It has been a long time since I abandoned watching CNN. Obviously, there was already a “fuck no” to watching Fox News. The only news channel that I can stomach for certain hours a day is (well was) MSNBC. When I stopped getting cable or any kind of cable service, I always wondered why they offered a streaming version of MSNBC. Fox has their version, as does CNN. Now that it has become MS NOW – not a great name – they are finally offering a direct-to-consumer product, starting next month.

MS NOW will launch a new membership plan for consumers on Wednesday, September 9, according to Cord Cutter. The membership will give users access to 24/7 live streams, original content, television programming, and ways to connect with anchors, reporters, and others in the community.

“From the beginning, we’ve approached this deliberately. When we launched MS NOW, our ‘We the People’ campaign was never just a tagline. Our mission has always been to inform, engage and empower our audience,” said Rebecca Kutler, president of MS NOW. “Our Membership is the first step in a long-term strategy to deepen our relationship with audiences in ways that build on what they already value about MS NOW, while addressing what consumers told us was missing from the news experience. We will continue to research, test, and refine this experience because we want it to be something that our loyal MS NOW fans genuinely love, as well as something that future fans genuinely need.”

MS NOW Offering a Direct-to-Consumer Option

This is a solid idea. As someone who cut the cord, this was one of the few channels I missed. Sure, I could watch highlights from YouTube or listen to certain shows via podcasts. But, when I make my move again, I could cut the cord and pay for this service to watch.

The new MS NOW membership will be available for $7.99 per month of $79.99 per year. At launch and through September 30, new members can take advantage of an introductory offer of $39.99 for their first full year. That introductory offer is very solid of a price. Something I would like to take advantage of.