In a significant shake-up for American talk radio, a prominent conservative voice from CNN has been chosen to fill a prestigious national broadcasting slot. Scott Jennings, a regular commentator on CNN's Newsnight, will take over the timeslot previously held by Charlie Kirk on the Salem Radio Network.
A Major Programming Shift
The Salem Radio Network confirmed the move on Wednesday, selecting Jennings as the successor to Kirk's show. The changes are scheduled to take effect on January 5. The coveted three-hour afternoon block, which begins at 12pm Eastern Time, was once the domain of the late conservative icon Rush Limbaugh.
Under the new schedule, Jennings will host 'The Scott Jennings Show' from 1pm to 3pm. His programme will follow an hour hosted by Alex Marlow, the editor-in-chief of Breitbart News. Jennings, 48, already hosts a one-hour show on Salem at 2pm, which will now be expanded.
National Reach and a Thriving Podcast
A spokesperson for Salem told Axios that the network expects Jennings's new show to be carried by more than 300 radio stations across the United States, reaching an estimated audience of over 1.2 million Americans. They added that more than a million additional listeners are anticipated to access the content via podcasts.
The Charlie Kirk Show will continue as a podcast produced by Turning Point's Andrew Kolvet and Blake Neff. Jennings praised both men for their work in preserving Kirk's legacy, acknowledging the shift in programming in a public statement. He described the afternoon hours as "some of the most important hours in talk radio."
Balancing CNN and Conservative Commentary
Jennings, a former advisor to Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell, has seen his media profile rise substantially in recent years, largely due to his frequent appearances on CNN Newsnight. He often serves as a conservative counterpoint to host Abby Phillip.
In March, reports indicated Jennings was in the final stages of renewing his contract with CNN, a deal that reportedly came with a substantial pay increase for the former George W. Bush administration aide. Jennings confirmed last month that he had signed the extension, telling the Strongville GOP, "Well, I’m quite happy with CNN. In fact, I just re-signed with them."
He elaborated on his role, stating, "I’ll be honest with you, I think I was put on this earth to debate liberals. And CNN, right now, is where we’re doing it." The political strategist first joined CNN as a contributor in 2017 and launched his nationally syndicated radio show with Salem in July of this year.
This media manoeuvring occurs against a backdrop of potential corporate change for CNN. The network is poised to be part of a bundle of Warner-owned linear assets that could be sold off next year if an $82.7 billion deal with Netflix is finalised, though Netflix has expressed no interest in those traditional broadcast holdings.
