Maddow Gets Prime-Time Show on MSNBC

Air America radio host and television commentator Rachel Maddow will have her own show on MSNBC starting September 8. Her show will air at 9 p.m. following Countdown With Keith Olbermann. Olbermann broke the news Tuesday on the liberal news website Daily Kos.

Dan Abrams, who was hosting Verdict during that time slot, will act as NBC's chief legal correspondent and will be a daytime anchor for MSNBC, The Washington Post reported Tuesday. She may be the first openly gay woman to host a prime-time television show.

Maddow, 35, is a Rhodes scholar with a Ph.D. in political science. She also has a background in activism on such issues as prison reform and the AIDS crisis. She currently hosts The Rachel Maddow Show on Air America radio and has frequently served as Olbermann's guest host. (The Advocate)