History of MSNBC in Timeline
MSNBC is an American cable news channel that launched in 1996. It is owned by the NBCUniversal News Group, a division of Comcast's NBCUniversal. Headquartered in Manhattan, the channel focuses primarily on rolling news coverage and political commentary, generally from a liberal perspective. It operates alongside CNBC and NBC News as part of the NBCUniversal News Group.
July 15, 1996: MSNBC Launch
On July 15, 1996, MSNBC, an American cable news channel owned by NBCUniversal News Group, was launched. Headquartered in Manhattan, the channel primarily broadcasts rolling news coverage and political commentary.
1996: MSNBC Start and European Broadcast Plans Announced
In 1996, when MSNBC started, plans were announced to begin broadcasting in Europe during 1997, though this never materialized as a dedicated channel.
1997: Plans to Broadcast in Europe Announced
In 1997, plans were announced to begin broadcasting in Europe, though this never materialized as a dedicated channel.
2000: Joe Scarborough's Conservative Rating and Stance on Abortion
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.
January 2001: Mike Barnicle's MSNBC Show Premiere
In January 2001, Mike Barnicle's MSNBC show started airing.
June 2001: Mike Barnicle's MSNBC Show Cancellation
In June 2001, Mike Barnicle's MSNBC show was canceled due to high production costs. Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer expressed regret over starting MSNBC due to difficulties in attracting viewers.
2001: MSNBC Beats CNN in Primetime and Overall Ratings
In the first quarter of 2010, MSNBC beat CNN in primetime and overall ratings for the first time since 2001. Several programs, including Morning Joe and The Rachel Maddow Show, finished ahead of their CNN competitors.
2001: MSNBC Continues Lead Over CNN
In the third quarter of 2010, MSNBC continued its lead over CNN, beating the network in total day for the first time since 2001 in the key adult demographic.
2003: Michael Savage's show canceled after offensive remarks
In 2003, Michael Savage's show was canceled and he was dismissed from MSNBC after he responded to a prank caller with offensive remarks, including telling him to "get AIDS and die."
2003: Phil Donahue's Show Canceled
In 2003, Phil Donahue's show was canceled due to his opposition to the Iraq War, with Donahue stating that MSNBC management required "two conservative (guests) for every liberal".
2004: Viewership During the 2004 Presidential Election
Audience viewership during the 2008 presidential campaign more than doubled from the 2004 presidential election.
June 7, 2006: Rick Kaplan Resigns as MSNBC President
On June 7, 2006, Rick Kaplan resigned as president of MSNBC.
June 29, 2006: MSNBC Announces Revamp of Schedule
On June 29, 2006, Abrams announced the revamp of MSNBC's early-primetime and primetime schedule.
September 4, 2006: MSNBC Dropped from XM Radio
On September 4, 2006, MSNBC was dropped from XM Radio.
September 24, 2007: Dan Abrams Leaves General Manager Position
On September 24, 2007, Dan Abrams announced that he was leaving his general manager position at MSNBC to focus on his talk show. Oversight of MSNBC was shifted to Phil Griffin.
October 22, 2007: MSNBC and NBC News Broadcast from New Studios
On October 22, 2007, MSNBC and NBC News began broadcasting from their new studios at 30 Rockefeller Plaza in New York City. MSNBC also announced new studios near the Universal Studios lot. MSNBC's master control remained in the old Secaucus headquarters until its move to Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey in 2007.
November 2007: MSNBC's Primetime Lineup Tilts Left
In November 2007, a New York Times article indicated that MSNBC's primetime lineup was becoming more left-leaning.
2007: Increase in Nielsen Ratings
From mid-2007, MSNBC enjoyed a large increase in its Nielsen ratings. Primetime viewings increased by 61 percent.
2007: Don Imus' remarks lead to cancellation of simulcast
In 2007, Don Imus' radio show Imus in the Morning, simulcast on MSNBC, was met with outrage after he described members of the Rutgers University women's basketball team with offensive remarks. Advertisers withdrew from the show, and MSNBC canceled the simulcast. Both Imus and NBC News apologized.
2007: Keith Olbermann, MSNBC's Most Recognizable Face
In 2007, The New York Times called Keith Olbermann MSNBC's "most recognizable face".
