MS NOW is adding twice-daily live Q&As with Rachel Maddow and other network personalities, along with guided meditations from Calm, as the cable news network rolls out its new paid membership offering.
The network unveiled new details Tuesday about its first direct-to-consumer product, which launches Wednesday for $7.99 per month. The membership is part of MS NOW parent Versant’s push to build direct relationships with consumers beyond the traditional cable bundle.
At noon ET each day, members will be able to submit questions to a rotating lineup of MS NOW anchors. Maddow will host “Ask Maddow Anything” on Mondays, while Joe Scarborough, Mika Brzezinski, Willie Geist and other “Morning Joe” personalities will hold a “Morning Joe Family Meeting” on Tuesdays.
Ali Velshi and Stephanie Ruhle will take Wednesdays, followed by Michael Steele on Thursdays, Jen Psaki on Fridays, hosts from “The Weekend” on Saturdays and Al Sharpton on Sundays.
Some members will also be able to join Maddow and the “Morning Joe” team directly over live video. A second daily session at 6 p.m., called “On the Ground With…,” will connect subscribers with MS NOW reporters covering the day’s biggest stories.
“For decades, audiences have invited us into their homes every day,” MS NOW president Rebecca Kutler said. “Tomorrow, we’re inviting them into the conversation.”
The membership will also include a less conventional feature for a cable news product: a way to take a break from the news.
MS NOW is partnering with Calm on a collection of guided meditations created exclusively for members. The feature will be integrated into the membership experience in what the network calls a “built-in off-ramp from the scroll,” with meditations intended to help subscribers reset after consuming the day’s news.
MS NOW is also adding contributors focused on how news and politics intersect with everyday life. Former ABC News journalist and “10% Happier” podcast host Dan Harris will cover mindfulness and stress, while therapist and author Nedra Glover Tawwab will focus on relationships and family dynamics.
Physician and science communicator Dr. Joel Bervell, MS NOW anchor and caregiving advocate Richard Lui and pediatric psychologist Dr. Ann-Louise Lockhart will also contribute programming on healthcare, caregiving and parenting.
MS NOW is betting that its direct-to-consumer future will depend on more than putting its television programming behind a paywall. The network is pairing greater access to its personalities with tools designed to give its most engaged news consumers a break from the news.
MS NOW said its research found that more than 9 in 10 viewers consider its lineup and trusted anchors a top reason they tune in each day. The research also found that viewers wanted to remain engaged with the news while finding ways to make the nonstop news cycle more manageable.
“Our Membership aims to help audiences stay engaged, meaning not only delivering trusted journalism but also creating thoughtful tools that help them process it, reflect on it, and come back ready to engage again,” MS NOW SVP of content strategy Marcus Mabry said.
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