This Saturday, MSNBC It’s officially MS NOW, marking one of the biggest revolutions in modern cable news. weekendThe show, co-hosted by Jonathan Capehart, Eugene Daniels and Jackie Alemany, will usher in the first show to air under the network’s new banner. The change comes nearly six months into the trio’s on-air partnership, which has already built a reputation as a sharp show. political Interviews, viral cultural moments, and rare on-screen warmth.
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A quiet sound echoes inside the elevator. new york city 30 Rockefeller Plaza. Its brass doors close, reflecting decades of television history: interviews, anchors, and interns rushing between floors. Underneath the shoes of those lucky enough to ride it is a burgundy carpet emblazoned with the golden silhouette of NBC’s famous peacock, a relic from the golden age of network broadcasting.
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Capehart has spent much of his career walking on that rug. Almost 40 years ago, when I first came to NBC News as a student intern, I remembered the first time I stepped into 30 Rock and realized I was standing in the spotlight of the nation.
“I remember walking down those halls for the first time and thinking, “Wow. News is made here,” he said defender He said this in a joint interview with his co-hosts last week. He said the experience shaped everything he did afterwards, from writing Pulitzer Prize-winning editorials to interviewing presidents and civil rights leaders.
7 weeks ago he posted that photo Instagram It has a simple caption: “Take 30 photos of The Rock’s elevator carpet while you can.” The image shows his feet pointing toward a closed elevator door, a quiet snapshot of change. “I take pictures on the elevator carpet every time,” Capehart said. “I’m going to miss that carpet.”
when of weekend The show, which made history in May by becoming the first major network news program to be co-hosted by two gay men, will make history once again when it returns this Saturday. This will be the first broadcast under the network’s new name, MS NOW, as MSNBC officially separates from NBC News and operates as an independent newsroom under the recently formed Versant company.
The new name is a statement of intent. MS NOW stands for “News, Opinion, My Source of the World,” and emphasizes the network’s core promise of blending rigorous reporting, thoughtful commentary, and global perspectives in one destination.
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“It was fun,” Capehart said of the show’s start. “There’s a lot of news to report. We’re going through a lot with our split from Comcast, but we’re expanding as a company while the industry is shrinking. Even though we’re splitting off, we’ll have a new name, MS NOW, but our mission is the same. Our work won’t change and our programming won’t change even though the network name changes.”
Create a chemical reaction on live broadcast
After 6 months, weekend It has evolved from a promising concept to one of the most fluid and conversation-driven programs out there. political media. Daniels, who joined the network as an analyst in 2021, said jumping into his first full-time TV job earlier this year was “kind of like being thrown into it out of the blue.”
“There was no mitigation of that,” he said. “It was really fun to bring Jackie back. Jackie, Jonathan and I, you brought the three of us together and we really enjoy each other. We actually like each other. We have the same approach to journalism. So if you come on our show, no matter what political party you come from, we’re going to ask you tough questions. But we also think about all of this a little differently.”
Alemany, who returned from maternity leave in late August after anchoring only the first show before taking care of a newborn infant, said her co-hosts made coordinating the early morning call time smoother than she expected.
“Jonathan and Eugene made my transition back to work couldn’t be easier,” she said. “I underestimated how difficult it would be. They were very welcoming and supportive and really guided me.”
Their collective background explains their natural rhythm. Mr. Capehart is a former deputy editor for many years. washington post and the host PBS News Hourpreviously hosted Jonathan Capehart’s Sunday Showwas nominated for a 2025 GLAAD Media Award. Daniels is from politikowhere he served as chief correspondent and White House correspondent for “Playbook” and previously headed the White House Correspondents Association. Alemany arrived from washington postwon the Pulitzer Prize for Public Achievement for its coverage of the January 6 riot and storming of the Capitol.
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“It is clear that this joy of working together is closely related to the harsh and sometimes very sad reality of the news industry in which we live,” Alemany said. defender. “These two experiences can coexist, allowing us to find joy with our viewers every Saturday and Sunday morning, while also capturing the reality of what is happening to so many people in this country right now.”
One of the segments that tested their teamwork took place earlier. new york Governor Andrew Cuomo, who was running for mayor as an independent, also joined. weekend November 1st, a few days before new york city Mayoral election. During the interview, Cuomo confused Capehart and Daniels’ names multiple times and argued that “diversity is a strength, but it can also be a weakness.”
