Television presenter Dmitry Kiselyov, the head of the state-owned Rossiya Segodnya news agency, who is known for his anti-gay and pro-Kremlin views, announced Thursday he would launch his own game show.
The show will be called “Knowledge Is Power,” and the first episode will be aired Saturday on state-owned television, Kiselyov said in an interview published by the Izvestia newspaper Thursday.
“It's a one-on-one intellectual game show,” Kiselyov told Izvestia.
Kiselyov, best known for his attacks on the West and his strong backing for President Vladimir Putin on his weekly news program on state-owned channel Rossia-1, was appointed head of the Rossiya Segodnya news agency in 2013 after its predecessor, RIA Novosti, was broken up by the Kremlin.
Details of the new game show are sparse, but Kiselyov said it would avoid political topics.
“It's an apolitical game show. It's interesting because ultimately, there is more to life than politics … I will play on the side of the audience,” Kiselyov told Izvestia.
Kiselyov was sanctioned by the European Union in March last year after Russia's annexation of the Black Sea region of Crimea, as a result of which his foreign assets were frozen and he was barred from traveling to the EU.
The controversial presenter is particularly known for a remark in 2013 that the hearts of gay people who die in car accidents should not be used in transplants, but rather burnt or buried. Last year he also caused an outcry when he said Russia could turn the United States into “radioactive dust.”
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
