MSNBC
A U.S. cable news network site focused on politics and opinion programming.
MSNBC at a glance
MSNBC is a news & media website and one of the most visited sites in United States, currently ranked #149 in the country. It was founded in 1996 by NBC, Microsoft and is headquartered in New York, NY, USA. Today MSNBC is owned by Versant Media Group. Our estimates put its audience at ≈ 90 million visits per month. The business earns money mainly through tv advertising, carriage fees, digital advertising. Its closest rivals include cnn.com, foxnews.com, nbcnews.com.
Traffic statistics
Traffic history
| Period | Visits | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Q1 | ≈ 84.6 million / month | +2% |
| Q2 | ≈ 87.3 million / month | +3% |
| Q3 | ≈ 90 million / month | +3% |
| Q4 | ≈ 95.4 million / month | +6% |
Traffic sources
- Direct37%
- Organic search34%
- Social18%
- News aggregators8%
- Email3%
Audience & demographics
- Men55%
- Women45%
- Age 35-4426%
- Age 45-5423%
- Age 25-3422%
The audience is concentrated in United States, skewing urban and mobile, with usage peaks in the evening hours.
Geographic reach
- United States86%
Home market
- Diaspora and neighbouring markets7%
- Europe3%
- North America2%
- Rest of world2%
SEO profile
- Estimated organic traffic
- ≈ 27 million visits / month
- Branded share of search
- High — brand terms lead the keyword profile
- Indexed pages
- Large — category, listing or article level
- Primary search market
- United States
Top organic keywords
| Keyword | Position | Volume | Traffic share |
|---|---|---|---|
| msnbc | 1 | Very high | Dominant |
| breaking news | Top 10 | High | — |
| today's headlines | Top 10 | High | — |
| live coverage | Top 10 | High | — |
Backlink profile
- Referring domains
- Tens of thousands
- Link profile
- News coverage, directories, blogs and partner sites
- Authority
- High within the United States web
Top referral sources
- News and media31%
- Directories and aggregators24%
- Blogs and forums20%
- Partner sites14%
- Other11%
Technology stack
Website technologies
Advertising & analytics technologies
Stack details are inferred from public front-end signals and engineering communications; internal systems may differ.
Mobile app statistics
Available in the local store
Available in the local store
- App share of traffic
- ≈ 79% mobile
- Position in country
- Among the leading news & media apps in United States
Company information
- Website
- msnbc.com
- Sector
- News & Media
- Owner
- Versant Media Group
- Owner type
- Public company
- Founders
- NBC, Microsoft
- Founded
- 1996
- Headquarters
- New York, NY, USA
- Employees
- 1,000+
- Ownership
- Versant Media Group controls the platform. Ownership details are based on public filings and press reporting.
- Revenue
- ≈ $1 billion annual revenue (est.)
- Languages
- English
- Top traffic sources
- direct, organic search, social
Financials
- Revenue
- ≈ $1 billion annual revenue (est.)
- Ownership
- Public company
- Reporting
- Figures based on public filings, press reports and market estimates
Business model & revenue
MSNBC operates a news and media publisher focused on United States. A U.S. cable news network site focused on politics and opinion programming. Revenue comes mainly from tv advertising, supported by the other lines listed below.
- TV advertising
- Carriage fees
- Digital advertising
Products & services
International presence
- Primary market
- United States
- Expansion
- Regional and diaspora audiences beyond the home market
Employee statistics
Customer statistics
Website rankings
- Country rank (United States)
- #149 in this index
- Sector rank
- Leading news & media site in United States
- Global rank
- 700
Main competitors
Website comparisons
| Website | Monthly visits | Rank | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| cnn.com | ≈ 54 million / month | #150 class competitor | — |
| foxnews.com | ≈ 40.5 million / month | #151 class competitor | — |
| nbcnews.com | ≈ 27 million / month | #152 class competitor | — |
What is MSNBC?
MSNBC (msnbc.com) is a news and media publisher serving users in United States. A U.S. cable news network site focused on politics and opinion programming. It ranks #149 among the most visited websites in the country in this index, within the news & media category.
Who owns MSNBC?
The site is operated by Versant Media Group, founded by NBC, Microsoft. The company was established in 1996 and is headquartered in New York, NY, USA. It employs around 1,000+.
Traffic and audience
Traffic estimates place MSNBC at roughly 90 million visits per month, about 3 million per day. Around 79% mobile of sessions come from mobile devices, and visitors view about 3.1 pages per visit with an average session of 3 min.
How MSNBC makes money
Revenue comes primarily from tv advertising, alongside carriage fees, digital advertising.
Competitors in United States
Its closest rivals include cnn.com, foxnews.com, nbcnews.com.
Data and accuracy
Company facts are drawn from public sources. Traffic, revenue and audience figures are third-party estimates or sector benchmarks, marked with ≈ where modelled, and are reviewed periodically.
Company history & milestones
- 1996
MSNBC is founded in New York, NY, USA.
- Growth phase
Expands its news & media offering and moves to a mobile-first product.
- Today
Ranks #149 among the most visited websites in United States.
User reviews & ratings
| Source | Score | Reviews | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google Play | ≈ 4.3 / 5 | — | Ratings from the local store listing |
| App Store | ≈ 4.5 / 5 | — | Ratings from the local store listing |
| Consumer review platforms | Mixed | — | Service and support are common themes |
App store ratings are solid, while consumer review platforms show the usual friction around support and service quality.
Pros & cons
Pros
- Broad daily news coverage with national reach
- Fast breaking-news publishing
- Free access to most articles
- Strong presence in search and social
Cons
- Heavy advertising load on article pages
- Editorial line criticised by parts of the audience
- Clickbait headlines on high-traffic sections
- Paywall limits on premium content
Key statistics
Frequently asked questions
Who owns MSNBC?
MSNBC is operated by Versant Media Group. Public company structure, based on public filings and press reporting.
Where is MSNBC headquartered?
MSNBC is headquartered in New York, NY, USA.
When was MSNBC founded?
MSNBC was founded in 1996 by NBC, Microsoft.
How many employees does MSNBC have?
MSNBC employs approximately 1,000+ people.
What is MSNBC's revenue?
MSNBC's revenue: ≈ $1 billion annual revenue (est.).
Who are MSNBC's competitors?
Main competitors in United States include cnn.com, foxnews.com, nbcnews.com.
How does MSNBC make money?
Mainly tv advertising, carriage fees, digital advertising.
Is MSNBC publicly traded?
MSNBC's ownership: Public company.
How many visitors does MSNBC get?
Third-party estimates place MSNBC at roughly 90 million visits per month, mostly from United States, with 79% mobile traffic.
Is MSNBC safe?
MSNBC is an established news & media site founded in 1996 and ranked #149 in United States; use the official domain msnbc.com and HTTPS.
Popular searches
Data sources & confidence
- Company website and public announcementsmsnbc.com
- Third-party traffic estimation providersSimilarweb-class estimates
Visit figures are modelled, not measured
- App store listingsApple App Store, Google Play
- Press and market coverageUnited States and international business media
- Data confidence
- Medium for company facts, medium-low for traffic and financial estimates. All modelled figures are rounded and marked with ≈.
- Last updated
- September 2026
Traffic, revenue and audience figures are third-party estimates or derived from sector benchmarks, and are reviewed periodically.
Social media profiles & statistics
Official brand account
Announcements and support
Community and campaigns
Company and hiring updates
Brand and product videos