Brian Williams to host election night special on Amazon

Brian Williams is making a return to the news business.

Amazon announced Thursday that former NBC News anchor and MSNBC host will preside over election night coverage it is planning on its streaming service Prime Video.

Williams will “be joined live by guests including prominent contributors across news and traditional media, representing a range of backgrounds and perspectives, to share real-time poll results and commentary while also referencing third-party news sources across all political affiliations,” the company said in announcing the program, which will kick off at 5 p.m. EST.

After more than four decades in the mainstream news business, Williams said an opportunity to work for Amazon “feels like the next big thing.”

“And the global marketplace of Amazon is a natural home for this first-of-its-kind venture,” he said in a statement. “Together we will follow the storyline on election night wherever it leads us.”

Williams spent more than 20 years at NBC and most recently hosted MSNBC’s 11 p.m. show “The 11th Hour with Brian Williams,” a post he held for the final five years of his tenure there.

Amazon’s planned election night coverage comes as more tech companies invest in live content, including sports, news and entertainment.

It also comes as legacy broadcasters are grappling with changing consumer habits, dwindling ratings and a tighter market for linear advertising.