After a nearly two-month tryout, Al Sharpton has become the permanent host of MSNBC’s 6 p.m. hour.
The cable news channel said Tuesday that the time slot would be renamed “PoliticsNation” on Aug. 29. Mr. Sharpton will “lead a lively and informed discussion of the top headlines, bringing viewers his take on events in his signature style,” the channel said in a news release.
With “PoliticsNation,” MSNBC is trying to strengthen its ratings at 6 p.m., a crucial hour that helps to set up the channel’s prime-time lineup. Mr. Sharpton has been guest-hosting at 6 p.m. since the end of June.
In a statement, Mr. Sharpton referenced MSNBC’s slogan, “lean forward.”
“I am very happy and honored to join the MSNBC team as we collectively try to get America to ‘Lean Forward,’ ” he said. “It is a natural extension of my life work and growth. We all learn from our pain and stand up from our stumbling and one must either learn to lean forward or fall backwards. I’m glad they have given me the opportunity to continue my forward lean.”
Last year, Mr. Sharpton was among the many activists who chose to support Comcast’s successful bid for control of NBCUniversal, which owns MSNBC, The New York Times reported last month. When asked about the complex relationship, Comcast said in a statement that it “pledged from the day we announced the transaction that we would not interfere with NBCUniversal’s news operations, including at MSNBC. We have not and we will not.”