Difference Between NBC and MSNBC

Table of Contents

In today’s date, staying updated is very essential. With the advent of technology, this has been made easier. News today is accessible anytime and anywhere. This has been possible because of the various broadcasters that exist today.  Along with news, several other entertainment options are available for consumption 24*7.

Among the various broadcasters that exist NBC and MSNBC are two of the most popular ones. Both NBC and MSNBC belong to the same group. They provide news, health, sports and entertainment. Since they belong to the same category, there are over disputes between them regarding news coverage and other programs.NBC and MSNBC are two separate broadcasting channels, which are both owned by NBCUniversal.

NBC vs MSNBC

The main difference between NBC and MSNBC is that NBC is a broadcasting channel that plays various kinds of TV shows, talk shows, kids shows and news content. On the other hand, MSNBC broadcasts news coverage all day, every day. It only shows live news, documentary programs and political opinions.

Comparison Table Between NBC and MSNBC

Parameter of Comparison NBCMSNBC
Stands for The NBC stands for National Broadcasting Company.The MSNBC stands for Microsoft National Broadcasting Company.
LaunchedThe NBC radio was launched on November 15, 1926, while the NBC television was launched on April 30, 1939. The MSNBC was launched on July 15, 1996
Ownership The NBC is owned by NBCUniversalThe MSNBC is owned by both NBCUniversal as well as Microsoft.
Airing CountriesNBC is aired in the United States of America. MSNBC is aired in the United States, Canada, Europe, South Africa and in the Middle East
Main ProgramThe NBC broadcasts TV shows, programs, kids programs, talk shows and news. The MSNBC broadcasts only news and political content. 
Slogan The main slogan of NBC is ‘More Colorful’MSNBC represents itself as “The Place for Politics” and “America’s Fastest-Growing News Channel”
PopularityNBC is more popular and reaches more houses. The MSNBC is less popular with a limited reach. 

What is NBC?

The NBC stands for National Broadcasting Corporation. It is a television-based broadcaster based in the United States of America. The radio network started in November 1926 in New York while the television network started in April 1939. Today the NBC is one of America’s largest commercial broadcasting radio and television network. 

The NBC is also commonly known as the “Peacock Network”. This is because of its logo. The logo is a peacock styled logo. The NBC is owned by NBCUniversal- a media company and a subsidiary of Comcast. In today’s date, NBC has about 10 owned and operated stations and approximately 200 affiliates in the US and other areas. 

The NBC is a broadcasting channel which plays various kinds of television shows, talk shows, day time shows, kids programs and also news. The programs are usually entertainment-focused just like the ITV. It also focuses on traditional programs. The slogan of NBC is “More Colorful”.  It is the oldest broadcaster in the United States.

Since NBC is the oldest broadcaster in the United States, it is immensely popular. The NBC has said to be reaching a majority of households in the United States. The growing popularity of it has enabled the growth of NBC-branded international channels in South Korea and Germany.

What is MSNBC?

MSNBC stands for Microsoft National Broadcasting Corporation. It is a popular American news channel that was founded on July 15, 1996. It was founded because of a partnership between Microsoft and NBC. Today, the NBC has 82 per cent of the shares in the MSNBC while Microsoft holds 19 per cent of the shares in MSNBC.

Today MSNBC comes among the three largest cable news networks in America. The main genre of MSNBC is politics. It broadcasts news and politics all day every day. Since one of the genres of NBC  is news, there are often disputes between NBC and MSNBC regarding news coverage.

The main slogan of MSNBC is “The Place for Politics” and “America’s Fastest-Growing News Channel”. The political affiliation of MSNBC is quite different from the NBC. MSNBC broadcasts not just in the United States but also in Canada, Europe, South Africa and in the Middle East. It is expected that the MSNBC reaches 80 million households. 

Main Differences Between NBC and MSNBC

  • The full form of NBC is the National Broadcasting Company whereas, on the other hand, the full form of MSNBC is Microsoft National Broadcasting Company.
  • The NBC radio was started in November 1926 and NBC television was started in April 1939. On the other hand, MSNBC was started in July 1996.
  • The main slogan of NBC is ‘More Colorful’, whereas, on the other hand, the main slogan of MSNBC is “The Place for Politics” and “America’s Fastest-Growing News Channel”.
  • The NBC is owned by NBCUniversal. On the other hand, the MSNBC is owned by both Microsoft and NBCUniversal, with NBC Universal holding 82 per cent of shares and Microsoft holding 18 per cent of shares 
  • The airing country of NBC is the United States of America whereas, on the other hand, the airing countries of MSNBC are Canada, United States, Europe, South Africa and the Middle East. 
  • The main genre of NBC is television shows, programs, talk shows, kids programs and news while on the other hand, the main genre of MSNBC is news and politics.
  • The NBC has a greater reach as compared to MSNBC whereas the MSNBC has a smaller reach as compared to the NBC.
  • Conclusion

    Both NBC and MSNBC are two of the most popular broadcasters in America. They belong to the same group and same genre. They are both owned by  NBCUniversal- a media company and a subsidiary of Comcast

    However, they differ from each other. NBC broadcasts various kinds of television shows, programs, kids programs, talk shows and news. On the other hand, MSNBC broadcasts news and political content. The NBC is older than the MSNBC. Moreover, NBC is more popular than MSNBC and has a wider reach. 

    References

  • https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1464884914545730
  • https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/article-abstract/257640
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