late summer 2015 and included a new logo, news ticker, and graphics package.{{Cite news |last=Ariens |first=Chris |date=August 15, 2015 |title=MSNBC Rolls Out New On-Air Look |work=TVNewser |url=http://www.adweek.com/tvnewser/msnbc-rolls-out-new-on-air-look/269746 |url-status=live |access-date=September 17, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150912072948/http://www.adweek.com/tvnewser/msnbc-rolls-out-new-on-air-look/269746 |archive-date=September 12, 2015}}{{Cite news |last= |date=September 17, 2015 |title=Kate Snow appointment to complete MSNBC transformation |work=Chattanooga Times Free Press |agency=Associated Press |url=https://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2015/sep/17/kate-snow-appointment-complete-msnbc-transfor/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220926213904/https://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2015/sep/17/kate-snow-appointment-complete-msnbc-transfor/ |archive-date=September 26, 2022}}

MSNBC Live had at least eight hours of programming each day, barring any breaking news that could extend its time. Daytime news coverage was led primarily by Brian Williams, Stephanie Ruhle, Jose Diaz-Balart, Andrea Mitchell, Craig Melvin, Thomas Roberts, and Kate Snow, in addition to "beat leaders" stationed throughout the newsroom. These included chief legal correspondent Ari Melber, primary political reporter Steve Kornacki, business and finance correspondent Olivia Sterns, and senior editor Cal Perry. Morning and primetime programming did not change and remained filled mostly by opinionated personalities.{{Cite web |date=October 15, 2015 |title=TV Schedule {{!}} MSNBC |url=https://www.msnbc.com/schedule |url-status=deviated |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151015183413/http://www.msnbc.com/schedule |archive-date=October 15, 2015 |access-date=March 30, 2018 |publisher=MSNBC}}

In June 2016, MSNBC started to use the tagline "This is who we are".{{cite web |title=This is how news is made. This is who we are. |url=https://www.msnbc.com/msnbc-web-only/watch/this-is-how-news-is-made-this-is-who-we-are-703329347729 |publisher=MSNBC |access-date=September 27, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160610223751/https://www.msnbc.com/msnbc-web-only/watch/this-is-how-news-is-made-this-is-who-we-are-703329347729 |archive-date=June 10, 2016 |date=June 10, 2016}} Promotional campaigns including the slogan were aired in March 2017.{{cite news |last1=Katz |first1=A. J. |title=MSNBC Launches New Ads With 'This Is Who We Are' Tagline |url=https://www.adweek.com/tvnewser/msnbc-launches-new-ads-with-this-is-who-we-are-tagline/323145/ |access-date=September 27, 2022 |work=TVNewser |date=March 8, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170311024536/https://www.adweek.com/tvnewser/msnbc-launches-new-ads-with-this-is-who-we-are-tagline/323145/ |archive-date=March 11, 2017}}

In July 2016, the network debuted Dateline Extra, which was an abridged version of Dateline NBC and another step towards aligning MSNBC and NBC News. The new program was hosted by MSNBC Live anchor Tamron Hall.{{Cite news |last=Freedman |first=Liz |date=June 29, 2015 |title=Dateline Extra with Tamron Hall on MSNBC weekends |publisher=MSNBC |url=https://www.msnbc.com/documentaries/dateline-extra-tamron-hall-msnbc-weekends |url-status=live |access-date=March 30, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180331040330/http://www.msnbc.com/documentaries/dateline-extra-tamron-hall-msnbc-weekends |archive-date=March 31, 2018}}

In September 2016, MSNBC launched The 11th Hour with Brian Williams as a nightly wrap-up of the day's news and a preview of the following day's headlines. This was MSNBC's first new primetime program in nearly four years.

In January 2017, MSNBC debuted a program in the 6 pm ET hour entitled For the Record with Greta, hosted by former Fox News Channel anchor Greta Van Susteren.{{Cite web |date=January 5, 2017 |title=GRETA VAN SUSTEREN JOINS MSNBC |url=http://info.msnbc.com/_news/2017/01/05/36576960-greta-van-susteren-joins-msnbc |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170121181152/http://info.msnbc.com/_news/2017/01/05/36576960-greta-van-susteren-joins-msnbc |archive-date=January 21, 2017 |access-date=January 20, 2017 |publisher=MSNBC }} The program aired for six months before being cancelled in late June 2017. The network promoted Ari Melber, the network's chief legal correspondent, to host The Beat with Ari Melber at 6 pm.

In March 2017, MSNBC began to increase its use of the NBC News branding during daytime news programming, as part of an effort to emphasize MSNBC's relationship with the division.{{Cite news |last=Steinberg |first=Brian |date=March 23, 2017 |title=MSNBC Programs Start Giving More Space to NBC News Logos |work=Variety |url=https://variety.com/2017/tv/news/msnbc-nbc-news-logos-1202015277/ |access-date=March 29, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170324013414/https://variety.com/2017/tv/news/msnbc-nbc-news-logos-1202015277/ |archive-date=March 24, 2017}} On May 8, 2017, MSNBC introduced a new late-afternoon program, Deadline: White House, hosted by NBC political analyst and former White House communications director Nicolle Wallace.{{Cite web |last=Petski |first=Denise |date=April 28, 2017 |title=Nicolle Wallace To Host New 4 PM Weekday Show On MSNBC |url=https://deadline.com/2017/04/nicolle-wallace-host-weekday-show-msnbc-steve-kornacki-1202078989/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170429205428/http://deadline.com/2017/04/nicolle-wallace-host-weekday-show-msnbc-steve-kornacki-1202078989/ |archive-date=April 29, 2017 |website=Deadline Hollywood}} That month, amid the first presidency of Donald Trump, MSNBC became the highest rated American cable news network in primetime for the first time. MSNBC's increasing viewership was accompanied by declining numbers at Fox News Channel. MSNBC's May 15–19 programming topped the programming of both CNN and Fox News in total viewers and viewers 18–49.{{cite news | url=https://variety.com/2017/tv/news/msnbc-fox-news-ratings-cable-news-cnn-1202440320/ | title=MSNBC Reaches No. 1 for First Time in Weekly Primetime Ratings, Fox News Drops to Third | last=Otterson | first=Joe | date=May 22, 2017 | work=Variety | access-date=May 23, 2017 | archive-date=May 22, 2017 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170522225601/http://variety.com/2017/tv/news/msnbc-fox-news-ratings-cable-news-cnn-1202440320/ | url-status=live }}

On April 16, 2018, MSNBC premiered a new early morning program, Morning Joe First Look, to replace Way Too Early. The same day, MSNBC also retired its on-air news ticker, citing a desire to reduce distractions and "[put] our reporting more front and center".{{cite news | url=https://variety.com/2018/tv/news/msnbc-removes-news-ticker-1202754729/ | title=MSNBC Says On-Screen News Ticker Will No Longer Scroll | last=Steinberg | first=Brian | date=April 16, 2018 | work=Variety | access-date=April 18, 2018 | archive-date=April 17, 2018 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180417232631/http://variety.com/2018/tv/news/msnbc-removes-news-ticker-1202754729/ | url-status=live }} As of September 2018, approximately 87 million households in the United States (90.7 percent of pay television subscribers) were receiving MSNBC.{{Citation needed|date=February 2025}}

On March 2, 2020, Chris Matthews abruptly announced his resignation from Hardball and MSNBC effective immediately, amid controversy over remarks he made during coverage of the Nevada Democratic caucuses that compared Bernie Sanders' victory to the German invasion of France.{{Cite web |last=Barr |first=Jeremy |date=March 2, 2020 |title=Chris Matthews to Retire From MSNBC |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/chris-matthews-retire-msnbc-1282226 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210114000509/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/chris-matthews-retire-msnbc-1282226 |archive-date=January 14, 2021 |access-date=March 3, 2020 |website=The Hollywood Reporter |language=en}} The hour was hosted by a rotation of anchors until July 20, when MSNBC premiered The ReidOut with Joy Reid.{{Cite web |last=Ryu |first=Jenna |date=July 9, 2020 |title=Joy Reid takes over Chris Matthews' MSNBC time slot to host nightly news show |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/tv/2020/07/09/joy-reid-to-host-msnbc-show-chris-matthews-time-slot/5404429002/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210114000449/https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/tv/2020/07/09/joy-reid-to-host-msnbc-show-chris-matthews-time-slot/5404429002/ |archive-date=January 14, 2021 |access-date=July 9, 2020 |website=USA Today |language=en-US}}

On December 7, 2020, MSNBC announced that Rashida Jones would succeed Griffin as president in 2021.{{Cite news |last=Barr |first=Jeremy |date=December 7, 2020 |title=Rashida Jones, replacing Phil Griffin at MSNBC, will be first Black woman to run a cable news network |newspaper=The Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/media/2020/12/07/msnbc-rashida-jones-phil-griffin/ |url-status=live |access-date=December 8, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210114000447/https://www.washingtonpost.com/media/2020/12/07/msnbc-rashida-jones-phil-griffin/ |archive-date=January 14, 2021}} Jones stated goals to increase the network's investment into documentary-style programs, and to have viewers "clearly understand" the differences and value of its news-based and analysis-driven programming, as both were "critical to our future success", and "need to exist in a clear and compelling form on every single platform where news consumers go." As part of this remit, Jones named separate senior vice presidents for news programming and "perspective and analysis" programming.{{Cite news |last=Johnson |first=Ted |date=February 1, 2021 |title=New MSNBC president aims to distinguish between breaking news and analysis |work=Deadline Hollywood |url=https://deadline.com/2021/02/msnbc-rashida-jones-documentary-1234684709/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210201181128/https://deadline.com/2021/02/msnbc-rashida-jones-documentary-1234684709/ |archive-date=February 1, 2021}}

In January 2021, MSNBC had its highest-rated week ever in the wake of the January 6 United States Capitol attack, exceeding the ratings of Fox News for the first time since 2000.{{Cite web |last=Baker |first=Sinéad |date=January 12, 2021 |title=Fox News ratings fell below both CNN and MSNBC for the first time since 2000 in the wake of the attack on the US Capitol |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/capitol-siege-cnn-msnbc-higher-ratings-fox-1st-time-2000-2021-1 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210112131020/https://www.businessinsider.com/capitol-siege-cnn-msnbc-higher-ratings-fox-1st-time-2000-2021-1?r=US&IR=T |archive-date=January 12, 2021 |access-date=January 12, 2021 |website=Business Insider |language=en-US}}

File:MSNBC 2021-2023.svg

On March 29, 2021, MSNBC introduced a refreshed logo and on-air imaging, including a rebranding of its MSNBC Live rolling news block as MSNBC Reports (with each block carrying the anchor's name, patterned after the existing daytime show Andrea Mitchell Reports).{{Cite web |last=Hill |first=Michael P. |date=March 29, 2021 |title=MSNBC gets new logo |url=https://www.newscaststudio.com/2021/03/29/msnbc-gets-new-logo/?og=1 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210727203235/https://www.newscaststudio.com/2021/03/29/msnbc-gets-new-logo/?og=1 |archive-date=July 27, 2021 |access-date=March 31, 2021 |website=NewscastStudio |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Hill |first=Michael P. |date=March 29, 2021 |title=MSNBC rebranding 'Live' blocks to emphasize journalists, hard news focus |url=https://www.newscaststudio.com/2021/03/29/msnbc-live-rebranding/?og=1 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210727222146/https://www.newscaststudio.com/2021/03/29/msnbc-live-rebranding/?og=1 |archive-date=July 27, 2021 |access-date=March 31, 2021 |website=NewscastStudio |language=en-US}} Under Jones, MSNBC also began to scale back its tighter integrations with NBC News, with some personalities and reporters leaving the network, or prioritizing contributions to NBC News' streaming channel NBC News Now instead.{{Cite web |last=Steinberg |first=Brian |date=April 5, 2022 |title=Streaming Pressures Push MSNBC to Cut Back on Hard News |url=https://variety.com/2022/tv/news/msnbc-nbc-news-streaming-1235224842/ |access-date=May 18, 2024 |website=Variety |language=en-US}}

