Ora TV
TypeOn-demand television
Production Company
Country
United States
Founded2012
HeadquartersNew York City
OwnerOra Media, LLC
Key people
Official website
www.ora.tv

Ora TV is a television production studio and on-demand digital television network launched in 2012 by television host Larry King and his wife Shawn Southwick King and funded by América Móvil, a business venture of Mexican billionaire Carlos Slim.[1] Ora (which means "now" in Italian and is also Shawn Southwick King's middle name) both produces and distributes television shows including Emmy-nominated Larry King Now, Politicking with Larry King, Off the Grid with Jesse Ventura, The Real Girl's Kitchen, and Brown Bag Wine Tasting with William Shatner.[2] Ora has production offices and studios in New York City and Los Angeles.

History

Ora TV was founded by Larry King, his wife Shawn Southwick-King, and Carlos Slim in 2012 as an outlet to produce a new show for Larry King after leaving CNN.[3] Larry King Now was launched as Ora's first show in July 2012 and aired both on Ora TV and Hulu. In 2014, Larry King Now episode "Head Trauma in the NFL" was nominated for a News and Documentary Emmy Award in the Outstanding News Discussion and Analysis category.[4]

In April 2013, Ora TV acquired Stick Figure Studios, an Emmy award-winning documentary and reality series production company based in New York. Stick Figure is the producer of Catching Hell, a spearfishing docu-drama that aired on The Weather Channel in the summer of 2014, with exclusive digital content on Ora TV.[5]

Ora TV's other content includes Haylie Duff's The Real Girl's Kitchen food & lifestyle series that aired on both Ora TV and the Cooking Channel,[6] the Laugh Factory video archive,[7] and road trip adventure show Wayward Nation, which launched in September 2014.

On June 30, 2015, Ora TV severed ties with American real estate tycoon Donald Trump. Arturo Elías Ayub, Slim's son-in-law and chairman of Ora TV, called his remarks about illegal aliens racist and an insult.[8]

An Episode of Politicking which aired on September 8, 2016, and featured 2016 presidential candidate Donald Trump was the spark of a controversy.[9][10] Numerous media outlets erroneously reported the interview was done by Russian state-owned, 'Kremlin-backed' television. Ora TV released a statement clarifying that the content is licensed to RT America, but produced independently from the network.[11]

On March 1, 2022, following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Ora TV suspended production on several shows it produced for RT America,[12] which would cease operations on March 3, 2022.[13]

Ora-produced shows

This section needs to be updated. The reason given is: List needs revision to include programming since 2016. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information. (March 2022)
Year Name Starring
2012 Larry King Now Larry King
2012 Politicking with Larry King Larry King
2013 Newsbreaker Alyssa Caverley & Naibe Reynoso
2013 Newsbreaker en Español Naibe Reynoso
2013 The Daily Rehash Various comedians
2013 Dweebcast Andy Riesmeyer
2014 WTFark Mike Rylander
2014 Off The Grid Jesse Ventura
2014 The Real Girl's Kitchen Haylie Duff
2014 Be Here Nowish Natalia Leite & Alexandra Roxo
2014 Brown Bag Wine Tasting William Shatner
2014 Behind the Vine Eric Artell
2014 Wayward Nation Mikey McManus
2015 The Rubin Report Dave Rubin
2016 Modern Traveler Alyssa Caverley
2016 The Charged Life Brendon Burchard

References

  1. ^ Andrew Wallenstein (12 March 2012). "Carlos Slim backs digital TV venture". Variety.
  2. ^ "Ora.Tv - Ora.TV Announces New Development Deal with Award-Winning Actor and Director William Shatner". ora.tv.
  3. ^ Erin Carlson (12 March 2012). "Larry King to Launch Interview Show on Ora.tv". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved March 4, 2022.
  4. ^ ""Larry King Now" Nominated for News & Documentary Emmy® Award". ora.tv.
  5. ^ "Ora TV Acquires Stick Figure Productions". ora.tv.
  6. ^ "Haylie Duff Lands Cooking Channel Show (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. 3 April 2014. Retrieved March 4, 2022.
  7. ^ Los Angeles Times (22 July 2014). "Laugh Factory teams with Larry King's Ora TV for new material". Los Angeles Times.
  8. ^ "Carlos Slim's Ora TV Severs Ties With Donald Trump, Calling His Remarks About Immigrants "Racist"". Forbes. 30 June 2015. Retrieved 4 July 2015.
  9. ^ Paletta, Damian (2016-09-09). "Donald Trump, on Russian TV Network, Criticizes U.S. Foreign Policy". Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved 2016-09-09.
  10. ^ Berenson, Tessa (9 September 2016). "Donald Trump Bashes U.S. Media on State-Owned Russian Network". TIME.com. Retrieved 2016-09-09.
  11. ^ "Larry King's Production Company: Trump Was 'Always Booked' On Our Talk Show". 9 September 2016. Retrieved 2016-09-09.
  12. ^ Johnson, Ted (1 March 2022). "DirecTV Drops RT America In Wake Of Russian Invasion Of Ukraine; Ora Media Pauses Production On Dennis Miller, William Shatner Shows". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 1 March 2022.
  13. ^ Darcy, Oliver (2022-03-03). "RT America ceases productions and lays off most of its staff". CNN. Retrieved 2022-03-03.

External links

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