NBC News Now focusing on ‘Generation of Now’ in new ad push

NBC News is crafting a revised approach to promoting its streaming service, NBC News Now, as viewers continue to flee traditional cable bundles and channel offerings.

The free ad-supported service first launched in 2019 and is reportedly profitable for NBCUniversal. The network replaced Signal, which was NBC News’ first trial in streaming news. 

Janelle Rodriguez, executive vice president at NBC News and head of NBC News Now, believes more work is ahead to help viewers discover the service. 

“We want to keep reintroducing ourselves to new audiences who are seeking out that kind of 24 hour news accessibility,” said Rodriguez in an interview with THR. 

NBC News Now aims to engage both long-time news enthusiasts accustomed to traditional linear television and a younger audience who form the majority of the service’s current viewership. 

To that end, NBC News is launching a new brand campaign starting Thursday, May 11. The campaign, tagged “news for the generation of now,” will highlight the service’s stable of anchors and correspondents both in-studio and in the field.

In the first spot, dynamic imagery from major stories is showcased along with clips of anchors and correspondents; flowing from one scene to another with dynamic motion. The spot also emphasizes that NBC News Now is streaming free and everywhere. This aligns with Rodriguez’s view of the organic shift in how consumers access their news.

NBC News Now’s model eschews the traditional cable practice of focusing heavily on guests and pundits. Instead, it emphasizes the strength of NBC’s global correspondent network. Rodriguez notes a growing viewer fatigue with the “talking head” format, leading the service to lean into its strength in on-the-ground reporting.

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The service experienced its best quarter in Q1 2023, with a 13% increase year over year. Moreover, March recorded the best month for the service since the same time last year when the war in Ukraine commenced.