In July 2021, MSNBC gained a presence on NBCUniversal's Peacock streaming service by co-branding its streaming hub "The Choice" as "The Choice by MSNBC"; it included original news and opinion programs with personalities such as Mehdi Hasan, Zerlina Maxwell, and Sam Seder.{{cite web |date=October 3, 2020 |title=Peacock Announces Shows For Mehdi Hasan and Zerlina Maxwell |url=https://www.mediaite.com/news/peacocks-news-channel-announces-primetime-shows-for-mehdi-hasan-and-zerlina-maxwell/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210112194541/https://www.mediaite.com/news/peacocks-news-channel-announces-primetime-shows-for-mehdi-hasan-and-zerlina-maxwell/ |archive-date=January 12, 2021 |access-date=January 25, 2021 |website=Mediaite |language=en}}{{cite web |title=Peacock Adds Choice Channel To Enhance Political Coverage |url=https://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/357054/peacock-adds-choice-channel-to-enhance-political-c.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210201134012/https://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/357054/peacock-adds-choice-channel-to-enhance-political-c.html |archive-date=February 1, 2021 |access-date=January 25, 2021 |website=Mediapost.com |language=en}}{{cite web |title=Breaking News – Peacock to Debut Original News Shows Featuring Mehdi Hasan and Zerlina Maxwell |url=http://www.thefutoncritic.com/news/2020/10/02/peacock-to-debut-original-news-shows-featuring-mehdi-hasan-and-zerlina-maxwell-391200/20201002peacock01/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230629163900/http://www.thefutoncritic.com/news/2020/10/02/peacock-to-debut-original-news-shows-featuring-mehdi-hasan-and-zerlina-maxwell-391200/20201002peacock01/ |archive-date=June 29, 2023 |access-date=January 25, 2021 |website=The Futon Critic}}{{cite web |date=July 15, 2021 |title=MSNBC rebrands Peacock streaming channel The Choice (though the new name isn't all that different) |url=https://www.newscaststudio.com/2021/07/15/the-choice-by-msnbc-branding/?og=1 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210715195656/https://www.newscaststudio.com/2021/07/15/the-choice-by-msnbc-branding/?og=1 |archive-date=July 15, 2021 |access-date=July 15, 2021 |website=NewscastStudio |language=en-US}}

Brian Williams departed the network in late 2021 and was succeeded on The 11th Hour by Stephanie Ruhle.{{Cite web |last=Li |first=David K. |date=January 28, 2022 |title=Stephanie Ruhle set to take 'The 11th Hour' slot, while 'Morning Joe' is expanding |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/stephanie-ruhle-set-take-11th-hour-slot-morning-joe-expanding-rcna13773 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220127161538/https://www.nbcnews.com/news/amp/rcna13773 |archive-date=January 27, 2022 |access-date=January 28, 2022 |publisher=NBC News}} Meanwhile, as part of her new contract with NBCUniversal, Rachel Maddow took an extended hiatus from her program to focus on other film and podcast projects, with rotating guest hosts filling in for her. Upon Maddow's return, she announced that she would only host the show on Monday nights beginning in May 2022, and continue to feature guest hosts throughout the rest of the week.{{Cite web |last=Atkinson |first=Claire |date=January 31, 2022 |title=Rachel Maddow to take temporary break from her MSNBC show to work on movie and podcast projects |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/rachel-maddow-takes-break-msnbc-primetime-movie-podcast-2022-1 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220131191958/https://www.businessinsider.com/rachel-maddow-takes-break-msnbc-primetime-movie-podcast-2022-1 |archive-date=January 31, 2022 |access-date=January 31, 2022 |work=Business Insider}}{{Cite news |last=Bauder |first=David |date=April 11, 2022 |title=Rachel Maddow returns to MSNBC, will switch to once a week |work=Associated Press News |url=https://apnews.com/article/business-rachel-maddow-ali-velshi-arts-and-entertainment-094cda977c40fc1d236625760220fd24 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220412034730/https://apnews.com/article/business-rachel-maddow-ali-velshi-arts-and-entertainment-094cda977c40fc1d236625760220fd24 |archive-date=April 12, 2022}} The guest hosts appeared under the MSNBC Prime banner until August 16, 2022, when Alex Wagner became the permanent host in the timeslot with the premiere of Alex Wagner Tonight.{{Cite web |last=Hipes |first=Patrick |date=June 27, 2022 |title=Alex Wagner To Take Over Rachel Maddow's Time Slot At MSNBC |url=https://deadline.com/2022/06/alex-wagner-rachel-maddow-show-new-anchor-msnbc-1235052712/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220627172646/https://deadline.com/2022/06/alex-wagner-rachel-maddow-show-new-anchor-msnbc-1235052712/ |archive-date=June 27, 2022 |access-date=June 27, 2022 |website=Deadline Hollywood |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Katz |first=A. J. |date=August 2, 2022 |title=Alex Wagner's New MSNBC Show Will Be Titled Alex Wagner Tonight |url=https://www.adweek.com/tvnewser/alex-wagners-new-msnbc-show-will-be-titled-alex-wagner-tonight/511762/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220802105916/https://www.adweek.com/tvnewser/alex-wagners-new-msnbc-show-will-be-titled-alex-wagner-tonight/511762/ |archive-date=August 2, 2022 |access-date=August 5, 2022 |website=TVNewser |language=en-US}}

On March 10, 2022, it was announced that MSNBC would launch a hub on Peacock to subsume The Choice by MSNBC, including next-day, on-demand streaming of selected MSNBC programs, as well as specials and documentaries.{{cite web |last=Johnson |first=Ted |date=March 10, 2022 |title=MSNBC To Boost Peacock Streaming Content With On-Demand Offering Of Cable Network Shows And Specials |url=https://deadline.com/2022/03/msnbc-to-boost-peacock-streaming-content-with-on-demand-offering-of-cable-network-shows-and-specials-1234975257/ |work=Deadline Hollywood}}

By 2022, MSNBC had begun to partly scale back its focus on hard news programming, including expanding Morning Joe with a fourth hour (displacing an hour of MSNBC Reports anchored by Stephanie Ruhle, who moved to The 11th Hour to succeed Brian Williams).{{Cite web |last=Steinberg |first=Brian |date=February 9, 2022 |title=MSNBC Plans April 4 Debut for Expanded 'Morning Joe' |url=https://variety.com/2022/tv/news/msnbc-morning-joe-expansion-april-1235175875/ |access-date=October 31, 2022 |website=Variety |language=en-US}} Ahead of the mid-term elections, The Last Word with Lawrence O'Donnell was temporarily replaced on Friday evenings from October 14 to November 8, 2022, by The Kornacki Countdown, a weekly series hosted by MSNBC political correspondent and analyst Steve Kornacki.{{cite web|title=MSNBC, Fox, Telemundo offering specials ahead of midterms|url=https://www.newscaststudio.com/2022/10/14/msnbc-fox-telemundo-2022-election-preview-shows/|work=NewscastStudio|first=Michael P|last=Hill|date=October 14, 2022}} On March 19, 2023, MSNBC premiered the new Sunday-morning program Inside with Jen Psaki, which is hosted by the former White House press secretary.{{cite news |last=Weprin |first=Alex |date=February 21, 2023 |title=MSNBC Sets Jen Psaki Weekly Series, Says Streaming and Social Shows in the Works |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/jen-psaki-msnbc-show-weekend-1235330679/ |accessdate=February 22, 2023 |work=The Hollywood Reporter}} Between February and September 2023, the Monday edition of All in with Chris Hayes also featured rotating guest hosts, with Chris Hayes only hosting from Tuesdays to Fridays to accommodate Hayes' other projects. On September 7, 2023, it was announced that the program would be replaced by an additional Monday-night edition of Inside with Jen Psaki beginning September 25.{{cite news |last=Johnson |first=Ted |date=September 7, 2023 |title='Inside With Jen Psaki' Expanding To Mondays On MSNBC |url=https://deadline.com/2023/09/inside-with-jen-psaki-mondays-msnbc-1235539498/ |accessdate=September 7, 2023 |work=Deadline Hollywood}}''

On January 13, 2024, MSNBC revamped its weekend schedule, ending Mehdi Hasan's 9 pm ET show on Sundays and introducing an ensemble show—The Weekend—hosted by Alicia Menendez, Symone Sanders-Townsend, and Michael Steele from 8–10 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday mornings. The revamp would also end Yasmin Vossoughian Reports, Symone, and American Voices, and move The Sunday/Saturday Show with Jonathan Capehart into the 6  p.m. slot and The Katie Phang Show to 12  p.m. on Saturdays. Ayman would also expand to two hours each on Saturdays and Sundays, and Alex Witt Reports would take over Yasmin Vossoughian's vacated two hours, now airing from 1–4  p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.{{Cite web |last=Johnson |first=Ted |date=November 30, 2023 |title=MSNBC To Drop Mehdi Hasan's Show, Launch 'The Weekend' As Part Of Overhaul Of Saturday And Sunday Lineup |url=https://deadline.com/2023/11/msnbc-weekend-mehdi-hasan-1235644017/ |access-date=December 4, 2023 |website=Deadline}}{{Cite web |date=November 30, 2023 |title=MSNBC Shakes Up Schedule With New Panel Show 'The Weekend' |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/msnbc-new-weekend-lineup-panel-show-1235700957/ |access-date=December 4, 2023 |website=The Hollywood Reporter}} The 5 p.m. hour would be filled by the week-in-review shows The Beat Weekend and MSNBC Prime Weekend on Saturday and Sunday, which air highlights from The Beat and MSNBC's weekday lineup respectively.{{Cite web |date=March 1, 2024 |title=How MSNBC is repackaging weekday content for weekend shows |url=https://www.newscaststudio.com/2024/03/01/msnbc-weekend-prime-show/?og=1 |access-date=March 3, 2024 |website=NewscastStudio |language=en-US}}

