Four Stations To Test New J.D. Jakes Daytime Talker In August

Dallas-based pastor and businessman J.D. Jakes is getting his own daytime talk show this summer. Four Tegna Media-owned television stations in Dallas, Atlanta, Minneapolis and Cleveland will air the show during a four week test run, beginning on August 17.

Jakes heads a 30,000 member church and a related humanitarian organization called "The Potters House." The show is described as a "news-driven" talker that will offer "personal stories and entertaining observations." The show also promises to "respectful and insightful discussions with those holding opposing viewpoints," though that might go against the current trend in daytime television.

The show will be produced by distributor Debmar-Mercury, Tegna Media, Jakes’ TDJ Enterprises, 44 Blue Productions (FAMILY COURT WITH JUDGE PENNY) and EnLight Productions.

Gail Steinberg and Jack Mori will be the showrunners. Steinberg's credits include the original RICKI LAKE SHOW and MONTEL. Mori was a longtime senior producer of THE OPRAH WINFREY SHOW, helped develop the successful DR. OZ talker and most recently was a co-executive producer  and MONTEL. He was most recently the senior producer on THE QUEEN LATIFAH SHOW.

The show is the first project to come out of a Tegna/Debnar-Mercury joint venture to develop, produce, test and distribute first-run series for daytime, early fringe and access dayparts.