Even Tom Hanks appears to understand the problem facing modern cable news networks like MS NOW.
While attending the opening celebration for the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago, the Toy Story 5 star was approached by MS NOW correspondent Jacob Soboroff for a live interview. Before the conversation even began, Hanks delivered a line that immediately went viral.
Tom Hanks: “What can I do for the 800 people watching MS NOW?”
😂😂😂 pic.twitter.com/ndF13MuJvv
— Daily Wire (@realDailyWire) June 18, 2026
“What can I do for the 800 people watching MS NOW?” Hanks joked.
When Soboroff pushed back, Hanks doubled down.
“All right, add a zero if you need to.”
The exchange generated laughs from both the reporter and the studio hosts, but it also landed because it touched on a reality that millions of Americans increasingly recognize: cable news no longer occupies the dominant position it once held in American culture.
Tom Hanks’ Joke Exposed the Truth
The joke works because audiences understand what Hanks was really saying. Cable news ratings have become so small relative to modern media that a Hollywood celebrity can openly mock them on the network’s own airwaves.
According to first-quarter Nielsen data, MS NOW averaged approximately 691,000 total-day viewers and 1.1 million primetime viewers. Fox News reported roughly 1.7 million total-day viewers and 2.6 million primetime viewers during the same period.
Tom Hanks and TIm Allen with Woody and Buzz – YouTube, Pixar
By historical standards, those numbers are not impressive.
Cable news networks once measured their influence through audiences that reached deep into American households. Today, even the second-largest cable news network struggles to consistently attract more than a million viewers during primetime.
The Real Competition Isn’t Fox News
The bigger problem for MS NOW isn’t Fox News.
It’s the internet.
Many independent podcasters, YouTubers, streamers, and digital commentators now routinely generate audiences that rival or exceed entire cable news programs. A single viral interview, podcast episode, or YouTube video can reach millions of viewers without requiring a television network, a Manhattan newsroom, or decades of corporate infrastructure.
Rachel Maddow speaks during her show on MSNBC – YouTube, MSNBC
That’s why Hanks’ joke resonated.
Americans increasingly get their news, political commentary, and entertainment from creators they choose to follow directly rather than from legacy television networks.
The media landscape that once made cable news indispensable no longer exists.
MS NOW Is Still Trying to Establish Its Identity
The network’s struggles are compounded by its recent rebranding.
After separating from NBCUniversal, MSNBC became MS NOW in late 2025. The network spent millions introducing viewers to the new name while attempting to reassure audiences that its mission hadn’t changed.
The problem is that a new logo and a new name don’t solve the larger issue facing cable television.
The Logo for MS NOW – Photo Courtesy of Versant
The audience continues to age, cord-cutting continues to accelerate, and younger viewers increasingly consume news through social media, podcasts, YouTube, streaming platforms, and alternative media outlets rather than traditional television channels.
As a result, networks like MS NOW find themselves competing not only against Fox News and CNN, but against virtually every creator with a camera, microphone, and internet connection.
Why The Moment Matters
What makes Hanks’ comment noteworthy is not simply that he made the joke.
It’s that he made it while standing on a network that generally shares many of his own political and cultural viewpoints.
Had the joke come from a conservative commentator, it would have been dismissed as partisan criticism. Coming from one of Hollywood’s most recognizable actors, it felt more like an acknowledgment of an uncomfortable reality.
Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski during Morning Joe on MSNBC – YouTube, New York Post
MS NOW still attracts hundreds of thousands of viewers every day. But in an era where independent creators can generate millions of views from a single video, those numbers no longer carry the cultural weight they once did.
That’s why Hanks’ line immediately connected with audiences. The joke was that modern cable news has become far less relevant than it used to be—and everyone watching understood exactly what he meant.
How do you feel about Tom Hanks and his comment on MS Now? Sound off and let us know!
