Larry King is returning to U.S. television by way of a Russian station.
RT, the English-language news channel owned by the Russian government, said it will begin airing "Larry King Now" in June on its U.S. station, RT America. It will also air a new show called "Politics With Larry King."
"Larry King Now, which debuted in July 2012 on Hulu.com and Ora.tv, will continue to be streamed from both sites, and will also be available online on rt.com. Ora.tv, a new online network backed by Mexican billionaire Carlos Slim, will also produce the new "Politics with Larry King."
King's programs will be recorded in RT America’s Washington, D.C., studios and Ora TV’s studio in Los Angeles.
Over nearly six decades, the 79-year-old has conducted more than 50,000 interviews. His CNN series, "Larry King Live," ended in 2010 after 25 years.
In his new role, King says he will not shy away from conflict and will try to give a voice to people shut out by other media outlets.
“I have interviewed every US president since Nixon, and lest people forget, I helped usher Ross Perot into the national conversation during the 1992 presidential contest," he said in a statement. "I appreciate the importance of providing a platform to those with real alternative visions for our country’s future."
“Whether a president or an activist or a rock star was sitting across from him, Larry King never shied away from asking the tough questions, which makes him a terrific fit for our network,” said RT editor-in-chief Margarita Simonyan.
Formerly known as Russia Today, RT broadcasts in Arabic, English and Spanish and says it is available to 630 million people worldwide in more than 100 countries.