February 2008: Keith Olbermann Said to Run MSNBC
In February 2008, a Men's Journal interviewee quoted a senior executive saying that Keith Olbermann "runs MSNBC" due to his success.
May 2008: Increase in Nielsen Ratings
In May 2008, NBC News president Steve Capus acknowledged that MSNBC was no longer an "also-ran cable channel" due to a large increase in Nielsen ratings.
June 2008: Death of Tim Russert
In June 2008, Tim Russert's sudden death led to a period of transition for MSNBC.
September 2008: Olbermann and Matthews Removed from Live Political Event Coverage
In September 2008, MSNBC announced that Keith Olbermann and Chris Matthews would no longer anchor live political events, due to criticism that they were "too opinionated to be seen as neutral."
September 2008: The Rachel Maddow Show Premieres
In September 2008, Rachel Maddow was hired to host The Rachel Maddow Show on MSNBC. The show regularly outperformed CNN's Larry King Live.
2008: MSNBC's 2008 Presidential Election Coverage
During the 2008 presidential election, MSNBC's coverage was anchored by Keith Olbermann, Chris Matthews, and David Gregory. Audience viewership more than doubled from the 2004 presidential election.
2008: MSNBC Criticized for Favoring Obama Over Clinton During Primaries
In 2008, MSNBC received criticism from some Democratic Party supporters, including Ed Rendell and Lanny Davis, for allegedly covering Barack Obama more favorably than Hillary Clinton during the Democratic Party primaries.
2008: Sarah Palin Was Republican vice presidential candidate
In 2008, Sarah Palin was Republican vice presidential candidate
2008: MSNBC Evening Lineup Gravitates to the Left
In 2008, Washington Post media analyst Howard Kurtz noted that MSNBC's evening lineup had gravitated to the left and saw itself as the antithesis of Fox News.
2008: MSNBC's Coverage of Obama and McCain in 2008 Election
In 2008, a study by the Project for Excellence in Journalism showed that MSNBC had less negative coverage of Barack Obama and more negative coverage of John McCain during the presidential election. MSNBC's slogan, "The Power of Change," was criticized for being too similar to Obama's campaign slogan.
January 1, 2009: MLB Network Launches from Former MSNBC Building
On January 1, 2009, Major League Baseball launched MLB Network from the former MSNBC building.
November 13, 2009: MSNBC's Dylan Ratigan Uses Photoshopped Pictures of Sarah Palin
On November 13, 2009, MSNBC's Dylan Ratigan used photoshopped pictures of Sarah Palin on the channel's Morning Meeting program. Ratigan apologized a few days later.
2009: Verizon Files Complaint Against MSNBC's Carriage Agreement
In 2009, Verizon filed a formal "program-access complaint" with the Federal Communications Commission seeking the termination of MSNBC's exclusive carriage deal. Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal supported Verizon's petition, arguing the arrangement could be illegal.
February 2, 2010: FiOS Adds MSNBC in New York City and New Jersey
On February 2, 2010, FiOS added the MSNBC channel in New York City and New Jersey after entering into a new contract.
April 12, 2010: MSNBC Launched on XM and Sirius Satellite Radio
On April 12, 2010, MSNBC launched on XM Satellite Radio channel 120 and Sirius Satellite Radio channel 90, marking the second time MSNBC was available on satellite radio.
June 2010: MSNBC Airs Documentary 'Rise of the New Right'
In June 2010, MSNBC aired the documentary 'Rise of the New Right,' featuring interviews with right-wing figures and covering various aspects of the right-wing movement.
October 11, 2010: MSNBC Unveils "Lean Forward" Marketing Campaign
On October 11, 2010, MSNBC unveiled a new $2 million marketing campaign, "Lean Forward," to promote the channel as a progressive competitor to Fox News Channel.
October 2010: MSNBC Adopts 'Lean Forward' Tagline
In October 2010, MSNBC began using the tagline "Lean Forward", signaling an embrace of its politically progressive identity.
November 5, 2010: Keith Olbermann suspended for political contributions
On November 5, 2010, MSNBC President Phil Griffin suspended Keith Olbermann indefinitely without pay for having contributed $2,400 to each of three Democratic Party candidates during the 2010 midterm election cycle, violating NBC News policy.
November 7, 2010: Olbermann to return to MSNBC
On November 7, 2010, MSNBC announced that Keith Olbermann, who had been suspended on November 5, 2010, would be back on the air starting on November 9, 2010.
