NBC pressing for big ad rate hikes for Megyn Kelly program

NBCUniversal is reportedly hoping to jack up ad rates for Megyn Kelly’s morning news program launching later this year.

According to Variety, the broadcaster is seeking an increase in CPMs (the cost for reaching 1,000 viewers) of around 30%. As the report points out, that rate is well ahead of the projected 8% to 9% CPM increases for prime-time broadcast ads this season.

In January, NBC announced that Kelly had officially joined the network after her high-profile exit from Fox News. In addition to her one-hour daytime program that will air daily Monday through Friday, Kelly will also anchor a Sunday evening news show. Kelly’s evening program debuts this Sunday.

“Megyn is an exceptional journalist and news anchor, who has had an extraordinary career,” said Andrew Lack, chairman of the NBCUniversal News Group, in a statement. “She’s demonstrated tremendous skill and poise, and we’re lucky to have her.”

With Kelly coming over from right-leaning Fox News, reports have surfaced that NBC may be looking to take a more conservative stance in its news coverage as a means of taking on Fox News. According to Page Six, citing unnamed sources, NBC and MSNBC want to be the “next Fox News.” The reported shift in tone would make sense in light of NBC hiring both Kelly and Greta Van Susteren, another former Fox News star, who will host “For the Record” on MSNBC.

As the report points out, NBC reps denied any inclination toward more conservative news content and said the only thing NBC is “‘tilting toward’ is even more good journalism.”