On November 20, 2024, NBCUniversal announced its intent to spin off most of its cable networks, including MSNBC, as a new publicly traded company controlled by Comcast shareholders (later officially named Versant). It was initially unclear how the spin-off will affect MSNBC, including whether it will still be able to use NBC News resources or the NBC brand.{{cite news |title=Comcast announces plan to spin off cable channels, including MSNBC, CNBC and USA |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/business/business-news/comcast-announces-plan-spin-cable-channels-msnbc-cnbc-usa-rcna180928 |access-date=November 20, 2024 |publisher=NBC News |date=November 20, 2024 |language=en}}{{cite news |last1=Steinberg |first1=Brian |title=MSNBC Faces Potential for Big Changes in Comcast Cable Spin-Off |url=https://variety.com/2024/tv/news/msnbc-faces-big-changes-comcast-cable-spin-off-rachel-maddow-mark-lazarus-1236215502/ |access-date=November 20, 2024 |work=Variety |date=November 20, 2024}} Following the announcement, reports emerged of multiple unsolicited offers to buy MSNBC; CNN media analyst Brian Stelter believed it was unlikely MSNBC would be sold, as NBCUniversal never declared any intent to divest properties when announcing the spin-off (with future CEO Mark Lazarus contrarily suggesting that the spin-off planned to target further investments and acquisitions), a sale would incur taxes (the spin-off is being structured to be tax-free), and that divesting the channel might not be seen as being in the best interest of shareholders.{{Cite web |last=Stelter |first=Brian |date=November 25, 2024 |title=Elon Musk floats buying MSNBC, but he's not the only billionaire who may be interested |url=https://www.cnn.com/2024/11/25/media/elon-musk-msnbc-spinoff-cable/index.html |access-date=November 26, 2024 |publisher=CNN |language=en}}

On January 13, 2025, it was announced that The Rachel Maddow Show would temporarily return to a weeknight schedule from January 20 through April 30, to cover the first hundred days of the second presidency of Donald Trump. During this time, Alex Wagner would be placed on special assignment duty.{{cite news |last=Steinberg |first=Brian |date=January 13, 2025 |title=MSNBC Ups Rachel Maddow to Five Nights, Sends Alex Wagner Into Field for Trump's First 100 Days |url=https://variety.com/2025/tv/news/msnbc-shuffle-primetime-rachel-maddow-alex-wagner-trump-first-100-days-1236272693/ |accessdate=January 13, 2025 |work=Variety}} On January 14, 2025, it was announced that Jones would step down as head of MSNBC. NBCUniversal executive Mark Lazarus also stated that MSNBC would be allowed to continue using its existing brand after the spin-off.{{Cite web |last=Johnson |first=Ted |date=January 14, 2025 |title=Rashida Jones Steps Down As MSNBC President; Rebecca Kutler To Serve As Interim Leader |url=https://deadline.com/2025/01/rashida-jones-msnbc-president-resigns-1236256358/ |access-date=February 8, 2025 |website=Deadline |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Johnson |first=Ted |date=January 14, 2025 |title=MSNBC Will Retain Its Name After Comcast Spinoff |url=https://deadline.com/2025/01/msnbc-name-comcast-spinoff-1236256381/ |access-date=February 8, 2025 |website=Deadline |language=en-US}} After acting as interim president, Rebecca Kutler was appointed president of MSNBC in February 2025.{{cite web |last=Johnson |first=Ted |date=February 12, 2025 |title=Rebecca Kutler Named President Of MSNBC After Serving In Interim Role |url=https://deadline.com/2025/02/rebecca-kutler-msnbc-president-1236287144/ |access-date=February 13, 2025 |website=Deadline}}

On February 23, 2025, it was reported that Kutler was planning a series of major changes to MSNBC's lineup, as well as plans to expand its newsgathering resources, establish a dedicated Washington bureau, and pursue Jacqueline Alemany and Eugene Daniels for on-air roles.{{Cite web |last=Johnson |first=Ted |date=February 24, 2025 |title=MSNBC Confirms Schedule Overhaul With Jen Psaki And 'The Weekend' Anchors Getting Primetime Slots; Joy Reid's Show Canceled |url=https://deadline.com/2025/02/msnbc-new-schedule-jen-psaki-1236300098/ |access-date=February 25, 2025 |website=Deadline |language=en-US}} The next day, Kutler confirmed many of the reported changes, including the cancellations of The ReidOut and Alex Wagner Tonight; The ReidOut aired its last episode that night, with Joy Reid leaving the network effective immediately, and her hour filled by rotating anchors in the interim.{{Cite web |last=Johnson |first=Ted |date=February 25, 2025 |title=Joy Reid Devotes Final MSNBC Show To Ways To Resist During Donald Trump's Presidency: "Fascism Isn't Just Coming, It's Already Here" |url=https://deadline.com/2025/02/joy-reid-msnbc-show-ends-1236300707/ |access-date=February 25, 2025 |website=Deadline |language=en-US}} On May 5, MSNBC premiered The Weeknight, a new program hosted by Alicia Menendez, Symone Sanders-Townsend, and Michael Steele of The Weekend. It will also substitute for All In on Mondays.{{Cite web |last=Mwachiro |first=Mark |date=2025-04-23 |title=MSNBC Announces Premiere Dates for New Primetime Shows |url=https://www.adweek.com/tvnewser/msnbc-the-weeknight-the-briefing-premiere-dates/ |access-date=2025-04-23 |website=Adweek |language=en-US}} Alex Wagner Tonight was then replaced on May 6 by The Briefing with Jen Psaki; Wagner will remain with MSNBC as a senior political correspondent.

Changes were also announced to the MSNBC Reports block, with José Díaz-Balart departing the network, and Ana Cabrera, Chris Jansing, and Katy Tur's blocks each expanded to two hours. On weekends, Velshi was expanded to three hours, while The Weekend was relaunched on May 3 with a new panel consisting of Jonathan Capehart, Jacqueline Alemany, and Eugene Daniels. Kutler also named Daniels as MSNBC's senior Washington correspondent.{{Cite web |date=March 3, 2025 |title=MSNBC's post-Joy Reid era begins with hiring of Politico veteran Eugene Daniels |url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/business/story/2025-03-03/politico-veteran-eugene-daniels-joins-the-post-joy-reid-era-at-msnbc-as-weekend-co-host |access-date=March 4, 2025 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Steinberg |first=Brian |date=March 4, 2025 |title=MSNBC Taps Washington Post's Jackie Alemany as 'Weekend' Co-Host |url=https://variety.com/2025/tv/news/msnbc-jackie-alemany-weekend-hire-1236326764/ |access-date=March 6, 2025 |website=Variety |language=en-US}} A new evening edition of The Weekend known as The Weekend Primetime premiered the same day, which is hosted by Ayman Mohyeldin, Catherine Rampell, Antonia Hylton, and Elise Jordan Meanwhile, The Katie Phang Show was cancelled, due primarily to the program being produced from a studio in Miami owned by NBCUniversal's Telemundo division, rather than New York City or Washington, D.C.; Phang will remain with MSNBC as a legal correspondent.{{Cite web |last=Steinberg |first=Brian |date=February 23, 2025 |title=Joy Reid and Alex Wagner Axed From MSNBC Lineup in Major Network Shakeup |url=https://variety.com/2025/tv/news/msnbc-evening-shake-up-joy-reid-alex-wagner-1236316524/ |access-date=February 23, 2025 |website=Variety |language=en-US}}{{cite web |last=Weprin |first=Alex |date=February 24, 2025 |title=MSNBC's New Lineup Revealed: Joy Reid Out, Jen Psaki Promoted and 'Weekend' Hosts On the Move |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/msnbc-new-lineup-jen-psaki-the-weekend-hosts-new-shows-1236145504/ |access-date=February 24, 2025 |website=The Hollywood Reporter}}

Most of the staff that worked The Rachel Maddow Show and Alex Wagner Tonight were also to be laid off, and invited to reapply internally for new positions or request severance. Maddow notably commented upon the changes on-air, noting that such a reorganization "has never happened at this scale [at MSNBC], in this way before when it comes to programming changes, presumably because it's not the right way to treat people, and it's inefficient and it's unnecessary and it kind of drops the bottom out of whether or not people feel like this is a good place to work". She also felt the release of Reid was "a bad mistake", and that the concurrent cancellations of three shows hosted by people of color (Reid, Wagner, and Phang) was "unnerving".{{Cite news |last=Betts |first=Anna |date=February 25, 2025 |title=Rachel Maddow staff to be let go as part of MSNBC overhaul |url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/feb/25/msnbc-layoffs-rachel-maddow |access-date=March 24, 2025 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}

In September 2018, approximately. 87 million households in the United States were receiving MSNBC, amounting to 90.7 percent of pay television subscribers.{{Cite web |last= Bucholtz |first=Andrew |date=September 10, 2018 |title=Nielsen coverage estimates for September see gains at ESPN networks, drops at MLBN and NFLN |url=https://awfulannouncing.com/espn/nielsen-coverage-estimates-september-espn-nbcsn-nbatv-mlbn-nfln.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180911022308/https://awfulannouncing.com/espn/nielsen-coverage-estimates-september-espn-nbcsn-nbatv-mlbn-nfln.html |archive-date=September 11, 2018 |access-date=January 9, 2020 |website=Awful Announcing}} Nielsen ratings showed that MSNBC ranked second among basic cable networks, averaging 1.8 million viewers{{clarify|is this per year, per day, in the highest peak hour of a particular TV viewing season?|date=December 2024}} in 2019, behind rival Fox News.{{Cite news |last1=Andreeva |first1=Nellie |last2=Johnson |first2=Ted |date=December 27, 2019 |title=Cable Ratings 2019: Fox News Tops Total Viewers, ESPN Wins 18–49 Demo As Entertainment Networks Slide |work=Deadline Hollywood |url=https://deadline.com/2019/12/cable-ratings-2019-list-fox-news-total-viewers-espn-18-49-demo-1202817561/ |url-status=live |access-date=January 16, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200114141444/https://deadline.com/2019/12/cable-ratings-2019-list-fox-news-total-viewers-espn-18-49-demo-1202817561/ |archive-date=January 14, 2020}}{{Cite news |last=Schneider |first=Michael |date=December 26, 2019 |title=Most-Watched Television Networks: Ranking 2019's Winners and Losers |work=Variety |url=https://variety.com/2019/tv/news/network-ratings-top-channels-fox-news-espn-cnn-cbs-nbc-abc-1203440870/ |url-status=live |access-date=January 16, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200106110035/https://variety.com/2019/tv/news/network-ratings-top-channels-fox-news-espn-cnn-cbs-nbc-abc-1203440870/ |archive-date=January 6, 2020}}

In 2022, average weekday primetime viewership was 1.2 million, compared to rival Fox News's 2.3 million, a decline of 21% from the previous year, and with 148,000 viewers in the "key demographic" of viewers aged 25–54.{{cite web |url=https://thehill.com/homenews/3776681-fox-news-tops-2022-cable-ratings/ |title=Fox News tops 2022 cable ratings |website=The Hill |date=December 15, 2022 |access-date=January 28, 2023}}{{cite web | url= https://www.statista.com/statistics/373814/cable-news-network-viewership-usa/ |title= Leading cable news networks in the United States in November 2022, by number of primetime viewers |website=statista |date=December 15, 2022 |access-date=January 28, 2023}} In 2023, Variety reported that The Beat was one of the two "most-watched news programs on cable", alongside The Five on Fox News.{{Cite web |last=Steinberg |first=Brian |date=September 19, 2023 |title=MSNBC Isn't Using Blue-State Chatter to Build a Daytime Nation |url=https://variety.com/2023/tv/news/msnbc-daytime-tv-news-andrea-mitchell-katy-tur-rashida-jones-1235725922/ |access-date=November 3, 2023 |website=Variety |language=en-US}}

