Media News Daily: Top Stories for 11/17/2025

MSNBC Rebrands as ‘MS NOW’ Under New Ownership

MSNBC officially transitioned to a new identity as “MS NOW” on Saturday, following its separation from NBCUniversal and integration into a new Comcast-created company called Versant. The new name—an acronym for “My Source for News, Opinion and the World”—coincides with a broader restructuring effort aimed at creating an independent brand. The rebranding eliminates the Peacock logo and ends its reliance on NBC News for reporting resources. Despite this, MS NOW stated its programming, including hosts and scheduling, remains unchanged. Versant CEO Mark Lazarus described the change as a chance to build a standalone news organization. The network is also launching a “Morning Joe” newsletter and investing in its own newsroom in a new Manhattan headquarters. Read More (The Hill Rating)

Google Seeks Dismissal of Penske Media Copyright Scraping Lawsuit

Google and parent company Alphabet have moved to dismiss a lawsuit filed by Penske Media Corporation (PMC), which accuses Google’s AI-generated content summaries of unlawfully using its articles. PMC—publisher of titles like Rolling Stone, Variety, and The Hollywood Reporter—claims that Google’s summaries reduce traffic to its sites and exploit its journalism without compensation. The tech giant filed for the case’s dismissal “with prejudice,” meaning it cannot be refiled. Google did not explain the basis for dismissal in its filing but requested oral arguments. Read More (MediaPost Rating)

Trump Threatens $1–$5 Billion Lawsuit Against BBC Over Edited Jan. 6 Documentary

President Donald Trump announced plans to sue the BBC, claiming the broadcaster deceptively edited footage of his January 6, 2021 speech, making it appear as though he incited violence during the Capitol riot. The contested BBC documentary spliced separate portions of his speech, portraying him as calling for aggressive action. Trump cited this as defamation and said he would consult with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer. While the BBC apologized for the misleading impression and withdrew the program, it declined Trump’s demand for financial compensation. Trump likened the incident to alleged media misrepresentations involving other political figures. Read More (The Hill Rating)