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Christian rival to Fox poaches Newsmax host

Updated May 18, 2023, 2:44pm EDT
mediaNorth America
Lyndsay Keith via Twitter
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The Scoop

An emerging Christian television rival to conservative networks like Newsmax, One America News Network, and Fox News is poaching one of Newsmax’s well-known hosts.

Trinity Broadcasting Network is hiring anchor Lyndsay Keith as an on-air personality on the network’s flagship show Centerpoint, according to a person familiar with the move. Keith, a former Republican staffer who previously hosted a show on Newsmax alongside former White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer, will make her first appearance on the network on Monday with a sit-down interview with former Vice President and likely GOP presidential candidate Mike Pence.

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Max’s view

TBN is not a particularly well-known television network at the moment. But it wants to be, at least among conservatives.

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Last year, the self-described world’s largest Christian television broadcaster launched Centerpoint, a slickly-produced evening news show that focused on covering the news of the day. It was part of a larger pivot the Dallas-based broadcaster has made to news programming that still leans into its Christian values.

It has modernized its image, telling Axios last year that it was looking to build a “Christian lifestyle brand” rather than just “preaching and teaching.”  Founded in 1973 as a small part-time station, the network now says it reaches over 100 million households worldwide over broadcast, cable, and satellite providers, in addition to a subscription streaming service it offers.

Over the last year, the network has been not-so-quietly staffing up with former Fox News and Newsmax alums, who now represent many of the network’s prominent on-air personalities, as well as those behind-the-scenes. Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee hosts a show, as does former Fox correspondent Doug McElway, and Dirty Jobs host Mike Rowe.

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The network is hoping to elevate its profile heading into the 2024 Republican presidential primary election. Pence’s decision to appear on the network next week is a reminder that in a fragmented media ecosystem, GOP presidential candidates can give more niche conservative media properties a much-needed jolt, or at least imbue them with legitimacy or gravitas among viewers.

TBN has also been mentioned as a potential longshot landing spot for former Fox News star Tucker Carlson. Conservative broadcasters continue to pursue Carlson despite the host’s announcement this month that he was launching a streaming show on Twitter. Many in conservative media believe he is still likely to ink a lucrative deal with another right-wing news outlet.

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