During the first night of the 2020 Democratic National Convention, MSNBC had an average viewership of over 5 million, the highest among three major cable news networks and ahead of CNN.{{Cite web |last=Ellefson |first=Lindsey |date=August 18, 2020 |title=MSNBC Edges CNN With Most Viewers for Monday's DNC |url=https://www.thewrap.com/dnc-night-1-ratings-cnn-msnbc-fox-news/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210114000359/https://www.thewrap.com/dnc-night-1-ratings-cnn-msnbc-fox-news/ |archive-date=January 14, 2021 |access-date=October 3, 2020 |website=TheWrap |language=en-US}}

A 2014 Pew Research Center study found that MSNBC's audience was more moderate than that of BuzzFeed, Politico, The Washington Post, and The New York Times, but slightly more liberal than CNN's audience.{{cite news |last=Blake |first=Aaron |date=October 21, 2014 |title=Ranking the media from liberal to conservative, based on their audiences |newspaper=The Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2014/10/21/lets-rank-the-media-from-liberal-to-conservative-based-on-their-audiences/ |access-date=August 5, 2021 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160601104549/https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2014/10/21/lets-rank-the-media-from-liberal-to-conservative-based-on-their-audiences/ |archive-date=June 1, 2016}}

A 2019 Pew Research Center survey showed that among Americans who named MSNBC as their main source for political news, 74% are ages 50 or older, with 44% ages 65 or older. 95% of those who named MSNBC as their main political news source identify as Democrats; among the eight most commonly named main sources for political and election news by US adults, MSNBC and Fox News have the most partisan audiences.{{Cite web|last=Grieco|first=Elizabeth|date=April 1, 2020|title=Americans' main sources for political news vary by party and age|url=https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2020/04/01/americans-main-sources-for-political-news-vary-by-party-and-age/|access-date=October 3, 2020|publisher=Pew Research Center|language=en-US|archive-date=January 14, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210114000444/https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2020/04/01/americans-main-sources-for-political-news-vary-by-party-and-age/|url-status=live}}

File:MSNBC NJ HQ Studio 1.jpg]]

Before 2010, MSNBC was not available to Verizon FiOS and AT&T U-verse television subscribers in the portions of New York, northern New Jersey, and Connecticut that overlapped Cablevision's service area. One of several reasons for this was an exclusive carriage agreement between MSNBC and Cablevision that prohibited competing wired providers from carrying MSNBC. The terms of the agreement were not publicly known.{{Cite web |date=February 22, 2007 |title=Cablevision has exclusive carriage deal with MSNBC... |url=http://insidecable.blogsome.com/2007/02/22/cablevision-has-exclusive-fios-deal-with-msnbc-in-nyc// |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110413233648/http://insidecable.blogsome.com/2007/02/22/cablevision-has-exclusive-fios-deal-with-msnbc-in-nyc/ |archive-date=April 13, 2011 |access-date=May 11, 2011 |website=Inside Cable News}}

In 2009, Verizon filed a formal "program-access complaint" with the Federal Communications Commission and petitioned for termination of the deal. In support of Verizon, Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal argued that the arrangement could be illegal.{{Cite news |last=Powderly II |first=Henry E. |date=July 9, 2009 |title=Blumenthal goes after Cablevision's MSNBC hold |work=Long Island Business News |url=https://libn.com/2009/07/09/blumenthal-goes-after-cablevisions-msnbc-hold/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211028044816/https://libn.com/2009/07/09/blumenthal-goes-after-cablevisions-msnbc-hold/ |archive-date=October 28, 2021}} After entering into a new contract, FiOS added the channel in New York City and New Jersey on February 2, 2010.{{Cite news |last1=Spangler |first1=Todd |date=January 28, 2010 |title=FiOS TV Finally Gets MSNBC In NY DMA – Cablevision Loses Exclusive Terrestrial Distribution Rights To News Channel |work=Multichannel News |url=http://www.multichannel.com/content/fios-tv-finally-gets-msnbc-ny-dma |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130617105608/http://www.multichannel.com/content/fios-tv-finally-gets-msnbc-ny-dma |archive-date=June 17, 2013}}

{{See also|MSNBC Canada}}

File:111907f.jpg

In southern Africa, MSNBC is distributed free-to-air on satellite on Free2View TV as MSNBC Africa, a joint venture between Great Media Limited and MSNBC. Free2View airs MSNBC's programming from 4 p.m. to midnight ET in a block that repeats twice (live for the first airing), with local Weather Channel forecasts.{{Cite web |date=November 17, 2007 |title=Southern Africa to Get MSNBC |url=http://insidecable.blogsome.com/2007/11/17/southern-africa-to-get-msnbc/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080203130441/http://insidecable.blogsome.com/2007/11/17/southern-africa-to-get-msnbc/ |archive-date=February 3, 2008 |access-date=January 23, 2008 |website=Inside Cable News }}

In Australia, MSNBC launched November 2019 on the Fetch TV online PayTV network, on channel 171.{{Cite web |date=October 29, 2019 |title=MSNBC to launch on NBCUniversal International Networks Australia and Fetch TV |url=https://www.fetchtv.com.au/press-releases/msnbc-to-launch-on-nbcuniversal-international-networks-australia-and-fetch-tv |archive-url=https://archive.today/20220927030321/https://www.fetchtv.com.au/press-releases/msnbc-to-launch-on-nbcuniversal-international-networks-australia-and-fetch-tv |archive-date=September 27, 2022 |access-date=May 4, 2021 |publisher=Fetch TV}} As in Canada, this is a direct US feed of MSNBC, without any delay. Although Fetch TV has no MSNBC catchup channel/service, it also offers MSNBC programs on a reverse EPG which allows any shows from the previous 24 hours to be selected and watched. The channel was added to subscription-television outlet Foxtel and its streaming service Flash in April 2023, as part of a negotiated programming agreement between the Foxtel Group and NBCUniversal.{{cite web|url=https://tvblackbox.com.au/page/2023/04/04/foxtel-confirms-wednesday-launch-date-for-msnbc-news-channel/|title=FOXTEL confirms Wednesday launch date for MSNBC News Channel|date=April 4, 2023|author=Kevin Perry|work=TV Blackbox}} It was also added to Binge, another of Foxtel's streaming services, in October 2023.{{Cite web |last=Knox |first=David |date=October 5, 2023 |title=Binge adds 4K streaming plus news channels |url=https://tvtonight.com.au/2023/10/binge-adds-4k-streaming-plus-news-channels.html |access-date=March 1, 2025 |website=TV Tonight |language=en-AU}}{{Cite web |date=October 5, 2023 |title=BINGE announces global news channels and 4K availability on the platform |url=https://www.mediaweek.com.au/binge-global-news-channels-and-4k-available/ |access-date=March 1, 2025 |website=Mediaweek}}

In Asia and Europe, MSNBC is not shown on a dedicated channel. When MSNBC started in 1996, they announced plans to start broadcasting in Europe during 1997. This never happened although MSNBC was seen occasionally on affiliate channel CNBC Europe until the end of the 2000s, showing the channel overnight at the weekend and during the afternoon on American public holidays as well as during breaking news events.

In Turkey, NTV-MSNBC is the news channel of the Turkish broadcaster NTV Turkey. The channel is a joint partnership between the two, although very little Turkish content is shown on English MSNBC. English content on MSNBC is translated into Turkish.{{Cite web |title=Homepage |url=http://www.ntvmsnbc.com |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080724122638/http://www.ntvmsnbc.com/ |archive-date=July 24, 2008 |access-date=January 23, 2008 |website=NTV-MSNBC}}

{{Main|NBCNews.com}}

MSNBC and its website msnbc.com were launched concurrently. Unlike the network, msnbc.com was operated as the general online news outlet of NBC News in partnership with Microsoft's MSN.com portal. The network and website were editorially separate at the time.{{cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/07/business/media/07msnbc.html | newspaper=The New York Times | first1=Brian | last1=Stelter |author-link1=Brian Stelter | title=MSNBC on the Web May Change Its Name | date=October 6, 2010 | access-date=February 22, 2017 | archive-date=February 26, 2017 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170226122901/http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/07/business/media/07msnbc.html | url-status=live }}

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|MSNBC celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2006.

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|NBCNews.com's newsroom in New York City, 2007

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In July 2012, NBC acquired Microsoft's remaining stake in msnbc.com, which was re-launched in 2013 as the website for MSNBC. The website included news, videos, essays and opinion columns.{{Cite news |last=Shapiro |first=Rebecca |date=October 15, 2012 |title=MSNBC Website Debuts New Look (PHOTO) |work=HuffPost |url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/15/msnbc-debuts-new-website_n_1967916.html |url-status=live |access-date=February 19, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304100001/http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/15/msnbc-debuts-new-website_n_1967916.html |archive-date=March 4, 2016}}

YouTube

MSNBC is one of the larger US news publishers on YouTube, with 6 million subscribers and "the highest number of views per subscriber" of any news account.{{Cite web |date=September 14, 2024 |title='He's Not The Same': MSNBC's Ari Melber On Trump's Debate and How He'll Cover The 2024 Election |url=https://www.mediaite.com/podcasts/hes-not-the-same-msnbcs-ari-melber-breaks-down-the-trump-harris-debate-and-how-he-plans-to-cover-the-2024-election/ |access-date=September 29, 2024 |website=Mediaite |language=en}} Other news accounts have higher total views, including Fox News and Vox. MSNBC's most watched shows online through YouTube include The Beat with Ari Melber, The Rachel Maddow Show, and Deadline: White House.{{Cite web |last=Morris |first=Chris |title=More people watch YouTube than NBCUniversal or Paramount as the internet keeps crushing traditional TV |url=https://fortune.com/2024/05/15/youtube-vs-network-cable-tv/ |access-date=September 29, 2024 |website=Fortune |language=en}}

{{Main|Shift (MSNBC)}}

In July 2014, msnbc.com launched msnbc2, a brand for several web-only series hosted by MSNBC personalities.{{cite web | url=https://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/watch/krystal-clear-on-iraq-clinton-283776579633 | title=Krystal Clear on Iraq & Clinton | publisher=MSNBC | access-date=February 19, 2020 | archive-date=February 17, 2020 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200217173041/https://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/watch/krystal-clear-on-iraq-clinton-283776579633 | url-status=live }} In December 2014, msnbc2 was renamed shift, with a programming schedule that was less focused on politics and more tailored to a younger audience.{{Cite news |last=Battaglio |first=Stephen |date=December 16, 2014 |title=MSNBC targets young viewers with streaming video service Shift |work=Los Angeles Times |url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/envelope/cotown/la-et-ct-msnbc-online-20141216-story.html |url-status=live |access-date=February 19, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200305092321/https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/envelope/cotown/la-et-ct-msnbc-online-20141216-story.html |archive-date=March 5, 2020}}

MSNBC launched on XM Satellite Radio channel 120 and Sirius Satellite Radio channel 90 on April 12, 2010.{{Cite news |last= |date=April 7, 2010 |title=MSNBC Signs On With Sirius XM Radio – News Channel To Debut On Satellite Service April 12 |work=Multichannel News |url=http://www.multichannel.com/content/msnbc-signs-sirius-xm-radio |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220926185858/https://www.nexttv.com/news/msnbc-signs-sirius-xm-radio-291499&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us |archive-date=September 26, 2022}} This is the second time MSNBC has been available on satellite radio. The channel was dropped from XM Radio on September 4, 2006.{{Cite news |date=August 21, 2006 |title=XM and MSNBC Part Ways |work=Orbitcast |url=http://www.orbitcast.com/archives/xm-and-msnbc-part-ways.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110203211117/http://www.orbitcast.com/archives/xm-and-msnbc-part-ways.html |archive-date=February 3, 2011}}

