By DAVID BAUDER, AP Media Writer

Television’s MSNBC news network is changing its name to My Source News Opinion World, or MS NOW for short, as part of its corporate divorce from NBC.

The network, which appeals to liberal audiences with a stable of personalities including Rachel Maddow, Ari Melber and Nicole Wallace, has been building its own separate news division from NBC News. It will also remove NBC’s peacock symbol from its logo as part of the change, which will take effect later this year.

The name change was ordered by NBC Universal, which last November spun off cable networks USA, CNBC, MSNBC, E! Entertainment, Oxygen and the Golf Channel into its own company, called Versant. None of the other networks are changing their name.

This image released by Versant shows the logo for My Source News Opinion World, or MS NOW. (Versant via AP)

MSNBC got its name upon its formation in 1996, as a partnership then between Microsoft and NBC.

Name changes always carry an inherent risk, and MSNBC President Rebecca Kutler said that for employees, it is hard to imagine the network under a different name. “This was not a decision that was made quickly or without significant debate,” she said in a memo to staff.

“During this time of transition, NBC Universal decided that our brand requires a new, separate identity,” she said. “This decision now allows us to set our own course and assert our indepedence as we continue to build our own modern newsgathering organization.”

Still, it’s noteworthy that the business channel CNBC is leaving “NBC” in its name. MSNBC argues that CNBC has always maintained a greater separation and, with its business focus, is less likely to cover many of the same topics.

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Still, the affiliation between a news division that tries to play it safe and one that doesn’t hide its liberal bent has long caused tension. President Donald Trump refers to the cable network as “MSDNC,” for Democratic National Committee. Even before the corporate change, NBC News has been reducing the use of its personalities on MSNBC.

Some NBC News personalities, like Jacob Soboroff, Vaughn Hillyard, Brandy Zadrozny and Antonia Hylton, have joined MSNBC. The network has also hired Carol Leoning, Catherine Rampell and Jackie Alemany from the Washington Post, and Eugene Daniels from Politico.

Maddow, in a recent episode of Pivot, noted that MSNBC will no longer have to compete with NBC News programs for reporting product from out in the field — meaning it will no longer get the “leftovers.”

“In this case, we can apply our own instincts, our own queries, our own priorities, to getting stuff that we need from reporters and correspondents,” Maddow said. “And so it’s gonna be better.”

Vacationers looking to get in their daily step goal will have no problem achieving that while on board Royal Caribbean’s Star of the Seas.

The world’s largest cruise ship, which arrived at Port Canaveral earlier this month as the company’s second Icon-class ship, has plenty of spaces to relax, new technology and adventurous ways to spend time onboard. At 248,663 gross tons, the ship has 20 decks, seven pools, six waterslides and more than 40 venues for dining and drinking. It can accommodate 5,610 passengers at double occupancy and more than 7,000 passengers at full capacity, plus 2,350 crew.

The Star of the Seas feels like a floating city, complete with its own Central Park in the middle and eight neighborhoods, each designed for different activities and age groups. It’s bright, artsy, colorful and has scenes of idyllic vacations playing out around every corner.

Most passengers embark on Deck 5, where they are greeted by The Pearl, a three-deck art installation with 3,600 computer-driven kinetic tiles that move with music. The sphere sits in the middle of the Royal Promenade where guests can find shopping options, bars and eateries — including Spotlight Karaoke on Deck 5, right across from New York pizza restaurant Sorrento’s, and a dueling piano bar on Deck 6.

Deck 4 is home to Casino Royale and the Music Hall, while the main dining room is at the aft of the ship on decks 3-5. In addition to housing the Royal Promenade, Deck 5 is where guests can find the fitness center, outdoor jogging track, the Royal Theater, the location of the “Back to the Future” musical, and Absolute Zero, an ice arena for the “Sol” skating show that’s accessible from Deck 6.

Deck 7 has the Surfside neighborhood at the aft of the ship, which is geared toward families with a carousel, Surfside Eatery, ice cream and a water playground called Splashaway Bay. Dozens of staterooms overlook this neighborhood, some with their own balconies.

That is also the case with a selection of staterooms that overlook Central Park on Deck 8. The interior neighborhood features greenery, bars and dining venues such as Chops Grille, Izumi Hibachi & Sushi and Park Cafe. Moving toward the fore of the ship, guests can see the exclusive Lincoln Park Supper Club, a formal upscale dining venue with limited space.

Decks 9-14 consist mostly of cabins, except for the Vitality Spa accessed on Deck 14.

On Deck 15, passengers can visit the Windjammer Marketplace, a buffet-style eatery, or head out to the Chill Island pool deck. Nearby the Royal Bay Pool sits The Lime & Coconut Bar as well as El Loco Fresh, which serves up Mexican food. At the aft of the ship, guests ages 18 and older can visit The Hideaway, which includes an infinity pool and a bar for adults only.

At the fore of Deck 15 sits the 82-foot-tall, 164-foot-wide, glass-and-metal AquaDome. The entertainment venue hosts the “Torque” show and sits adjacent to Hooked Seafood, Chef’s Table and Celebration Table. On the opposite side, the AquaDome Market has five stands serving different cuisines, including Thai food, barbecue, South American staples, Mediterranean bites and crepes.

