MSNBC is about to make the Rev. Al Sharpton its evening talk show host, many news outlets are reporting. This is from the New York Times' Brian Stelter:

After giving a nearly six-month tryout for the Internet talk show host Cenk Uygur, the cable news channel MSNBC is preparing to instead hand its 6 p.m. time slot to the Rev. Al Sharpton.

Mr. Sharpton's imminent hiring, which was acknowledged by three people at the channel on condition of anonymity because the contract had not been signed, is significant in part because MSNBC and other news channels have been criticized for a paucity of minority hosts in prominent time slots. Mr. Sharpton, who is black and is a well-known civil rights activist and radio host, has been guest hosting in the 6 p.m. time slot for the last three weeks. ...

But Mallary Jean Tenore of the Poynter.org media training institute says Sharpton may not be what those critics were seeking. Tenore writes:

As MSNBC appears ready to hire activist Rev. Al Sharpton for its 6 p.m. time slot, some African American journalists are saying the move reflects an unfortunate trend at cable networks. In recent months, the NAACP and others have expressed concerns about the absence of African American hosts and anchors on nightly national news shows. While the hiring of Sharpton would change this, "this would still be just another non-journalist media ‘celebrity' receiving a TV show based upon their name recognition, not their years of experience, training, ability and talent," one NABJ (National Association of Black Journalists) member told colleagues, according to Richard Prince. Other African American non-journalists who have had their own cable news shows include CNN's Jesse Jackson, Arthel Neville and D.L. Hughley, and MSNBC's Alan Keyes and Carlos Watson.

In June, NABJ President Kathy Times wrote an open letter to network executives deploring the lack of diversity among network anchors.

In that letter, Times described "Russ Mitchell of CBS News, Lester Holt of NBC News, and CNN's T. J. Holmes" as "weekend warriors who possess charisma, journalistic heft, and the handsome qualities to front a prime-time show."