The simulcast of MSNBC's programming is on SiriusXM channel 118.{{Cite web |title=MSNBC – News And Analysis Focused On Politics |url=http://www.siriusxm.com/msnbc |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170114010033/http://www.siriusxm.com/msnbc |archive-date=January 14, 2017 |access-date=January 20, 2017 |website=Sirius XM}}

{{Main| MSNBC criticisms and controversies}}

{{Main|Media bias in the United States#Liberal bias}}

{{As of|2024}}, MSNBC's evening programming features progressive hosts. In November 2007, a New York Times article stated that MSNBC's primetime lineup was tilting more to the left.{{Cite news |last=Steinberg |first=Jacques |date=November 6, 2007 |title=Cable Channel Nods to Ratings and Leans Left |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/06/business/media/06msnb.html?_r=2&oref=slogin&pagewanted=print&oref=slogin |access-date=August 24, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220503123902/https://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/06/business/media/06msnb.html?_r=2&oref=slogin&pagewanted=print&oref=slogin |archive-date=May 3, 2022}} Since then, commentators have argued that MSNBC has a bias towards liberal politics and the Democratic Party. Washington Post media analyst Howard Kurtz said in 2008 that the channel's evening lineup "has clearly gravitated to the left in recent years and often seems to regard itself as the antithesis of Fox News." In 2011, Politico referred to MSNBC as "left-leaning",{{Cite news |last=Barr |first=Andy |date=April 5, 2011 |title= MSNBC host coaxes Ron to run |work=Politico |url=http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0411/52608.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110408135433/http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0411/52608.html |archive-date=April 8, 2011}} and Steve Kornacki of Salon.com stated that, "MSNBC's prime-time lineup is now awash in progressive politics."{{Cite news |last1=Kornacki |first1=Steve |author-link1=Steve Kornacki |date=January 22, 2011 |title=Is Olbermann the victim of his own success? |work=Salon |url=http://www.salon.com/2011/01/22/countdown_rip |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131114162215/http://www.salon.com/2011/01/22/countdown_rip |archive-date=November 14, 2013}} Regarding changes in the channel's evening programming, senior vice president of NBC News Phil Griffin said that "it happened naturally. There isn't a dogma we're putting through. There is a 'Go for it.{{'"}}

In the February 2008 issue of Men's Journal magazine, an MSNBC interviewee quoted a senior executive as saying that liberal commentator Keith Olbermann "runs MSNBC" and that "because of his success, he's in charge" of the channel.{{Cite news |last=Krakauer |first=Steve |date=January 10, 2008 |title=Olbermann Talks Office Politics, Other Politics |work=TVNewser |url=http://www.mediabistro.com/tvnewser/olbermann-talks-office-politics-other-politics_b17699 |url-status=dead |access-date=September 16, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110110035500/http://www.mediabistro.com/tvnewser/olbermann-talks-office-politics-other-politics_b17699 |archive-date=January 10, 2011}} In 2007, The New York Times called Olbermann MSNBC's "most recognizable face". In September 2008, MSNBC stated that Olbermann and Chris Matthews would no longer anchor live political events, with David Gregory assuming that role. MSNBC cited the growing criticism that they were "too opinionated to be seen as neutral in the heat of the presidential campaign."{{cite news | last1=Kurtz | first1=Howard |author-link1=Howard Kurtz | url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/08/AR2008090800008_pf.html | title=MSNBC Drops Olbermann, Matthews as News Anchors | newspaper=The Washington Post | date=September 8, 2008 | access-date=September 30, 2008 | archive-date=January 31, 2011 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110131105939/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/08/AR2008090800008_pf.html | url-status=live }}{{cite news | last1=Stelter | first1=Brian |author-link1=Brian Stelter | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/08/business/media/08msnbc.html?partner=permalink&exprod=permalink | title=MSNBC Takes Incendiary Hosts From Anchor Seat | work=The New York Times | date=September 7, 2008 | access-date=September 30, 2008 | archive-date=April 17, 2009 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090417114122/http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/08/business/media/08msnbc.html?partner=permalink&exprod=permalink | url-status=live }} Olbermann's show Countdown continued to run before and after the presidential and vice presidential debates, and both Matthews and Olbermann joined Gregory on the channel's election night coverage.{{citation needed|date=November 2017}}

On November 13, 2009, in the days leading up to the release of 2008 Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin's book Going Rogue, MSNBC's Dylan Ratigan used photoshopped pictures of Palin on the channel's Morning Meeting program. Ratigan apologized a few days later.{{Cite web |last=Bookman |first=Jay |date=November 16, 2009 |title=MSNBC apologizes for showing fake Palin photos | Jay Bookman |url=http://blogs.ajc.com/jay-bookman-blog/2009/11/16/msnbc-apologizes-for-showing-fake-palin-photos/?cxntfid=blogs_jay_bookman_blog |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100225074915/http://blogs.ajc.com/jay-bookman-blog/2009/11/16/msnbc-apologizes-for-showing-fake-palin-photos/?cxntfid=blogs_jay_bookman_blog |archive-date=February 25, 2010 |access-date=July 30, 2010 |website=The Atlanta Journal-Constitution }}

In October 2010, MSNBC began using the tagline "Lean Forward". Some media outlets, including msnbc.com, claimed that the network was now embracing its politically progressive identity.{{cite magazine | title=MSNBC's new slogan: What doesn't it even mean? | magazine=The Week | date=October 6, 2010 | url=https://theweek.com/article/index/207856/msnbcs-new-slogan-what-does-it-even-mean | access-date=October 11, 2010 | archive-date=October 10, 2010 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101010122524/http://theweek.com/article/index/207856/msnbcs-new-slogan-what-does-it-even-mean | url-status=live }}{{cite news | last1=Stelter | first1=Brian |author-link1=Brian Stelter | title=With Tagline, MSNBC Embraces a Political Identity | newspaper=The New York Times | date=October 4, 2010 | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/05/business/media/05adco.html | access-date=October 11, 2010 | archive-date=December 2, 2010 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101202072127/http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/05/business/media/05adco.html | url-status=live }}

In January 2012, MSNBC used Rachel Maddow, Chris Matthews, and other network commentators during its coverage of the Iowa Republican caucuses. Nando Di Fino of the Mediaite website said MSNBC was "giving up on the straight news coverage, and instead [appearing] to be aiming to create some controversy."{{Cite web |last=Di Fino |first=Nando |date=January 3, 2012 |title=MSNBC Hosting Lineup For Iowa Caucus Exchanges Neutral Journalism For Partisanship... And Fun |url=http://www.mediaite.com/tv/msnbc-hosting-lineup-for-iowa-caucus-exchanges-neutral-journalism-for-partisanship-and-fun/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120105144914/http://www.mediaite.com/tv/msnbc-hosting-lineup-for-iowa-caucus-exchanges-neutral-journalism-for-partisanship-and-fun/ |archive-date=January 5, 2012 |access-date=December 29, 2011 |website=Mediaite}}

In November 2012, The New York Times called MSNBC "The Anti-Fox" and quoted former President Bill Clinton as saying, "Boy, it really has become our version of Fox."{{cite news | last1=Stelter | first1=Brian |author-link1=Brian Stelter | title=The Anti-Fox Gains Ground | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/12/business/media/msnbc-its-ratings-rising-gains-ground-on-fox-news.html?pagewanted=1 | newspaper=The New York Times | access-date=October 2, 2013 | date=November 11, 2012 | archive-date=March 25, 2014 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140325054929/http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/12/business/media/msnbc-its-ratings-rising-gains-ground-on-fox-news.html?pagewanted=1 | url-status=live }} Citing data from the A.C. Nielsen TV ratings service, the article noted that while the Fox News Channel had a larger overall viewership than MSNBC, the two networks were separated by only around 300,000 viewers among the 25–54 age bracket most attractive to advertisers.

In the Pew Research Center's 2013 "State of the News Media" report, MSNBC was found to be the most opinionated news network, with 85 percent of the content being commentary or opinions and the remaining 15 percent being factual reporting. The report also stated that in 2012, MSNBC spent only $240 million on news production compared to CNN's $682 million and the Fox News Channel's $820 million.{{cite magazine | last=Bercovici | first=Jeff | title=Pew Study Finds MSNBC the Most Opinionated Cable News Channel By Far | magazine=Forbes | date=March 18, 2013 | url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/jeffbercovici/2013/03/18/pew-study-finds-msnbc-the-most-opinionated-cable-news-channel-by-far/ | access-date=July 17, 2013 | archive-date=July 29, 2013 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130729075758/http://www.forbes.com/sites/jeffbercovici/2013/03/18/pew-study-finds-msnbc-the-most-opinionated-cable-news-channel-by-far/ | url-status=live }}

In October 2019, American socialist magazine Jacobin argued that "MSNBC embodies the politics and sensibility of Trump-era liberalism.", but argued that MSNBC "wasn't always liberal."{{Cite web |last=Arria |first=Michael |date=October 2019 |title=The Anatomy of MSNBC |url=https://jacobin.com/2019/10/medium-blue-the-politics-of-msnbc-liberal-media |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220823215109/https://jacobin.com/2019/10/medium-blue-the-politics-of-msnbc-liberal-media |archive-date=August 23, 2022 |access-date=August 23, 2022 |website=Jacobin |language=en-US}}

Writing for the Poynter Institute for Media Studies in February 2021, senior media writer Tom Jones argued that the primary distinction between MSNBC and Fox News is not left bias vs. right bias, but rather that much of the content on Fox News, especially during its primetime programs, is not based in truth.{{Cite news |last=Jones |first=Tom |date=February 1, 2021 |title=No, Fox News and MSNBC are not the same thing |work=Poynter Institute for Media Studies |url=https://www.poynter.org/newsletters/2021/no-fox-news-and-msnbc-are-not-the-same-thing/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210201123137/https://www.poynter.org/newsletters/2021/no-fox-news-and-msnbc-are-not-the-same-thing/ |archive-date=February 1, 2021}}

Under NBC News head Cesar Conde, the division had made moves to incorporate more diverse viewpoints—including from conservative perspectives—in its output outside of MSNBC (including Meet the Press) to counter concerns from NBC's affiliate body that MSNBC's partisan content reflected upon the division as a whole. These moves coincided with MSNBC's own changes in leadership, which resulted in a gradual increase in opinion programming, and as a result, a gradual decrease in talent sharing with the remainder of NBC News.