Deck 16 has the continuation of Chill Island, which includes the Swim & Tonic, a pool with a swim-up bar, and a dry slide down to Deck 15. The chills quickly turn into thrills when heading to the aft of the ship.

Thrill Island is the access point for Crown’s Edge, a harnessed ropes course and skywalk that dangles guests out over the ocean. That area of Deck 16 is also where guests can find the Adrenaline Peak rock-climbing wall, the Lost Dunes mini golf course and the stairs to access the Category 6 Waterpark.

More high adventure can be found on Deck 17 during a visit to the sports court or the FlowRider surf simulator at the aft of the ship. The fore of the ship has access to the Suite Neighborhood on decks 16-18 with pools and eateries reserved for guests staying in suites.

Star of the Seas will sail seven-night alternating Eastern and Western Caribbean itineraries from Port Canaveral, which also serves as homeport to Royal’s Utopia of the Seas. That ship debuted in summer 2024 at Port Canaveral and will continue three- and four-night Bahamas itineraries. Many sailings include a stop at Royal Caribbean’s Perfect Day at CocoCay.

Find me @PConnPie on Instagram or send me an email: pconnolly@orlandosentinel.com. Stay up to date with our latest travel, arts and events coverage by subscribing to our newsletters at orlandosentinel.com/newsletters.

By TRÂN NGUYỄN and SOPHIE AUSTIN, Associated Press

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California Democrats are making a partisan push to draw new congressional districts and reshape the state’s U.S. House representation in their favor, but to pull it off, lawmakers returning to the Capitol on Monday face a tight deadline and must still win voters’ approval.

Limits on federal immigration raids and advancing racial justice efforts are also among the hundreds of proposals the Legislature will vote on before the session ends in September.

Here’s a look at what’s ahead for lawmakers in their last month in session:

New political maps

Lawmakers are expected to spend the first week back after summer break advancing the new congressional map at the urging of Gov. Gavin Newsom. The new map aims at winning Democrats five more U.S. House seats in the 2026 midterms and is a direct response to President Donald Trump’s efforts to redraw Texas’ map to help Republicans retain their control of the U.S. House.

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So far, California is the only state beyond Texas that has officially waded into the redistricting fight, although others have signaled they might launch their own efforts.

California Democrats, who hold supermajorities in both chambers, unveiled the new map Friday. State lawmakers in both houses will hold hearings on the map and vote to put it to voters in a special election in November.

If voters agree, the new map would replace the one drawn by an independent commission that took effect in 2022. The new map would only take effect if Texas or another Republican-led state moves forward with their own mid-decade redistricting and would remain through the 2030 elections.

Democrats said they will return the map-making power to the commission after the next census. The current effort is to save democracy and counter Trump’s agenda, they said.

State Republicans vowed to legally challenge the effort, arguing that voters in 2010 already voted to remove partisan influence from how maps are drawn.

Climate change

State lawmakers are contending with how to balance meeting the state’s climate goals with lowering utility and gas prices. Those discussions have been colored by the planned closures of two oil refineries that account for nearly 18% of the state’s refining capacity, according to air regulators.

The Legislature will have to respond to those concerns when it debates whether to reauthorize the state’s cap-and-trade program, which is set to expire in 2030. The program allows large greenhouse gas emitters to buy allowances from the state equivalent to what they plan to emit. Over time, fewer allowances are made available with the goal of spurring companies to pollute less.

A large portion of revenues from the program goes into a fund that helps pay for climate, affordable housing and transportation projects. The program also funds a credit that Californians receive twice a year on their utility bills.

Newsom wants lawmakers to extend the program through 2045, commit $1 billion annually from the fund for the state’s long-delayed high-speed rail project and set aside $1.5 billion a year for state fire response.

Many environmental groups want the state to update the program by ending free allowances for industrial emitters, ensuring low-income households receive a higher credit on their utility bills, and ending or strengthening an offset program that helps companies comply by supporting projects aimed at reducing planet-warming emissions.

Response to mass immigration raids

Lawmakers will vote on a host of proposals introduced in response to the escalation of federal immigration crackdowns in Los Angeles and across the state. That includes legislation that would make it a misdemeanor for local, state and federal law enforcement officers to cover their faces while conducting official business.

The proposal makes exceptions for officers wearing a medical grade mask, coverings designed to protect against exposure to smoke during a wildfire, and other protective gear used by SWAT officers while performing their duties. Proponents said the measure would boost transparency and public trust in law enforcement while also preventing people from trying to impersonate law enforcement.

Opponents, including law enforcement, said the bill would disrupt local undercover operations without addressing the issue because California doesn’t have authority over federal agents.

Another proposal would require law enforcement to identify themselves during official business.

State Democrats are also championing several proposals that would limit immigration agents without warrants from entering school campuses, hospitals and homeless or domestic violence shelters.

Racial justice

A first-in-the-nation state task force released a report in 2023 with more than 100 recommendations for how the state should repair historic wrongdoings against Black Californians descended from enslaved people.

