As part of the new deal, however, he will be ending “The Chris Matthews Show,” a syndicated public affairs show produced out of the NBC News DC bureau. The final edition of the program will air July 21. The half-hour show typically aired on Sunday mornings, though not every local market carried it. The show has been produced by NBC since 2002.

Matthews says he is ending the syndicated show to focus on “Hardball,” his books and his long-form TV docs.

“There are limits to what I can do in a week,” Matthews says in a statement. “Henceforth, I intend to concentrate any time left over from “Hardball” on writing books like the one I’m committed to now on the relationship between Tip O’Neill and Ronald Reagan, that and producing documentaries on history and politics.”