An article summarized by Semafor:
MS NOW, the left-leaning cable news network, will launch a new membership program on September 9th as it looks to expand its digital business while traditional cable television declines. The program will cost $7.99 per month or $79.99 annually and offer members exclusive content, opportunities to interact with network personalities, community features and access to a 24/7 network stream. President Rebecca Kutler described the launch as the first step in a broader push to build direct-to-consumer products.
The membership was developed after MS NOW surveyed and interviewed 18,000 viewers, finding that fans wanted a more centralized news experience and opportunities to interact with journalists and other like-minded viewers. The network also sees a significant gap between its traditional television audience and people consuming its free digital content, creating an opportunity to convert more online users into paying customers and deepen their relationship with the brand.
MS NOW’s move reflects a broader shift among cable news networks toward direct-to-consumer digital businesses as audiences increasingly move away from traditional television. Fox News has expanded its Fox Nation streaming service, while CNN has moved toward a paid digital model after shutting down CNN+. MS NOW is taking a different approach, emphasizing community, personalities, exclusive experiences and events rather than simply putting its journalism behind a paywall. The launch is part of a larger strategy by parent company Versant to grow its digital consumer businesses.
