30.05 Larry King Says
WASHINGTON, May 29 (By Maria Young for RIA Novosti) Larry King, the legendary US television talk show host, 25-year veteran of cable news and self-professed fan of Russian President Vladimir Putin, is coming to Kremlin-funded English-language Russian news channel RT, the network announced Wednesday along with digital network Ora TV, in a move likely to raise more than a few eyebrows in the United States.
I have always been passionate about government and issues that impact the public, and Im thrilled at the opportunity to talk politics with some of the most influential people in Washington and around the country, King said in a statement.
Beginning next month on RT America, Politics with Larry King will air weekly and Larry King Now will air four times a week, Mondays through Thursdays. Both shows will also be streamed online at Hulu.com and Ora.tv, which was founded by King and began producing Larry King Now last year.
We are thrilled to work with Larry King, who is a true media legend, said Margarita Simonyan, RTs editor-in-chief, in a statement.
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, she added.
View a promotional video for Larry King Now, launching on RT next month:
King has been an American radio and television host for more than 50 years, including a quarter-century with CNN where he was known for landing big name guests, a riveting interview style and his quirky suspenders.
But the move is attracting attention in part because of RTs reputation for being anti-American. Also known as Russia Today, it launched in 2005 as part of an effort in Moscow to improve Russias global image.
RT does some good work, but its important, you must always keep in mind, in the front of your brain, that it receives funding from the Russian government. You have to as a viewer take everything with a grain of salt, said Steve Rendall, senior analyst with the media watch group Fair & Accuracy In Reporting (FAIR), in an interview with RIA Novosti.
RT was the focus of a 2010 report from the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), a non-profit civil rights organization that investigates hate groups in the United States.
The report said RT has devoted considerable airtime not only to coverage that makes Russia look good, but to coverage that makes the United States look bad. It found RT reported on conspiracy theories with zeal, and frequently quotes US extremists as authorities on world events or interviews them at length without asking anything more than softball questions.
In a statement to the SPLC, which was included in its report, Simonyan dismissed the criticism and said RTs editorial policy is open and balanced.
Asked about Kings surprising move, I suspect anybody's first reaction to this news is
