Sharpton: No conflict being civil rights leader and TV host

This is definitely a great day. Full disclosure, I am a supporter of Rev. Al. I don't always agree, but I am a supporter. I think having him on TV during this historic time is critical. There will be someone on TV that looks like me, but is also telling the story from another perspective. He has been very generous with his guests. He is open to hear all sides and is fair. All he asks is that you tell the truth and not try to re-write history. I am truly excited!!!

The Rev. Al Sharpton's reach just got bigger.

The civil rights activist and leader is now officially an MSNBC host, the network announced Tuesday. Sharpton will host PoliticsNation daily at 6 p.m. beginning next week.

Sharpton, who also hosts a daily radio show, sat down exclusively with theGrio's Todd Johnson to discuss his new gig.

Sharpton told Johnson the civil rights 'battlefield' has changed and leaders need to follow suit.

"We're still at the Edmund Pettus Bridge and the battlefield now is in the studios of talk radio and talk television," he said. "You can't go to the Jordan River with a Red Sea strategy. We're in the age of where Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity and them have influence..."

Sharpton also becomes the only African-American host of an evening cable news program.

"I feel that my responsibility is that I should be challenging other stations to do what MSNBC did," he said. "And that is...step up and don't make [my hiring] the only one."

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