What Does MSNBC Stand For?
MSNBC is one of the many news outlets available. The MSNBC brand is a merger between Microsoft and NBC. NBC is one of the largest broadcasting companies in North America, particularly in the United States. They not only broadcast sitcoms and dramas, but they also produce talk shows and news broadcasts that cover the events and news from across the nation and around the world.
With the advent of the Internet and its ability to provide information on current events from all parts of the planet, the logical extension of television and radio newscasts is to the Internet. This opens a media market for the United States and allows the American viewpoint on news to be presented worldwide. Amidst the increasing importance of the Internet, two companies, Microsoft and NBC, have different markets and influence different segments of society and the world. While NBC has its main focus on television broadcasts and some radio programs, it is certainly known around the globe as a leader in news broadcasting.
Microsoft, on the other hand, has the experience and expertise to make Internet media a formidable outlet for local and world news. Up to the minute broadcasts on the Internet can be found about weather, sports and current events. Often, the information that you will find on the Internet is different and more extensive than what you can receive on televised broadcasts within your own country. Many countries still have government controlled media and the true facts of a story are only obtainable from news sources from other countries.
Merged Efforts
The two giants in business, Microsoft and NBC, joined forces in 1996 to form MSNBC and msnbc.com. The name MSNBC comes from the MS for Microsoft and the NBC from the other owning partner, NBC.
Initially, the two companies' new venture was primarily focused on the creation of their cable channel. Since the beginnings, MSNBC-Africa, MSNBC-Canada and NTV-MSNBC (broadcasting in Turkey) have all been added to the family of channels. They also have a dedicated HD channel. MSNBC hasn’t made the move to broadcast in Europe or Asia yet. They originally had plans to begin broadcasting in those markets in 1997, but those plans never came to fruition.
The focus of MSNBC has also spread to the Internet. In the Internet news market, MSNBC has been reported to have topped Yahoo and CNN in the area of Internet news sources by Nielsen online.
MSNBC Viewpoints
Many critics of MSNBC have cited their distinctly liberal bent towards the news. MSNBC has been accused of taking the liberal stance on many issues and delivering the reporting with a distinct bias. The channel and company further has also been labeled as taking a pro-Obama stance on key political issues.
Each station and channel that broadcasts is welcome to take their own view and stance on issues but in the all important job of reporting the news and events, facts should be the primary information presented and not opinion and editorials that are meant to sway the viewers mind. MSNBC has no qualms about leaning to the left in its views just as FOX News reports and leans to the right.
Many critics have come up with their own meanings for the initials of the station. So, what does MSNBC stand for in their eyes? One example of an alternate name is “Must Show Nothing But Cheney.” Others have suggested that the MS in MSNBC stands for Morally Superior, or Misinformation or Mission Satisfactory.
MSNBC has become one of the largest and most read or watched stations for news in the world. They provide extensive coverage of all parts of the world and the changing events in areas such as weather, political news and current events. Whether you have the ability to listen to radio, watch television or log onto a computer, MSNBC can provide up to the minute news about the happenings of the world.