The California Legislative Black Caucus introduced a reparations package last year inspired by that work, but the measures did not include direct payments for descendants, and the most ambitious proposals were blocked.

The caucus introduced another package this year aimed at offering redress to Black Californians.

One of the bills would authorize universities to give admissions priority to descendants of enslaved people. Another would ensure 10% of funds from a state program providing loans to first-time homebuyers goes to descendants. A third would allow the state to set aside $6 million to fund research by California State University on how to confirm residents’ eligibility for any reparations programs.

Some reparations advocates say the proposals fall short. They say many of the measures are ways to delay implementing one of the task force’s key recommendations: direct compensation to descendants of slavery.

The documentary “Sunday Best: The Untold Story of Ed Sullivan” on Netflix examines the pivotal role “The Ed Sullivan Show” played in spotlighting Black music and culture to TV audiences at a time when segregation was still the norm.

In a clip discussing his Sunday night variety show, which ran on CBS from 1948 to 1971, Sullivan keeps his intentions clear and to the point: “It seemed to me, if you’re using public air(waves), the least you can do — or TV can do — in return for this high privilege was to try to do something to bring people a little closer together.”

Sullivan died in 1974 and sometimes in the film his voice is drawn from television interviews he gave over the years. But sometimes it’s courtesy of artificial intelligence — a synthetic recreation — that gives literal voice to the columns and articles he wrote over the years. I have an ethical problem with this choice. Plenty of documentary projects before the advent of AI handled this by simply hiring a talented actor to voice the written words of their subjects. It’s the more honest choice and it doesn’t detract from the end result. I wish filmmakers embraced that instead.

But otherwise “Sunday Best,” from director Sacha Jenkins (who died this past May), is a fine effort that explores Sullivan’s commitment to pushing back against network forces, sponsors and other interested parties who were opposed to the presence — the celebration, really — of Black people on the show.

Sullivan’s influence predates all but the boomer generation, and though I’ve seen clips, I don’t think I’ve ever watched an episode all the way through. My ideas around him were vague and uninformed, mostly of the stiff host tolerating the younger acts. But that impression is inaccurate and undersells his own taste; instead of the reluctant old fogie, he was keeping his finger on the pulse of pop culture and handpicked every entertainer who appeared on his show. Watching his talents more closely here, I have a real appreciation for what he was doing — and how he did it — during a period of profound social change in the U.S.

The documentary also offers an opportunity to think through the impact the show had at the time, compared to our current era, where the closest equivalent — the late-night talk show — has lost so much of its cultural relevancy when it comes to showcasing performers to a broad audience.

Sullivan’s path to TV fame was unintentional. He began as a print journalist in sports. Years later, he would note: “Sports writers get to be very critical and observant. They can tell you what makes a certain ballplayer click.” Maybe he used some of those same skills when it came to identifying which acts he wanted on his show.

Segregation never sat well with him. Using the verbiage of the era, he recalls that when he played baseball in high school, “there were Negros in the league and some fellows said they would actually not play against a Negro. I always resented (those classmates) very deeply because the Irish had gone through that when we first came.” His parents knew bigotry was wrong. “They weren’t broad-minded, they were just sensible,” is how he puts it.

Later, as a sports writer, he covered a college football game played in New York, where the northern school benched its one Black player to appease their opponents from Georgia. Sullivan was disgusted, so he wrote about it. What a shameful state of affairs this is, of a player “risking his neck for a school that will turn around and bench him because the University of Georgia asks that the color line be drawn.” Sullivan did not mince words: “If a New York City university allows the Mason-Dixon line to be erected in the center of its playing field, then that New York City university should disband its football season for all time.”

He was eventually reassigned from sports to Broadway — the film doesn’t explore why, or if that column was the reason — and though Sullivan was unfamiliar with the new beat, it eventually led to gala hosting opportunities, which paved the way for his career in television. He got terrible reviews at first; he wasn’t a natural in front of the camera. Not that it mattered.  “I never thought I was the attraction. I just keep looking for the best thing to put on the show.” And that included Black talent. The prevailing idea at the time that “Negro performers should be barred from TV shows on which white performers appear is both stupid and vicious,” he said.

Fifty years after it went off the air, “The Ed Sullivan Show” is maybe most famous  for appearances by Elvis Presley and The Beatles. But the list of Black musical acts Sullivan featured is long and notable, with “Sunday Best” including clips of Bo Diddley, James Brown, Bill “Bojangles” Robinson, Cab Calloway, Pearl Bailey, Nina Simone, Mahalia Jackson, Stevie Wonder, The Supremes.

Jackie Wilson singing “Lonely Teardrops” is a standout and a fascinating example of a singer taking the stage alone, without any visible musicians behind him. No dancers, set, or props either. You don’t really see that kind of thing today, and it’s remarkable how he establishes a presence with nothing more than his voice and charisma.

“Sunday Best: The Untold Story of Ed Sullivan” — 3 stars (out of 4)

Where to watch: Netflix

Nina Metz is a Tribune critic.