On May 27, iHeartMedia’s Premiere Networks finally announced what its long-term plan was with respect to the successor offering to The Rush Limbaugh Show.
It’s going with a new show featuring FOX Sports Radio host Clay Travis and Premiere-syndicated talk host Buck Sexton.
Sexton will shift from afternoon drive, Pacific Time, to take the slot. Now, Premiere knows what will fill Sexton’s current three-hour time period.
Introducing The Jesse Kelly Show, which will air from 3pm-6pm PT and is already on the lineup of more than 200 affiliates nationwide.
Kelly, a former Arizona candidate for Congress who lost his 2010 campaign against Rep. Gabby Giffords, starts his new duties on June 28.
He’s a U.S. Marine combat veteran, and his stature grew even as he never successfully won an election. In 2018, his growing Republican Party status led iHeartMedia to give him an hour on KPRC-AM in Houston. This was later expanded to two hours, and in April 2020 grew to a three-hour show before entering syndication via Key Networks, which is ending its relationship with Kelly. Key brought his program to WRKO-AM in Boston.
Now, iHeartMedia says he’ll be called on to “share his unique and entertaining perspective, unfiltered opinions and trademark humor as he discusses the latest headlines and welcomes a variety of guests and experts.”
Kelly said, “I wish I could say I’m humbled, but the truth is that signing with an amazing company like Premiere will only boost my well-established ego. But honestly, I’m beyond
thrilled that now every American will get a chance to hear my voice for three hours a day.”
The radio gig won’t impact his 6pm Pacific OTT-delivered TV program “I’m Right with Jesse
Kelly.” It airs on The First, a digital-only TV offering found on such connected TV offerings as Pluto TV.
“We couldn’t be happier to have Jesse at the helm of our weekday afternoon timeslot,”
Premiere Networks President Julie Talbott said. “His fresh voice will undoubtedly connect
with and engage our audience with intelligent, witty conversation and bold opinions, while
creating impactful opportunities for our partners.”
Kelly’s show is the latest from a political conservative, which overwhelmingly outnumber liberal-leaning talk hosts on commercially licensed radio stations in the U.S.
