MS NOW Adds 'Lovett or Leave It' to Saturday Nights, Deepening Crooked Media Alliance
MS NOW will broadcast the political comedy program 'Lovett or Leave It' on Saturday nights starting September 12, following a block of other Crooked Media shows. Hosted by Jon Lovett, the series features a rotating panel of guests from politics, comedy, and journalism. The move expands an earlier partnership that brought Crooked Media podcast content to the channel.
The Saturday 11 p.m. slot will feature Lovett’s weekly roundtable, which blends political commentary with comedic segments. This follows an earlier arrangement that already brought clips from several Crooked Media podcasts to the channel, including shows hosted by figures like Stacey Abrams and Jon Favreau. MS NOW reports that the existing block has attracted a notable share of first-time Saturday viewers, with many under 55. The network is using this programming to avoid traditional reruns, instead leaning into podcast-derived content to fill weekend hours. Parent company Versant is also expanding its digital and streaming efforts alongside this partnership.
This move may signal how cable networks are adapting to shifting viewing habits, using established digital personalities to draw younger audiences who might otherwise skip linear TV. It could blur the line between podcast and broadcast, potentially influencing how political commentary is packaged and consumed. Viewers may benefit from more accessible, entertainment-driven news analysis, though traditional journalism formats could face pressure to compete with opinion-heavy comedy. The effect on public discourse remains uncertain, but it likely reflects broader industry trends toward hybrid media.