Cornel West, Jesse Jackson Jr., Tavis Smiley, And D.L. Hughley Lead KBLA Talk 1580 Weekday Schedule

KBLA Talk 1580 has a bold lineup of Black male figureheads leading its weekday schedule in 2025.

KBLA Talk 1580 has a robust lineup of Black male figureheads leading the station throughout the week in 2025.

On Tuesday, KBLA Talk 1580 unveiled its new lineup of progressive and bold talk show hosts with new and returning faces set to launch on Jan. 6, Morning Star reports. The updated roster features renowned scholar and former presidential candidate Dr. Cornel West, former Congressman Jesse Jackson Jr., and KBLA White House Correspondent Dr. Nii-Quartelai Quartey, who will join returning nationally syndicated hosts Tavis Smiley and D.L. Hughley for their weekday slots on the Los Angeles-based flagship station of SmileyAudioMedia, Inc.

“I am both humbled and deliciously proud that Dr. Cornel West, Nina Turner, and Jesse Jackson Jr. have decided to join us at KBLA Talk 1580 as we continue to build the most innovative and empowering Black talk media platform in the nation,” said Smiley, founder of SmileyAudioMedia, Inc. and chief visionary officer for KBLA Talk 1580.

“No talk station in America can match the intellectual firepower that we will be launching on Monday, Jan. 6. KBLA Talk 1580 is proud to have more Black women hosts than any talk station in the country, including Dominque DiPrima, the first Black woman to host her own radio talk show in L.A. morning drive, and Adrianne Shropshire, executive director of BlackPAC.”

Dr. Cornel West and former Ohio State Sen. Nina Turner will work alongside each other as co-hosts of “Truth Time,” a refreshing news show offering their daily commentary on current events from an unapologetically progressive perspective. Meanwhile, “The Jesse Jackson Jr. Show” will feature the former congressman offering his take on trending topics and hosting a diverse lineup of guests for lively discussions.

“A More Perfect Union” with Dr. Nii-Quartelai Quartey will deliver a daily blend of pop culture, political news, and candid conversations that get guests to address unspoken truths. From the headlines shaping the world to the trailblazers influencing the culture, Dr. Quartey offers a sharp, insightful take on the day’s events—free from fluff, fear, or favoritism.

The new weekday schedule kicks off on Monday, Jan. 6, 2025, with “Tavis Smiley” broadcasting weekdays from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. It is followed by “Truth Time” with Cornel West and Nina Turner at noon, “The Jesse Jackson Jr. Show” at 1 p.m., “The D.L. Hughley Afternoon Show” from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., and “A More Perfect Union” with Dr. Nii-Quartelai Quartey, 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., all times Pacific.

“After all the bickering about Black men during the recent presidential campaign, now is the time to pass the mic to more Black men of different generations to facilitate conversations you won’t find anywhere else,” Smiley said.

“It’s going to be a rough four years. This is what resistance looks like.”

Listeners can catch KBLA Talk 1580 live daily by downloading the KBLA1580 app, streaming online at the KBLA1580 website, or watching on the KBLA1580 YouTube channel. Following the live broadcasts, all shows hosted by Tavis Smiley, Cornel West, Nina Turner, Jesse Jackson Jr., and Dr. Nii-Quartelai Quartey will also be available on major podcast platforms.