“We all looked at each other. We were all like, hmmm,” Daniels said. “In a way, it was my turn to go. Even without saying anything, we were all like, ‘You definitely heard about that, right?’ There’s a very clear unspoken understanding between the three of us.”
The exchange drew national attention for Cuomo’s remarks and the organizers’ response. “We have Footsie Morse code,” Daniels teased. Mr. Cuomo ultimately lost to Mayor-elect Zoran Mamdani, a democratic socialist genius.
Each co-host has a favorite moment from their time on air. For Capehart, it was actor Robert De Niro’s appearance in October to discuss the “No Kings Day” protests. “In addition to having him on the show, he was on set and we were all clutching our pearls when his language got a little salty. You can have a big name like Robert De Niro come on and talk about the country and not about acting, and you can do it in a way that’s a little bit spicy for morning TV,” Capehart said.
“We cannot stop the protests or we will endanger Trump’s third term in office,” De Niro warned. At that moment, weekendA company spokesperson said it was the most-watched clip on MSNBC’s digital platforms.
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Daniels pointed to an exclusive sit-down with the former vice president. kamala harris As a highlight. It was carried out in a hurry chicagoThe interview captures Harris’ statements about trust in the Justice Department and criticism of the Trump administration’s politicization of the justice system. Everybody came together right away,” Daniels said.
Alemany said her favorite moments aren’t about the headline guests, but the connections she shares with her co-stars. “Our interviews are truly a team sport,” she said. defender. “There were many memorable moments as we listened to each other, collaborated with each other, and sometimes elicited surprising responses.”
When asked who they would like to interview next, each co-host gave an answer that revealed their journalistic instincts and curiosity about the current moment. Mr. Capehart explained that he wanted to hear what former President George W. Bush thought about today’s situation. republican party. “I want you to tell me how you feel about the current situation,” he said in the interview, nodding to Bush’s complicated legacy and his distance from the Trump-era Republican Party.
Daniels said he wants to bring together former House speakers like Newt Gingrich and Nancy Pelosi, politicians who helped define the modern congressional battlefield. He said he wanted to discuss how the Republican Party, led by Speaker Mike Johnson, has relinquished political power. “Get them in the same room,” he said, smiling as he imagined a conversation about power, polarization and what it means to govern in a divided America.
In a dry aside, Alemany added: “President Vladimir Putin is probably from Switzerland.”
The show’s evolution reflects the parent network’s reinvention. On Saturday, MSNBC becomes MS NOW, creating a new independent entity within Versant, the independent media company created after Comcast spun off NBCUniversal’s cable network. MS NOW’s newsroom, led by President Rebecca Kutler, has added more than 30 Pulitzer, Emmy and Murrow Award-winning journalists, according to network details.
“It was a big deal,” Capehart said. “We’re going through a lot with the split with Comcast.” For him, the change is hopeful. Daniels called this “a rare silver lining in journalism,” noting that MS NOW is “doubling, tripling, quadrupling.”
Versant’s news division now includes an enhanced Washington bureau, major content partnerships with Sky News and AccuWeather, and a rebranding campaign introducing the slogan “Same mission. New name.” The network averages 1.2 million prime-time viewers, according to Nielsen, which is twice that number. CNN And it has generated more than 6.7 billion views on TikTok and YouTube so far this year.
“People are looking for really trustworthy news,” Daniels said. “That’s what we’re building.”
Capehart and Daniels have both come out as gay. Alemany is an award-winning journalist who has covered the centers of power for a decade. Their appearance on MS NOW’s weekend showpiece suggests something big about representation in political journalism.
“You can’t tell the whole story of America if everyone at the table comes from the same place,” Daniels says. Capehart added that empathy is at the heart of the technology: “Truth and empathy are not opposed.”
Alemany said weekend This gives us an opportunity to balance the urgency of breaking news with the depth of responsible reporting. “We can respond in real time,” she said. “It’s a responsibility. I can see it happening.”
Capehart shares his journey from NBC intern to co-host weekend By his own admission, it’s surreal. Winner of Pulitzer Prize, Emmy Award, and GLAAD Award. new york times With a best-selling memoir to his name, he is preparing a new chapter with MS NOW.
“After all these decades, being out of the same building as part of an independent network feels like we’ve come full circle,” he says. “I had an incredible run there, and I will always remember that elevator photo.”
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