2010: MSNBC Surpasses CNN in Viewership
In 2010, MSNBC surpassed CNN in primetime and overall viewership for the first time since 2001.
2010: MSNBC Beats CNN in Primetime and Overall Ratings
In the first quarter of 2010, MSNBC beat CNN in primetime and overall ratings for the first time since 2001. Several programs, including Morning Joe and The Rachel Maddow Show, finished ahead of their CNN competitors.
2010: MSNBC Continues Lead Over CNN
In the third quarter of 2010, MSNBC continued its lead over CNN, beating the network in total day for the first time since 2001 in the key adult demographic.
January 21, 2011: Keith Olbermann's Departure from MSNBC
On January 21, 2011, Keith Olbermann announced his departure from MSNBC, with no further explanation provided by the network. Olbermann later joined Current TV.
2011: Cenk Uygur Departs from MSNBC
After his departure from MSNBC in 2011, Cenk Uygur said that MSNBC management had told him "people in Washington" were "concerned about [his] tone."
2011: MSNBC Referred to as Left-Leaning
In 2011, Politico referred to MSNBC as "left-leaning", and Steve Kornacki of Salon.com stated that MSNBC's prime-time lineup is now awash in progressive politics.
January 2012: MSNBC's Coverage of Iowa Republican Caucuses Criticized
In January 2012, MSNBC's coverage of the Iowa Republican caucuses, utilizing commentators such as Rachel Maddow and Chris Matthews, was criticized for aiming to create controversy rather than providing straight news coverage.
July 16, 2012: Microsoft Sells Stake in MSNBC.com
On July 16, 2012, Microsoft sold its stake in MSNBC.com to NBCUniversal, and the website was rebranded as NBCNews.com.
November 2012: MSNBC Called 'The Anti-Fox'
In November 2012, The New York Times called MSNBC "The Anti-Fox", with former President Bill Clinton stating it had become "our version of Fox."
2012: MSNBC's Coverage of Romney and Obama in Final Week of 2012 Campaign
During the final week of the 2012 presidential campaign, MSNBC's coverage of Mitt Romney was overwhelmingly negative, while their coverage of Barack Obama became more positive, according to a study by the Pew Research Center's Project for Excellence in Journalism.
2012: Microsoft Divests Stake in MSNBC.com
In 2012, Microsoft divested its stake in the MSNBC.com website, which was subsequently rebranded as NBCNews.com. MSNBC.com was later taken over by the cable channel's editorial staff.
November 15, 2013: Martin Bashir resigns after controversial comment about Sarah Palin
On November 15, 2013, Host Martin Bashir resigned after making a controversial comment about Sarah Palin, referencing the cruel and barbaric punishment of slaves as described by slave overseer Thomas Thistlewood.
2013: Alec Baldwin's show suspended after homophobic slur
In 2013, Alec Baldwin's 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.
2013: Melissa Harris-Perry's show segment sparks controversy
In 2013, Melissa Harris-Perry's show featured a picture of Mitt Romney's family, including his adopted African-American grandchild. The guest panel made jokes about the photo, leading to criticism and an on-air apology from Harris-Perry.
2013: msnbc.com Re-launched as MSNBC Website
In 2013, msnbc.com was re-launched as the official website for MSNBC, featuring news, videos, essays, and opinion columns.
2013: MSNBC Found to Be Most Opinionated News Network
In the Pew Research Center's 2013 "State of the News Media" report, MSNBC was identified as the most opinionated news network, with 85 percent of its content being commentary or opinions.
July 2014: msnbc.com Launches msnbc2
In July 2014, msnbc.com launched msnbc2, a brand for web-only series hosted by MSNBC personalities.
December 2014: msnbc2 Renamed Shift
In December 2014, msnbc2 was renamed shift, with programming less focused on politics and more tailored to a younger audience.
2014: Decline in MSNBC's Ratings
During 2014, MSNBC's total ratings in the 25–54 demographic declined by 20 percent, falling to third place behind CNN. However, MSNBC retained its lead among the Hispanic and African-American demographics.
2014: Partnership Between NTV Turkey and MSNBC Ends
In 2014, the partnership between NTV Turkey and MSNBC, which resulted in the news channel NTV-MSNBC, came to an end.
