CNN to Test New Don Lemon Prime-Time Show

Out CNN anchor Don Lemon is getting a shot at prime time.

Lemon, who is currently a weekend host of CNN Newsroom, will set up camp for a trial run of a new weekly prime-time show, part of the network's bid for higher ratings.

Slated for Mondays at 10 p.m. in a spot formerly held by AC360 Later, The Don Lemon Show will hit the airwaves next week and run for five consecutive weeks. Lemon made headlines recently after his impassioned on-air response to the Michael Dunn verdict, which sparked a war of words between Lemon and conservative Fox News personality Gregg Jarrett. The controversy might have led to a spike in ratings. Or perhaps it is Lemon's no-holds-barred on-air persona, for which even some conservative pundits at Fox News have commended him.

According to The Wrap, Lemon's new show is just one of several programming experiments on CNN's horizon. Among them is Chicagoland, a docuseries from the Peabody Award-winning creators of Sundance Channel's Brick City, which premiered last night in the 10 p.m. slot.

CNN president Jeff Zucker is shaking things up at the network, which has slouched in the ratings race of late. In addition to trying out the Lemon show and Chicagoland,Zucker pulled the plug on Piers Morgan Live, which had held a key prime-time slot for three years.