Some Democratic Party supporters, including former Pennsylvania governor Ed Rendell and Bill Clinton advisor Lanny Davis,{{Cite news |last=Rothstein |first=Betsy |date=May 5, 2008 |title=Clinton confidant dismisses MSNBC as no longer fair and balanced |work=The Hill |url=http://thehill.com/in-the-know/clinton-confidant-dismisses-msnbc-as-no-longer-fair-and-balanced-2008-05-05.html |url-status=dead |access-date=April 18, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081208111648/http://thehill.com/in-the-know/clinton-confidant-dismisses-msnbc-as-no-longer-fair-and-balanced-2008-05-05.html |archive-date=December 8, 2008}} criticized MSNBC during and after the 2008 Democratic Party primaries as covering Barack Obama more favorably than Hillary Clinton. Rendell said, "MSNBC was the official network of the Obama campaign," and called their coverage "absolutely embarrassing".{{Cite news |last=Calderone |first=Michael |date=August 24, 2008 |title=Rendell: Obama coverage was embarrassing |work=Politico |url=http://www.politico.com/blogs/michaelcalderone/0808/Rendell_Obama_coverage_was_embarrassing.html |access-date=August 24, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080826230626/http://www.politico.com/blogs/michaelcalderone/0808/Rendell_Obama_coverage_was_embarrassing.html |archive-date=August 26, 2008}}{{Cite magazine |last=Chotiner |first=Isaac |date=May 27, 2008 |title=Dangerous Liaison |magazine=The New Republic |url=http://www.tnr.com/politics/story.html?id=b48a6936-fb3c-42b0-83c1-f91d1cb3a3dc |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081216081623/http://www.tnr.com/politics/story.html?id=b48a6936-fb3c-42b0-83c1-f91d1cb3a3dc |archive-date=December 16, 2008}} Rendell later became an on-air contributor to MSNBC.{{Cite news |date=January 25, 2011 |title=Ed Rendell Signs Deal With NBC |work=HuffPost |agency=Associated Press |url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/01/25/ed-rendell-signing-deal-w_n_813519.html |url-status=dead |access-date=November 5, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140304213044/http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/01/25/ed-rendell-signing-deal-w_n_813519.html |archive-date=March 4, 2014}}

A study done by the Project for Excellence in Journalism showed that MSNBC had less negative coverage of Obama (14 percent of stories versus 29 percent in the press overall) and more negative stories about Republican presidential candidate John McCain (73 percent of its coverage versus 57 percent in the press overall).{{Cite web |date=October 29, 2008 |title=The Color of News |url=http://www.journalism.org/node/13436 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100805023153/http://www.journalism.org/node/13436 |archive-date=August 5, 2010 |access-date=July 30, 2010 |website=Project for Excellence in Journalism |publisher=Pew Research Center}} MSNBC's on-air slogan during the week of the 2008 presidential election, "The Power of Change", was criticized for being too similar to Obama's campaign slogan of "Hope and Change".{{cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/10/business/media/10msnbc.html | title=MSNBC's Tag for Now: 'The Power of Change' | last1=Stelter | first1=Brian |author-link1=Brian Stelter | work=The New York Times | date=November 10, 2008 | access-date=November 13, 2008 | archive-date=April 17, 2009 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090417114121/http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/10/business/media/10msnbc.html | url-status=live }} After the election, conservative talk show host John Ziegler made a documentary entitled Media Malpractice.... How Obama Got Elected, which was very critical of the media's role, especially MSNBC's, in the election. While promoting the documentary, he had an on-air dispute with MSNBC news anchor Contessa Brewer about how the media, especially MSNBC, had portrayed Sarah Palin.{{Cite magazine |last=Barrett |first=Annie |date=June 10, 2009 |title=Contessa Brewer vs. John Ziegler re: Sarah Palin – 'Cut the mic, please' |url=http://popwatch.ew.com/2009/06/10/contessa-brewer-vs-john-ziegler-cut-the-mic/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091016140530/http://popwatch.ew.com/2009/06/10/contessa-brewer-vs-john-ziegler-cut-the-mic/ |archive-date=October 16, 2009 |access-date=November 1, 2009 |magazine=Entertainment Weekly}}

During MSNBC's coverage of the Potomac primary, MSNBC's Chris Matthews said, "I have to tell you, you know, it's part of reporting this case, this election, the feeling most people get when they hear Barack Obama's speech. My, I felt this thrill going up my leg. I mean, I don't have that too often." This led Fox News to assert that both he and MSNBC were biased toward Obama.{{Cite interview |last=Goldberg |first=Bernie |interviewer=Sean Hannity |title=Bernie Goldberg on 'Love Affair' Between Obama and Media – Hannity |url=http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,483568,00.html |access-date=February 23, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130724190016/http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,483568,00.html |archive-date=July 24, 2013 |url-status=dead |publisher=Fox News |date=January 27, 2009}}

In June 2010, the MSNBC documentary Rise of the New Right aired. It featured interviews with right-wing figures, including Dick Armey, the former House majority leader, Orly Taitz, a leading figure in the "birther" movement, and conspiracy theorist radio host Alex Jones. The documentary also showed the Michigan Militia's survival training camp and hit the campaign trail with Kentucky senatorial candidate Rand Paul.{{Cite news |last=Weigel |first=David |author-link=David Weigel |date=June 7, 2010 |title=MSNBC documentary on the 'New Right' profiles birthers, militias, Alex Jones |newspaper=The Washington Post |url=http://voices.washingtonpost.com/right-now/2010/06/upcoming_msnbc_documentary_on.html |url-status=dead |access-date=June 20, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110630231950/http://voices.washingtonpost.com/right-now/2010/06/upcoming_msnbc_documentary_on.html |archive-date=June 30, 2011}}

The documentary angered Tea Party movement figures and others on the right. After the documentary aired, FreedomWorks, chaired by Armey, called for a boycott of Dawn and Procter & Gamble, which advertised during Hardball with Chris Matthews.{{Cite news |last=Weigel |first=David |author-link=David Weigel |date=June 17, 2010 |title=Tea partyers push back against 'The Rise of the New Right' with boycott |newspaper=The Washington Post |url=http://voices.washingtonpost.com/right-now/2010/06/tea_partyers_push_back_against.html |url-status=dead |access-date=June 20, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111027030349/http://voices.washingtonpost.com/right-now/2010/06/tea_partyers_push_back_against.html |archive-date=October 27, 2011}}{{Cite news |last=Montopoli |first=Brian |date=June 17, 2010 |title=Tea Party Groups Lash Out at MSNBC Over Special |publisher=CBS News |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/tea-party-groups-lash-out-at-msnbc-over-special/ |url-status=live |access-date=June 20, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100620233511/http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20008106-503544.html |archive-date=June 20, 2010}} The attempted boycott was ineffective as Procter & Gamble continued to advertise on the show.{{Citation needed|date=January 2022}}

A study by the Pew Research Center's Project for Excellence in Journalism found that MSNBC's coverage of Mitt Romney during the final week of the 2012 presidential campaign (68 percent negative with no positive stories in the sample) was far more negative than the overall press, and even more negative than it had been during October 1 to 28, when 5 percent was positive, and 57 percent was negative.{{Cite press release |title=THE FINAL DAYS OF THE MEDIA CAMPAIGN 2012: Final Weeks in the Mainstream Press |date=November 19, 2012 |publisher=Pew Research Center: Project for Excellence in Journalism |url=http://www.journalism.org/analysis_report/final_weeks_mainstream_press |access-date=November 20, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121120111808/http://www.journalism.org/analysis_report/final_weeks_mainstream_press |archive-date=November 20, 2012}} On the other hand, their coverage of Barack Obama improved in the final week before the presidential election. From 1 to October 28, 33 percent of stories were positive and 13 percent negative. During the campaign's final week, 51 percent of MSNBC's stories were positive, while there were no negative stories about Obama in the sample.

Others have argued that MSNBC has a bias against progressive politics. Phil Donahue's show was canceled in 2003 due to his opposition to the Iraq War, and Donahue later commented that the management of MSNBC required that "we have two conservative (guests) for every liberal. I was counted as two liberals."{{Cite magazine |last=Poniewozik |first=James |author-link=James Poniewozik |date=April 26, 2007 |title=Watching the Not-Watchdogs |magazine=Time |url=https://entertainment.time.com/2007/04/26/im_not_generally_in_the/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200103181349/http://entertainment.time.com/2007/04/26/im_not_generally_in_the/ |archive-date=January 3, 2020}} Cenk Uygur, after his departure from MSNBC in 2011, said that MSNBC management had told him "people in Washington" were "concerned about [his] tone,"{{Cite news |date=July 22, 2011 |title=Cenk Uygur Leaves MSNBC After Being Told to 'Act Like an Insider' |work=Democracy Now! |url=http://www.democracynow.org/2011/7/22/rejecting_lucrative_offer_cenk_uygur_leaves |url-status=live |access-date=September 17, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141017050928/http://www.democracynow.org/2011/7/22/rejecting_lucrative_offer_cenk_uygur_leaves |archive-date=October 17, 2014}} and that he "didn't want to work in a place that didn't challenge power."{{Cite news |last=Martel |first=Frances |date=July 21, 2011 |title=Cenk Uygur Out at MSNBC |work=Mediaite |url=https://www.mediaite.com/tv/cenk-uygur-on-why-he-left-msnbc-i-didnt-want-to-work-in-a-place-that-didnt-challenge-power/ |url-status=live |access-date=September 17, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180917215318/https://www.mediaite.com/tv/cenk-uygur-on-why-he-left-msnbc-i-didnt-want-to-work-in-a-place-that-didnt-challenge-power/ |archive-date=September 17, 2018}}

Others have also noted that MSNBC anchors tended to be conservative or centrist and wealthy.{{Cite web |last=Bustillos |first=Maria |date=November 15, 2019 |title=MSNBC public editor: Who exactly are these people? |url=https://www.cjr.org/public_editor/msnbc-anchors.php |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191115151430/https://www.cjr.org/public_editor/msnbc-anchors.php |archive-date=November 15, 2019 |access-date=January 18, 2021 |website=Columbia Journalism Review}} For example, in 2000, host Joe Scarborough received a 95 rating from the American Conservative Union and supported anti-abortion policies when he was a U.S. representative, while host Stephanie Ruhle, a former hedge fund manager, declared, "I don't have any political ideals that I'm tied to." Former host Chris Matthews identifies as a "liberal" but voted for George W. Bush in 2000, while current host Nicolle Wallace, a registered Republican, worked for both Bush and Sarah Palin.