2015: Allegations of anti-Israel bias against Ayman Mohyeldin
In 2015, Ayman Mohyeldin was reporting live from Gaza, where he claimed to have witnessed an unarmed Palestinian man being shot by Israeli police, but the man turned out to be wielding a large knife, which led to allegations of anti-Israel bias in his reporting.
June 2016: New Tagline "This is who we are"
In June 2016, MSNBC began using the tagline "This is who we are" as part of its branding and promotional efforts.
September 2016: Launch of The 11th Hour with Brian Williams
In September 2016, MSNBC launched The 11th Hour with Brian Williams. It was a nightly wrap-up of the day's news and a preview of the following day's headlines and MSNBC's first new primetime program in nearly four years.
January 2017: Debut of For the Record with Greta
In January 2017, MSNBC debuted For the Record with Greta, hosted by Greta Van Susteren, in the 6 pm ET hour.
March 2017: Increased Use of NBC News Branding
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.
May 8, 2017: Introduction of Deadline: White House
On May 8, 2017, MSNBC introduced a new late-afternoon program, Deadline: White House, hosted by Nicolle Wallace.
June 2017: Cancellation of For the Record with Greta
In late June 2017, MSNBC cancelled For the Record with Greta after it aired for six months. Subsequently, Ari Melber was promoted to host The Beat with Ari Melber at 6 pm.
2017: Trump Criticizes Mika Brzezinski and Joe Scarborough
In 2017, Donald Trump referred to Morning Joe host Mika Brzezinski as "low I.Q. Crazy Mika" and Joe Scarborough as "Psycho Joe" in a tweet.
April 16, 2018: Premiere of Morning Joe First Look and Retirement of On-Air News Ticker
On April 16, 2018, MSNBC premiered a new early morning program, Morning Joe First Look, replacing Way Too Early. The same day, MSNBC also retired its on-air news ticker, citing a desire to reduce distractions.
September 2018: MSNBC Reach in Households
As of September 2018, approximately 87 million households in the United States (90.7 percent of pay television subscribers) were receiving MSNBC.
February 2, 2019: NBC reports Tulsi Gabbard campaign benefiting from Russian state media
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.
March 2019: Accusations of MSNBC ceding editorial control to DNC
In March 2019, Yashar Ali of The Huffington Post accused MSNBC managing editor Dafna Linzer of ceding editorial control to the Democratic National Committee regarding the announcement of DNC debate locations.
October 2019: Jacobin Argues MSNBC Embodies Trump-Era Liberalism
In October 2019, the American socialist magazine Jacobin argued that "MSNBC embodies the politics and sensibility of Trump-era liberalism."
November 2019: MSNBC Launches in Australia on Fetch TV
In November 2019, MSNBC launched in Australia on the Fetch TV online PayTV network, channel 171, offering a direct US feed without delay. Fetch TV also provides MSNBC programs on a reverse EPG, enabling viewers to watch shows from the previous 24 hours.
November 2019: Andrew Yang criticizes MSNBC coverage
In November 2019, candidate Andrew Yang and his supporters criticized MSNBC's coverage of his campaign and his speaking time at a primary debate hosted by MSNBC.
December 2019: Analysis of MSNBC's coverage of Democratic primary
In December 2019, In These Times analyzed MSNBC's coverage of the 2020 Democratic Party presidential primary between August and September 2019, finding that the network 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.
2019: MSNBC's 'bland, evenhanded respectability'
In 2019, Maria Bustillos noted that MSNBC's 'bland, evenhanded respectability is buttressed with a careful performance of diversity', discouraging anchors' personal convictions in favor of interchangeable television personalities.
2019: Pew Research Center Survey on MSNBC's Viewers
In 2019, a Pew Research Center survey revealed that 74% of Americans who cited MSNBC as their primary political news source were 50 or older, with 44% being 65 or older. Also, 95% of MSNBC's primary news source viewers identified as Democrats, making MSNBC and Fox News the most partisan news sources among US adults.
February 2020: Jason Johnson suspended after controversial comments
In February 2020, MSNBC contributor Jason Johnson was temporarily suspended after backlash over his comments about Bernie Sanders supporters and African-American Sanders staffers.
