MS NOW’s Rebecca Kutler outlines vision for future of network, DTC offering

MS NOW announced plans to launch a direct-to-consumer membership product in summer 2026, marking what the network described as its most substantial digital investment in 30 years.

Rebecca Kutler, president of MS NOW, detailed the plans during Versant’s investor day presentation on Dec. 4.

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“This is an inflection point for our brand and for our business,” said Kutler. “In MS NOW’s 30-year history, there has never been a serious investment in digital. And our audience has never been given the chance to engage with a direct-to-consumer product that is built for them. It’s kind of crazy that no one has built something to reach this incredibly valuable audience until now.”

The offering differs from traditional subscription video-on-demand services, focusing instead on community features, curated content and access to on-air personalities – leaning into the network’s fan affinity and fandom.

“This product is not your typical streaming service, and it’s not just another news subscription,” Kutler said. “It will be a membership community designed to serve our core audience.”

The product will include live and virtual events with MS NOW talent, moderated discussion spaces and what the network termed “curated insights.” Members will also receive 24/7 access to MS NOW’s linear network feed.

The network conducted consumer research through surveys and interviews to shape the product.

Marcus Mabry, senior vice president of content strategy, is leading the DTC and subscription efforts. Melissa Beretta serves as vice president of strategic growth and operations, and Deep Bagchee is chief product and technology officer for news at Versant.

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Audience metrics and market position

During the presentation, Kutler highlighted audience data showing the growth of the network over the past two decades.

MS NOW averaged 375,000 primetime viewers in 2005, 686,000 in 2015 and 1.2 million in 2025, according to Nielsen data cited in the presentation.

The network’s audience composition includes Democrats, independents and Republicans, with Democrats comprising approximately half of total viewership, according to the presentation. MS NOW reported double-digit growth across all three demographic segments.

“MS NOW viewers are 60% less likely to cut the cord, making our network must carry for pay TV distribution partners,” Kutler said.

On digital, the network reported combined YouTube views that exceeded NBC News, ABC News and CBS News combined in 2025, according to ListenFirst data. MS NOW projected 7.7 billion total views across YouTube and TikTok for 2025, with more than 135 million podcast downloads.

ComScore data cited in the presentation showed the MS NOW website ranked first among political news sites for total minutes, averaging 25 minutes per visitor.

Product strategy and market approach

Kutler referenced Fox’s subscription model for Fox Nation and The New York Times’ vertical-focused digital business as examples that informed MS NOW’s approach.

“Fox… yes, Fox… they have proven that you can build a subscription model catering to superfans,” Kutler said. “Meanwhile, The New York Times has built a digital business by investing in verticals, audio, games, cooking.”

The network identified a potential audience ranging from 24 million Americans who currently pay for political news subscriptions to 130 million political news consumers in the U.S.

The DTC product follows MS NOW’s 2024 launch of MS NOW Live, an in-person event series. The network said it expects to triple live events in the coming year.

Kutler also highlighted several programs and the network’s robust newsgathering operation in the presentation.

Kutler positioned the network’s growth strategy around upcoming election cycles, including the 2026 midterm elections and the 2028 presidential race.

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“The path to the 2028 presidential election will run through MS NOW,” Kutler said. “And if recent history is any guide, that means double-digit audience growth.”

The network noted that news programming accounts for 25% of all hours watched on cable television, with three of the top five cable networks in the U.S. focused on political news.

MS NOW averaged nearly eight hours of weekly viewing per viewer, according to Nielsen data cited in the presentation.