Maria Bustillos noted in 2019 that "MSNBC's bland, evenhanded respectability is buttressed with a careful performance of diversity both 'ideological' and demographic", and that "the network actively discourages consideration of its anchors' personal convictions" in favor of "interchangeable 'television personalities'" who are "compressed into the network's identity and subservient to it." It has been argued that MSNBC, like other cable networks, "is simply not incentivized to be informative", and instead turns its "viewers into partisan junkies who don't change the channel because they need a fix that tells them they're right about everything (and that the other side is wrong)."{{Cite magazine |last=Shephard |first=Alex |date=August 6, 2020 |title=The Problem With MSNBC Isn't That It's Too Liberal |url=https://newrepublic.com/article/158824/problem-msnbc-isnt-its-liberal |magazine=The New Republic |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220626201631/https://newrepublic.com/article/158824/problem-msnbc-isnt-its-liberal |archive-date=June 26, 2022 |access-date=January 18, 2021}} Jason Linkins in 2014 claimed that MSNBC prefers "the incessant production of insidery ideations" over "the service of the public trust in an honest and equitable way."{{Cite magazine |last=Linkins |first=Jason |date=July 7, 2014 |title=Noise from Nowhere |url=https://thebaffler.com/salvos/noise-from-nowhere |magazine=The Baffler |issue=25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220825164512/https://thebaffler.com/salvos/noise-from-nowhere |archive-date=August 25, 2022 |access-date=January 18, 2021}}

Political commentator Melissa Harris-Perry and her guest panel, in a look back on the 2013 segment of her show, featured a picture of former Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney and his extended family. Romney was holding on his knee his adopted grandchild, Kieran Romney, an African-American. Harris-Perry and her guests, including actress Pia Glenn and comedian Dean Obeidallah, joked about coming up with captions for the photo. Glenn sang out, "One of these things is not like the others, one of these things just isn't the same." Obeidallah said, "It sums up the diversity of the Republican Party and the [Republican National Committee], where they have the whole convention and they find the one black person." Afterwards, Harris-Perry gave an on-air apology as well as apologized in a series of tweets.{{Cite news |last=Grier |first=Peter |date=December 31, 2013 |title=Melissa Harris-Perry apologizes for Romney grandchild jokes: Sincere? |work=The Christian Science Monitor |url=http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Elections/Vox-News/2013/1231/Melissa-Harris-Perry-apologizes-for-Romney-grandchild-jokes-Sincere |url-status=live |access-date=January 5, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140104231350/http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Elections/Vox-News/2013/1231/Melissa-Harris-Perry-apologizes-for-Romney-grandchild-jokes-Sincere |archive-date=January 4, 2014}}{{cite news | url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/tv/showtracker/la-et-st-melissa-harris-perry-apologizes-for-mitt-romney-grandchild-comments-20131231,0,3504370.story | newspaper=Los Angeles Times | first=Patrick | last=Day | title=Melissa Harris-Perry apologizes for Mitt Romney grandchild comments | date=December 31, 2013 | access-date=January 4, 2014 | archive-date=January 4, 2014 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140104045408/http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/tv/showtracker/la-et-st-melissa-harris-perry-apologizes-for-mitt-romney-grandchild-comments-20131231,0,3504370.story#axzz2pUw9bwlb | url-status=live }}

On February 2, 2019, NBC ran a story about presidential candidate Tulsi Gabbard claiming that her campaign was benefiting from Russian state media, stating that she had received twice as many mentions on RT, Sputnik News and Russia Insider compared to expected front-runners Bernie Sanders and Joe Biden.{{Cite news |last1=Windrem |first1=Robert |last2=Popken |first2=Ben |date=February 2, 2019 |title=Russia's propaganda machine discovers 2020 Democratic candidate Tulsi Gabbard |publisher=NBC News |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2020-election/russia-s-propaganda-machine-discovers-2020-democratic-candidate-tulsi-gabbard-n964261 |url-status=live |access-date=November 19, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191119093129/https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2020-election/russia-s-propaganda-machine-discovers-2020-democratic-candidate-tulsi-gabbard-n964261 |archive-date=November 19, 2019}}

In March 2019, Yashar Ali, a journalist for The Huffington Post accused Dafna Linzer, a managing editor at MSNBC, of ceding editorial control to the Democratic National Committee. Ali, who planned to announce the locations of the DNC debates in advance of MSNBC, received a call attempting to dissuade him with the phrase "let them make a few phone calls," referring to party leaders.{{cite news|url=https://www.thewrap.com/huffpost-contributor-accuses-nbc-news-managing-editor-of-unethical-call-about-dnc-debates/|title=HuffPost Contributor Accuses NBC News Managing Editor of 'Unethical' Call About DNC Debates|last=Levine|first=Jon|date=March 29, 2019|work=TheWrap|access-date=May 7, 2019|archive-date=April 28, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190428034945/https://www.thewrap.com/huffpost-contributor-accuses-nbc-news-managing-editor-of-unethical-call-about-dnc-debates/|url-status=live}} A source quoted by CNN stated that this approach was necessary for any network that has enough of a relationship with the DNC to host its debates.{{cite web|url=https://mailchi.mp/cnn/rs-mar-29-2019|title=Yafshar Ali calls out NBC|date=March 29, 2019|publisher=CNN|access-date=May 7, 2019|archive-date=May 7, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190507234749/https://mailchi.mp/cnn/rs-mar-29-2019|url-status=dead}}

Candidate Andrew Yang and his supporters have been critical of MSNBC's coverage of his campaign and the speaking time allocated to Yang at a November 2019 primary debate hosted by MSNBC.*{{Cite web|url=https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/464349-yang-hits-back-after-appearing-to-be-left-out-of-cnn-msnbc-fundraising/|title=Yang calls out CNN, MSNBC for leaving him off of fundraising graphics|last=Pitofsky|first=Marina|date=October 4, 2019|website=The Hill |language=en|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191005000232/https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/464349-yang-hits-back-after-appearing-to-be-left-out-of-cnn-msnbc-fundraising|archive-date=October 5, 2019|access-date=October 4, 2019}}

• {{Cite web|url=https://www.foxnews.com/media/andrew-yang-msnbc-polling-graphic-15th-snub|title=Yang campaign rips MSNBC's apology after network snubbed him from polling graphic 'for the 15th time'|last1=Wulfsohn|first1=Joseph|date=November 18, 2019|publisher=Fox News|language=en-US|access-date=November 19, 2019|archive-date=November 18, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191118214715/https://www.foxnews.com/media/andrew-yang-msnbc-polling-graphic-15th-snub|url-status=live}}
• {{Cite web|url=https://www.foxnews.com/media/andrew-yang-msnbc-hypocrisy|title=Andrew Yang accuses MSNBC of 'hypocrisy' after latest Democratic debate|last1=Dorman|first1=Sam|date=November 21, 2019|publisher=Fox News|language=en-US|access-date=November 23, 2019|archive-date=November 22, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191122220702/https://www.foxnews.com/media/andrew-yang-msnbc-hypocrisy|url-status=live}}
• {{Cite web|url=https://www.foxnews.com/media/msnbc-andrew-yang-protesters|title=Andrew Yang supporters gathered outside MSNBC debate blasting network's treatment of candidate|last1=Wulfsohn|first1=Joseph|date=November 21, 2019|publisher=Fox News|language=en-US|access-date=November 23, 2019|archive-date=November 22, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191122202305/https://www.foxnews.com/media/msnbc-andrew-yang-protesters|url-status=live}}
• "{{Cite web|url=https://www.foxnews.com/media/andrew-yang-msnbc-apologize-on-air|title=Andrew Yang won't return to MSNBC until they apologize 'on-air' to his campaign|last=Dorman|first=Sam|date=November 23, 2019|publisher=Fox News|language=en-US|access-date=November 23, 2019|archive-date=November 23, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191123215307/https://www.foxnews.com/media/andrew-yang-msnbc-apologize-on-air|url-status=live}}

In December 2019, In These Times analyzed coverage of the 2020 Democratic Party presidential primary by MSNBC between August and September 2019.{{Cite magazine |last=Aleem |first=Zeeshan |date=December 20, 2019 |title=Sanders is hot in the polls, and still treated like a second-tier candidate |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/sanders-is-hot-in-the-polls-and-still-treated-like-a-second-tier-candidate/ |magazine=Vice |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220325074957/https://www.vice.com/en/article/m7qjz4/sanders-is-hot-in-the-polls-and-still-treated-like-a-second-tier-candidate |archive-date=March 25, 2022 |url-status=live |access-date=February 14, 2020}}{{Cite news |last=Savage |first=Luke |date=November 20, 2019 |title=The Corporate Media's War Against Bernie Sanders Is Very Real |work=Jacobin |url=https://www.jacobinmag.com/2019/11/corporate-media-bernie-sanders-bias-msnbc-warren-biden |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220707151036/https://jacobin.com/2019/11/corporate-media-bernie-sanders-bias-msnbc-warren-biden |archive-date=July 7, 2022}} They said that "MSNBC talked about Biden twice as often as Warren and three times as often as Sanders", and that Sanders was the candidate spoken of negatively the most frequently of the three."{{Cite magazine |last=Chang |first=Clio |date=December 20, 2019 |title=The media can take Bernie Sanders a little seriously, as a treat |url=https://www.esquire.com/news-politics/a30299555/bernie-sanders-blackout-media-bias-coverage-campaign-2020/ |magazine=Esquire |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191224202208/https://www.esquire.com/news-politics/a30299555/bernie-sanders-blackout-media-bias-coverage-campaign-2020/ |archive-date=December 24, 2019 |access-date=February 14, 2020}}

MSNBC came under particular scrutiny during the first three primary-season state votes in 2020 due to historical references made by two of their hosts. Chris Matthews compared Sanders to George McGovern in terms of electability on February 3 and criticized Sanders for adopting the "democratic socialist" label on February 7.{{Cite news |last=Concha |first=Joe |date=February 3, 2020 |title=Chris Matthews expresses worries: Democrats 'need to find' candidate who can beat Trump |work=The Hill |url=https://thehill.com/homenews/media/481186-chris-matthews-expresses-worries-democrats-need-to-find-candidate-who-can-beat/ |access-date=February 14, 2020 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200203205601/https://thehill.com/homenews/media/481186-chris-matthews-expresses-worries-democrats-need-to-find-candidate-who-can-beat |archive-date=February 3, 2020}}{{Cite news |last=Woodward |first=Alex |date=February 3, 2020 |title=MSNBC host Chris Matthews gets emotional and says he's 'not happy' with any of the Democratic candidates |work=The Independent |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-election/chris-matthews-msnbc-democrats-bernie-sanders-a9315656.html |access-date=February 14, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200204123556/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-election/chris-matthews-msnbc-democrats-bernie-sanders-a9315656.html |archive-date=February 4, 2020}} In reference to Sanders' praise of some aspects of Fidel Castro's Cuba, Matthews said on air during Hardball, "I believe if Castro and the Reds had won the Cold War there would have been executions in Central Park, and I might have been one of the ones executed". He then questioned what Sanders meant when he used the term 'socialism'.{{Cite news |last=Perrett |first=Connor |date=February 8, 2020 |title=When discussing a possible Bernie Sanders presidency, MSNBC's Chris Matthews ranted about hypothetical executions in Central Park under Castro |work=Business Insider |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/chris-matthews-rants-about-bernie-sanders-and-socialism-2020-2?r=US&IR=T |access-date=February 14, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200425011252/https://www.businessinsider.com/chris-matthews-rants-about-bernie-sanders-and-socialism-2020-2?r=US&IR=T |archive-date=April 25, 2020}}{{Cite news |last=Graham |first=David A. |date=February 12, 2020 |title=Bernie Sanders is winning because he's popular |work=The Atlantic |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2020/02/bernie-sanders-wins-new-hampshire-democratic-primary/606004/ |access-date=February 14, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200213211815/https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2020/02/bernie-sanders-wins-new-hampshire-democratic-primary/606004/ |archive-date=February 13, 2020}} The following week, Chuck Todd criticized the rhetoric of Sanders supporters by quoting a conservative article which compared them to Nazi brown shirts.{{Cite news |last=Sommer |first=Allison Kaplan |date=February 11, 2020 |title='Meet the Press' host rapped for comparing Sanders supporters to Nazi 'brownshirts' |work=Haaretz |url=https://www.haaretz.com/us-news/.premium-meet-the-press-host-rapped-for-comparing-sanders-supporters-to-nazi-brownshirts-1.8524572 |access-date=February 14, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220926193635/https://www.haaretz.com/us-news/2020-02-11/ty-article/.premium/meet-the-press-host-rapped-for-comparing-sanders-supporters-to-nazi-brownshirts/0000017f-f267-df98-a5ff-f3efb0980000 |archive-date=September 26, 2022}}{{Cite news |last=Johnson |first=Jake |date=February 12, 2020 |title=MSNBC's Chuck Todd under fire for reciting quote comparing Sanders supporters to Nazis |work=Salon |url=https://www.salon.com/2020/02/12/msnbcs-chuck-todd-under-fire-for-reciting-quote-comparing-sanders-supporters-to-nazis_partner/ |access-date=February 14, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200212135534/https://www.salon.com/2020/02/12/msnbcs-chuck-todd-under-fire-for-reciting-quote-comparing-sanders-supporters-to-nazis_partner/ |archive-date=February 12, 2020}} Commenting on the 2020 Nevada Democratic caucuses, Matthews invoked "the fall of France" to the Nazis in 1940 as a metaphor for Sanders' apparent victory in the state.{{Cite news |last=Arciga |first=Julia |date=February 22, 2020 |title=Chris Matthews Likens Bernie's Strong Nevada Showing to France Falling to Nazi Germany in WWII |work=The Daily Beast |url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/chris-matthews-likens-bernies-strong-nevada-showing-to-france-falling-to-nazi-germany-in-wwii |access-date=February 22, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220718142642/https://www.thedailybeast.com/chris-matthews-likens-bernies-strong-nevada-showing-to-france-falling-to-nazi-germany-in-wwii |archive-date=July 18, 2022}} These analogies were criticized by the Sanders campaign and other commentators, who noted that members of Sanders' family had been murdered in the Holocaust. Matthews later issued an on-air apology to Sanders and his supporters.{{Cite news |last=Grynbaum |first=Michael |date=February 24, 2020 |title=Chris Matthews Apologizes to Bernie Sanders for Remarks on Nevada Win; An on-air comparison to Nazis angered Sanders aides, who privately complained to executives at MSNBC. |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/24/business/media/chris-matthews-bernie-sanders-apology.html |access-date=February 24, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200225024004/https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/24/business/media/chris-matthews-bernie-sanders-apology.html |archive-date=February 25, 2020}}