March 2, 2020: Chris Matthews' Resignation and Premiere of The ReidOut
On March 2, 2020, Chris Matthews abruptly announced his resignation from Hardball and MSNBC effective immediately. On July 20, MSNBC premiered The ReidOut with Joy Reid to fill the hour.
July 2020: Jason Johnson reinstated
In July 2020, Jason Johnson was reinstated after having been suspended in February 2020.
December 7, 2020: Rashida Jones Announced as New President of MSNBC
On December 7, 2020, MSNBC announced that Rashida Jones would succeed Phil Griffin as president in 2021, with plans to increase investment in documentary-style programs.
2020: MSNBC hosts make controversial historical references
In 2020, MSNBC faced scrutiny for historical references made by Chris Matthews and Chuck Todd during the first three primary-season state votes. Matthews compared Sanders to George McGovern and invoked "the fall of France" in 1940, while Todd quoted an article comparing Sanders' supporters to Nazi brown shirts. These analogies were criticized, and Matthews later apologized.
March 29, 2021: Refreshed Logo and Rebranding of MSNBC Live
On March 29, 2021, MSNBC introduced a refreshed logo and on-air imaging, including rebranding MSNBC Live as MSNBC Reports.
July 2021: MSNBC Presence on Peacock Streaming Service
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."
March 10, 2022: Launch of MSNBC Hub on Peacock
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.
April 2023: MSNBC Added to Foxtel and Flash in Australia
In April 2023, MSNBC was added to subscription-television outlet Foxtel and its streaming service Flash in Australia, as part of a programming agreement between the Foxtel Group and NBCUniversal.
October 2023: MSNBC Added to Binge in Australia
In October 2023, MSNBC was added to Binge, another of Foxtel's streaming services, in Australia.
January 13, 2024: MSNBC Revamps Weekend Schedule
On January 13, 2024, MSNBC revamped its weekend schedule. The revamp would end shows like Mehdi Hasan's show on Sundays and Yasmin Vossoughian Reports, Symone, and American Voices, and move shows like The Sunday/Saturday Show with Jonathan Capehart and The Katie Phang Show into new slots. The revamp would also introduce 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. Additionally, Ayman would expand to two hours each on Saturdays and Sundays, and Alex Witt Reports would take over Yasmin Vossoughian's vacated two hours. The 5 p.m. hour would be filled by The Beat Weekend and MSNBC Prime Weekend on Saturday and Sunday.
November 20, 2024: NBCUniversal Announces Intent to Spin Off MSNBC
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.
2024: MSNBC's Evening Programming Features Progressive Hosts
As of 2024, MSNBC's evening programming features progressive hosts.
January 13, 2025: The Rachel Maddow Show Returns to Weeknight Schedule Temporarily
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.
January 14, 2025: Jones to Step Down as Head of MSNBC
On January 14, 2025, it was announced that Jones would step down as head of MSNBC.
February 2025: Rebecca Kutler Appointed President of MSNBC
In February 2025, after acting as interim president, Rebecca Kutler was appointed president of MSNBC.
February 23, 2025: Reports of Planned Changes to MSNBC Lineup
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.
May 2025: Trump Accuses MSNBC of Major Campaign Violation
In May 2025, Donald Trump accused MSNBC of committing a "Major Campaign Violation" after statements critical of Trump's Liberation Day tariffs were made by hosts on the network.
August 2025: Trump Calls Nicolle Wallace a 'Loser'
In August 2025, Donald Trump referred to Deadline: White House host Nicolle Wallace as a "loser", and predicted that she would be fired from the network.
August 18, 2025: MSNBC Rebrand Announcement
On August 18, 2025, it was announced that as part of the spinoff, MSNBC would rebrand as MS NOW (a backronym of "My Source [for] News, Opinion, [and the] World").
September 25, 2025: MSNBC Reaches Agreement with Sky News
On September 25, 2025, MSNBC reached an agreement with Comcast sister property Sky News to use its resources for international news coverage.
2025: Planned Rebrand of MSNBC
In early 2025, MSNBC began to decrease its reliance on NBC News personalities and resources. It was also announced that the channel will rebrand as "MS NOW" in the future.
2025: MSNBC's Viewership Statistics
In the second quarter of 2025, MSNBC was the second most-watched cable news network. The Rachel Maddow Show was the only non-Fox News show to appear in the quarter's top 15 cable news programs.
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