As Americans flock to streaming alternatives, even stalwart cable brands find themselves at an inflection point. Can legacy networks like MSNBC maintain relevance when the worlds of technology, business, and consumer behavior seem to change every six months?
What makes this network worth watching in 2024 and beyond? As a technologist studying shifts in the media landscape, I believe MSNBC retains an integral yet evolving role amidst the unique demands of this decade.
The History: An Experiment Paying Off
When considering MSNBC‘s journey, it helps to revisit some key names and dates.
The network was founded in 1996 through a tech-media alliance few would have predicted — NBC and Microsoft came together to merge content and distribution in an all-news channel. The first anchors welcomed viewers from NBC‘s New York studios on July 15, 1996.
Early management set the pace as President Erik Sorenson groomed MSNBC’s news brand. Digital executive Rick Kaplan joined as president in 1998. And still at the helm today, original president Tom Rogers led everything from operations to affiliate sales.
By 2014 MSNBC clocked 185 million global subscribers, celebrating its first $2 billion revenue year. And after decades fine-tuning programming to more left-leaning tastes, 2022 saw MSNBC notch 1.5 million nightly viewers — 500,000 more sets of eyeballs than competitor CNN.
An Evolving Business Model
Like all networks, though, MSNBC faces pressures to adapt its business in recent years:
- Increased competition from digital native news upstarts and personality-driven indie productions on YouTube and podcasts
- Cord cutting trends sending more viewers to on-demand OTT alternatives
- Industry consolidation with major mergers shrinking the pool of cable and broadband distributors
In fact, by 2024 an estimated 31 million Americans will have abandoned cable — up 73% versus 2020. Yet MSNBC continues gaining ground with strategic decisions, innovative technologies, and investment in talent.
MSNBC Viewership vs. Competitors
| Network | 2022 Nightly Viewership | YoY Change |
|---|---|---|
| MSNBC | 1.5 million | +25% |
| Fox News | 1.3 million | -10% |
| CNN | 1 million | -20% |
This bump comes as owners Comcast and Charter engineer a combined broadband footprint reaching over 85 million U.S. households in 2024. And NBC News Now, the network‘s free streaming channel, expands addressable audience.
Plus with influential owner Comcast launching wireless service and smart home products, MSNBC can explore integrated mobile and OTT offerings fueled by 5G speeds.
Streaming & Cloud Fuel Agile Production
Many don‘t realize the tech infrastructure and software engines allowing MSNBC teams to deliver quality programming under the demands of live news.
I recently toured the NBC Broadcast Center to view the $100 million studio overhaul blending flexibility and high resolution. And controlling this backend is a discretionary cloud framework handling:
- Flexible control room configurations with Ateliere, AtomOS and Ross WindowsDash
- Remote production via Aviwest transmitters and Arista switching
- Channel playout through Harmonic spectrum servers
- Machine learning analytics in content and operations via Synamedia
The tech upgrade aligns with streaming-first directive across NBC and Sky. And features like live pause and unlimited DVR allow modern viewing access on Peacock.
Delivering these OTT and mobile experiences means supporting a range of bitrates, codecs, latency targets and cloud cost models. Not easy for traditional network executives!
Case Study: Morning Joe‘s Balancing Act
Having shadowed launch meetings back in 2007 for Morning Joe, I‘ve followed the team‘s own technical balancing act.
Hosts Joe Scarborough, Mika Brzezinski and Willie Geist often debate complex policy issues on a live 75-minute daily show. So running the broadcast mixing remote feeds and personality egos took early vision.
I remember the initial pitch to senior NBC execs for a "conversational coffee shop format." We have come so far 15 years later with tools like:
- Multi-box debriefs via Skype, satellite and wired shots
- AR graphics for engaging explainers and statistics
- Moment-to-moment social integrations blending opinion and evidence
- Archival content access finding supporting materials
And now in 2023, Machine Learning even auto-generates relevant background footage based on Joe‘s script outline!
Streaming Competition Heats Up
In my advisory work I see legacy networks pressured by streaming competition. Options like the $7 per month CNN+ experiment may struggle, but plenty of others fine tune their success formulas.
For example, endemic upstart Axios Davenport Lever ages content across HBO, Hulu and its own DTC channels. Crooked Media built a profitable model on subscription podcasts and streaming events.
To fortify share, MSNBC direct sold ad packages 25-30% higher in 2022 by enhancing targeting. As Cross Screen TV households hit over 80% in 2025, NBCUniversal also pushesMeasurement & Analytics gatherings to refine data.
AndComcast/NBCU‘sjointly-owned streaming platform Peacock offers MSNBC originals; while licensing deals with YouTubeTV, Hulu Live and FuboTV aid distribution.
The Road Ahead
While problems persist around misinformation and polarization, I applaud MSNBC‘s recent efforts elevating ethics and standards. More accessible short-form explainers counteract extremism with facts. And partnerships exposing issues around disability, mental health and addiction provide societal value.
With mid-term coverage heating up, MSNBC leverages its digital ecosystem ensuring voters stay informed. And regardless of party preference, even critics admit Rachel Maddow, Lawrence Wilkerson and Stephanie Ruhle raise the discourse bar.
So in a messy media universe filled with choice overload, angry pundits and algorithmic risks, we need MSNBC’s experiment to keep succeeding. I for one will be watching their innovation and impact closely through 2024 and beyond.
