Newsmax is making a major change to its primetime programming, giving Rob Finnerty the 8pm time slot starting October 8, when he will host a new show called Finnerty.
Finnerty currently co-hosts the conservative cable news channel's morning show Wake up Americaalong with Sharla McBride. It's unclear what Newsmax's plans will be for the morning show going forward.
The 8pm time slot previously belonged to Eric Bolling, but Bolling, a former Fox News host who joined Newsmax in 2021, left the channel earlier this year.
Newsmax's lineup also includes former CNN, Fox News and MSNBC host Greta Van Susteren at 6 p.m., former Fox News host Rob Schmitt at 7 p.m. Greg Kelly at 9 p.m. and a panel show led by Chris Plante at 10pm.
“Rob has proven to be successful on our morning show and connects with our audience in powerful ways, and we believe he will continue that success in primetime,” said Chris Ruddy, CEO of Newsmax.
“For too long cable news has been a monolith, with very few options available to the American people, but Newsmax is proof that the model is changing and I feel incredibly honored to be part of that change,” says Finnerty. “Since I got here, Newsmax has continued to grow, which is amazing for this industry. This is the opportunity of a lifetime and I am very grateful to Newsmax and its team led by CEO Chris Ruddy.”
Newsmax has settled a high-profile defamation lawsuit filed last month by voting machine company Smartmatic. The company is also engaged in litigation against Fox News over similar claims related to its coverage of the aftermath of the 2020 election.
An IPO is also being considered, as Ruddy says The Hollywood journalist earlier this year the company expected revenue of between $180 million and $200 million this year.