Ashlee Difuntorum was recently quoted in TheWrap in the article, “Can MS NOW Harness Cable News Loyalty Into a Membership Business?” where she examines the launch of MS NOW’s first direct-to-consumer membership option. The $7.99 monthly subscription model is offering members exclusive content and elevated access to network personalities that goes beyond their already established public social presence, with live Q&As, member-only events, and original programming.
Success hinges on more than loyalty, Ashlee tells TheWrap. “Whatever MS NOW offers has to feel meaningfully different from scrolling through an anchor’s Instagram or watching clips on TikTok. Access and genuine community are the most credible answers to that challenge.”
With the upcoming midterm elections, viewers continue to turn to their favorite anchors for information and analysis of the ever-changing landscape. According to Ashlee, this model depends on exclusivity and going beyond what’s already available to the general public.
“If Maddow is doing deep Q&As and exclusive community engagement for members that she isn’t already doing on her Instagram, that’s a genuinely defensible value proposition,” Ashlee notes, emphasizing that long-term success will be dependent on keeping subscribers engaged.
