MS NOW enters ‘State of Play’ with traditional look with some twists

MS NOW debuted “State of Play with Peter Alexander,” the latest addition to its broader revamped dayside lineup, with a collection of graphics that play tribute to some of the traditions of Washington, D.C. 

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The show, anchored by former NBC News anchor and correspondent Peter Alexander, originates from Studio N5 inside MS NOW’s Washington, D.C., bureau. The space was originally built for MSNBC, MS NOW’s predecessor, and had also been used by NBC News proper prior to the Versant spinoff. 

As previously reported, the show uses a color palette that offers a slightly different take on the American flag’s highly recognizable red, white and blue standard — but instead of white, a warm beige is used.

This collection of colors, which can also be accented with wood textures, is used prominently in the show open, which also features a collection of photos showcasing Alexander at work in the field, is accompanied by patriotic music that’s heavy on the prominent percussion and brass elements. 

The open, along with show graphics going to and from breaks, emphasizes a combination of strong vertical and horizontal bars, with much of the motion from the package coming from the vertical elements moving across the screen. 

The show uses the large video wall alcove installed in Studio N5 as its home base. 

On debut day Aug. 10, 2026, the show kicked off with Alexander standing next to a dark wood table as he promotes the upcoming segments on the show with coordinating video and imagery appearing on the video wall behind him.

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However, on its second day out, this segment was modified to a more standard one-shot with traditional boxed OTS graphics camera right.

Most of the show takes place in front of a virtual set extension fed to the video wall. This features a bold blue background with a gold-outlined arched window with a simulated view of the White House in the center.

On either side of this are vertical bold red, skinny beige and simulated wood slat elements. The camera-left graphic features another taller faux window showcasing the Washington Monument flanked by beige stone walls accented with tubular wall sconces. Opposite this is a simple triptych of traditional paneling that serves as the background behind in-studio guests.

These panels — along with the windows — are outlined with a gold hue in a style reminiscent of architectural elevations, though the virtual views they offer are full-color photographs.

Other parts of the VSE, meanwhile, feature a subtle repeating background of badge-style press passes with Alexander’s name on them.

In some ways, the use of blue and gold outlines feels a bit like the D.C. street grid map-inspired backgrounds used on “The Briefing with Jen Psaki,” another MS NOW show, though her look features thicker lines that skew more toward the yellow-green part of the spectrum.