Scoop: Charlie Kirk's radio slot filled by Scott Jennings, Alex Marlow

The conservative Salem Radio Network is tapping CNN commentator Scott Jennings and Breitbart News' Alex Marlow to fill its national midday slot formerly held by slain activist Charlie Kirk.Why it matters: The noon–3pm ET block — once commanded by Rush Limbaugh — is a staple of conservative talk radio. Stepping into that window will elevate both men from prominent commentators to central players in the MAGA media ecosystem.Driving the news: Salem's announcement, shared first with Axios, said Marlow will anchor the noon–1pm hour and Jennings will host from 1–3pm beginning Jan. 5.Marlow, Breitbart's editor-in-chief, hosts a podcast on the Salem Podcast Network and is a frequent presence across MAGA media.Jennings' profile has surged in recent years, fueled by his combative CNN appearances defending President Trump in clashes with liberal co-panelists. He currently hosts Salem's 2–3pm hour, after two hours of "The Charlie Kirk Show."Salem said the "The Charlie Kirk Show," now co-hosted by Turning Point's Andrew Kolvet and Blake Neff, will continue as a podcast on the Salem Podcast Network.What they're saying: Both Marlow and Jennings praised Kirk and the team that kept his show running after his Sept. 10 assassination."To my friend Andrew Kolvet and the Turning Point USA team, thank you for your stewardship of Charlie's radio legacy ... These are some of the most important hours in talk radio," Jennings said."[I]t was a rare pleasure to be a weekly guest on my friend Charlie Kirk's show during the last year of his life… I can't wait to get started," Marlow said.Kolvet, for his part, thanked Salem for its cooperation in the aftermath of Kirk's death, saying the network has been "so gracious through this process."He said that while the Kirk team will continue producing the show in other venues, "ultimately we agreed that Alex and Scott were the perfect hosts to take over on the radio portion.""While some of the details around how we want to distribute the show will change, our friendship and trust in Salem does not."Zoom in: A Salem representative told Axios that the network anticipates over 300 radio stations will be taking the shows, serving over 1.2 million listeners a week. More than a million additional listeners are expected to tune in via podcasts.The big picture: Jennings and Marlow step into the role amid a fierce civil war inside MAGA, driven in part by conspiracy theories surrounding Kirk's killing.Both hosts bring built-in audiences, but Kirk was widely seen as a singular figure in his ability to unite the right's sprawling coalition.