Jason Johnson, an MSNBC contributor, was temporarily suspended in February 2020 after backlash over his accusing Bernie Sanders supporters of alienating minorities and saying of African-American Sanders staffers and surrogates, "I don't care how many people from the island of misfit black girls that you throw out to defend you on a regular basis."{{Cite news |last1=Baragona |first1=Justin |last2=Tani |first2=Maxwell |date=February 26, 2020 |title=MSNBC Benches Contributor Who Smeared Bernie Sanders Staffers |work=The Daily Beast |url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/msnbc-benches-contributor-jason-johnson-who-said-bernie-sanders-staffers-are-island-of-misfit-black-girls |access-date=January 16, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220726122025/https://www.thedailybeast.com/msnbc-benches-contributor-jason-johnson-who-said-bernie-sanders-staffers-are-island-of-misfit-black-girls |archive-date=July 26, 2022}} He was reinstated in July 2020.{{Cite news |last=Baragona |first=Justin |date=July 15, 2020 |title=Jason Johnson Returns to MSNBC After Months-Long Benching for Smearing Bernie Sanders Staffers |work=The Daily Beast |url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/jason-johnson-returns-to-msnbc-after-months-long-benching-for-smearing-bernie-sanders-staffers |access-date=January 16, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220621230843/https://www.thedailybeast.com/jason-johnson-returns-to-msnbc-after-months-long-benching-for-smearing-bernie-sanders-staffers |archive-date=June 21, 2022}}

Ayman Mohyeldin has been alleged to have an anti-Israel bias in his reporting.{{cite web |date=November 20, 2012 |title=NBC News Reporter Blames U.S. For Not Recognizing Hamas And Not 'Reining In' Israel |url=http://www.mediaite.com/tv/nbc-news-reporter-blames-u-s-for-not-recognizing-hamas-and-not-reigning-in-israel/ |access-date=May 6, 2016 |publisher=Mediaite}} In 2015, Mohyeldin was reporting live from Gaza, where he claimed to have witnessed an unarmed Palestinian man being shot by Israeli police at the Damascus Gate; the man turned out to be wielding a large knife.{{cite web |date=October 15, 2015 |title=MSNBC's Ayman Mohyeldin Corrected On-Air After Suggesting Dead Palestinian Terrorist Wasn't Armed |url=http://www.mediaite.com/tv/msnbcs-ayman-mohyeldin-corrected-on-air-after-suggesting-dead-palestinian-terrorist-wasnt-armed/ |access-date=May 6, 2016 |publisher=Mediaite}}

Following the Gaza war, it was reported by Semafor that a number of Muslim hosts (including Mehdi Hasan, Mohyeldin, and Ali Velshi) were sidelined from coverage.{{cite news |last1=Tani |first1=Max |date=October 13, 2023 |title=Inside MSNBC's Middle East conflict |work=Semafor |url=https://www.semafor.com/article/10/13/2023/inside-msnbcs-middle-east-conflict |access-date=October 15, 2023}}

Michael Savage briefly hosted a weekend talk show in 2003. That July, Savage responded to a prank caller on his show by calling him a "pig" and a "sodomite", and telling him he "should get AIDS and die." Savage's show was canceled and he was dismissed from MSNBC shortly thereafter.{{Cite news |last=Lowry |first=Brian |date=July 8, 2003 |title=Savage gets the boot after on-air anti-gay outburst |page=E1 |work=Los Angeles Times |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2003-jul-08-et-lowry8-story.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200929175323/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2003-jul-08-et-lowry8-story.html |archive-date=September 29, 2020}}

Don Imus' radio show Imus in the Morning was simulcast on MSNBC for over ten years. In 2007, he described members of the Rutgers University women's basketball team as "some nappy-headed hoes." The remark was met with outrage, and advertisers withdrew from the show, with MSNBC canceling the simulcast. Both Imus and NBC News apologized to the Rutgers Basketball team for the remarks.{{Cite news |date=April 11, 2007 |title=MSNBC drops simulcast of Don Imus show |work=Today |url=http://www.today.com/id/17999196 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210114000456/https://www.today.com/id/wbna17999196 |archive-date=January 14, 2021}}

On November 5, 2010, MSNBC President Phil Griffin suspended Keith Olbermann indefinitely without pay for having contributed $2,400 (the maximum personal donation limit) to each of three Democratic Party candidates during the 2010 midterm election cycle.{{Cite news |last=Aujla |first=Simmi |date=November 5, 2010 |title=Keith Olbermann suspended after donating to Democrats |work=Politico |url=http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1110/44734.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101106123419/http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1110/44734.html |archive-date=November 6, 2010}} NBC News policy prohibited contributions to political campaigns unless NBC News had given its prior permission. On November 7, 2010, Olbermann posted a thank you message to supporters via Twitter.{{Cite news |last1=Dolak |first1=Kevin |last2=Goldman |first2=Russell |date=November 7, 2010 |title=Olbermann to Be Back on the Air Tuesday |work=ABC News |url=https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/keith-olbermann-breaks-silence-twitter-feed/story?id=12082531 |url-status=live |access-date=November 5, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120118221733/http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/keith-olbermann-breaks-silence-twitter-feed/story?id=12082531 |archive-date=January 18, 2012}} That same day, MSNBC announced that he would be back on the air starting on November 9.{{Cite press release |title=STATEMENT REGARDING KEITH OLBERMANN – SUNDAY, NOV. 7 |date=November 7, 2010 |url=http://www.nbcuniversal.presscentre.com/Content/Detail.aspx?ReleaseID=2458&NewsAreaID=2&ClientID=7 |access-date=May 11, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110316033151/http://www.nbcuniversal.presscentre.com/Content/Detail.aspx?ReleaseID=2458&NewsAreaID=2&ClientID=7 |archive-date=March 16, 2011 |website=NBCUniversal Press Centre}}

Two weeks later, Griffin announced the suspension of Joe Scarborough for similar misconduct. The Morning Joe host had donated $4,000 to Republican candidates in Florida. Like Olbermann's suspension, Scarborough's was brief, and he returned to the airwaves on November 24.{{Cite news |last=Schechner |first=Sam |date=November 19, 2010 |title=MSNBC Suspends 'Morning Joe' Host Scarborough for Political Donations |work=The Wall Street Journal |url=https://blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/2010/11/19/msnbc-suspends-morning-joe-host-scarborough-for-political-donations |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170916151846/https://blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/2010/11/19/msnbc-suspends-morning-joe-host-scarborough-for-political-donations |archive-date=September 16, 2017}}

Host Martin Bashir resigned after making a controversial comment about

Sarah Palin.{{Cite web |last=Christopher |first=Tommy |date=December 4, 2013 |title=Martin Bashir Resigns From MSNBC |url=http://www.mediaite.com/tv/martin-bashir-resigns-from-msnbc/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140219154500/http://www.mediaite.com/tv/martin-bashir-resigns-from-msnbc/ |archive-date=February 19, 2014 |access-date=February 3, 2014 |website=Mediaite}} On November 15, 2013, Bashir criticized Palin for equating the federal debt to slavery.{{Cite news |last= |date=November 20, 2013 |title=MSNBC not commenting on whether further action contemplated against Bashir |newspaper=The Washington Post |agency=Associated Press |url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/tv/msnbc-not-commenting-on-whether-further-action-contemplated-against-bashir/2013/11/19/ee3df924-518e-11e3-9ee6-2580086d8254_story.html#selection-3549.0-3549.74 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20131120033018/http://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/tv/msnbc-not-commenting-on-whether-further-action-contemplated-against-bashir/2013/11/19/ee3df924-518e-11e3-9ee6-2580086d8254_story.html |archive-date=November 20, 2013}} Bashir referred to the cruel and barbaric punishment of slaves as described by slave overseer Thomas Thistlewood, specifically a punishment called "Derby's dose", which forced slaves to defecate or urinate into the mouth of another slave. Bashir then said, "When Mrs. Palin invokes slavery, she doesn't just prove her rank ignorance. She confirms if anyone truly qualified for a dose of discipline from Thomas Thistlewood, she would be the outstanding candidate."{{Cite news |last=Williams |first=Rob |date=November 18, 2013 |title=Martin Bashir says Sarah Palin is an 'idiot' and suggests someone |language=en |work=The Independent |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/martin-bashir-says-sarah-palin-is-an-idiot-and-suggests-someone-should-defecate-in-her-mouth-8946426.html |access-date=September 26, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171006044257/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/martin-bashir-says-sarah-palin-is-an-idiot-and-suggests-someone-should-defecate-in-her-mouth-8946426.html |archive-date=October 6, 2017}}{{cite web | last=Millstein | first=Seth | date=December 4, 2013 | title=MSNBC's Martin Bashir Resigns Over Sarah Palin Slavery Comments | url=http://www.bustle.com/articles/10104-msnbcs-martin-bashir-resigns-over-sarah-palin-slavery-comments | work=Bustle | access-date=August 25, 2017 | archive-date=July 8, 2017 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170708090534/https://www.bustle.com/articles/10104-msnbcs-martin-bashir-resigns-over-sarah-palin-slavery-comments | url-status=live }}

Alec Baldwin's 2013 show Up Late with Alec Baldwin was suspended after five episodes because of a homophobic slur Baldwin made to a photographer in New York City.{{Cite web |last= |date=November 16, 2013 |title=Alec Baldwin's MSNBC Show Suspended After Gay Slur Controversy |url=http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20756802,00.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140122014450/http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20756802,00.html |archive-date=January 22, 2014 |access-date=February 3, 2014 |website=People |agency=Associated Press}}

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