After the September 11 attacks in 2001 , MSNBC served as an outlet for NBC News to provide up-to-the-minute coverage , in contrast to broadcast network NBC 's longer stories . CNBC and CNBC Europe , with little financial news to report , ran MSNBC for many hours of the day following the attacks . The year also boosted the profile of Ashleigh Banfield , who had escaped injury while covering the World Trade Center on September 11 . Her '' Region In Conflict '' program capitalized on her newfound celebrity and showcased exclusive interviews from Afghanistan
September 11 attacks
September 11 attacks
History of MSNBC: 1996–2007