what does msnbc stand for

MSNBC originally stood for the collaboration between Microsoft (MS) and the National Broadcasting Company (NBC). It was a portmanteau of MSN (Microsoft Network) and NBC, created when the cable news channel and news portal were launched in 1996 through a partnership between Microsoft and NBC. Microsoft divested its stake in the channel by 2005. As of 2025, MSNBC is undergoing a rebranding due to a corporate spinoff from Comcast. It will change its name to MS NOW, which stands for "My Source for News, Opinion, and the World," reflecting its goal to deliver breaking news and opinion journalism independently from NBC News.