"The Gavin Newsom Show" is set to premiere in May on Current TV, the cable channel co-founded by former Vice President Al Gore. Newsom brought the idea to Current, which signed on once it was run through lawyers to make sure the show wouldn't have a legal conflict with Newsom's political position.
State campaign rules do not preclude elected officials from getting paid for regular broadcast work as long as their compensation is in line with what other hosts get and they do not use their air time to campaign for re-election or slam political opponents.
A network spokeswoman said the weekly hour-long show will have a "very West Coast, California-focus." The show's timeslot has yet to be determined.
Newsom, 44, came into the national spotlight in 2004 after he was elected mayor of San Francisco and allowed same-sex couples to get married at City Hall in defiance of state law. As mayor, he also built his reputation by promoting the city as a technology hub and advancing first-of-their-kind programs in the areas of environment and health care.
Newsom ran for governor in 2010, but dropped out of the race when Brown seemed to have a lock on the election and became a candidate for the job of lieutenant governor. He is often mentioned as a potential future contender for governor or U.S. senator.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
