Controversies and criticisms of RT: Difference between revisions

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RT (TV network)

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+#REDIRECT [[RT (TV network)]]
-'''RT''', previously known as [[Russia Today]], is a global multilingual television news network based in Russia and funded by the Russian government.
-Below are the controversies and criticisms of [[Russia Today|RT]].
-==Criticisms of news content==
-===Allegations of pro-Putin and Soviet bias===
-According to a variety of sources such as [[Der Spiegel]] and [[Reporters Without Borders]], the channel presents pro-[[Moscow Kremlin|Kremlin]] [[propaganda]].<ref>[http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/0,1518,518259,00.html Controversial Propaganda: Using Stalin To Boost Russia Abroad] ''Der Spiegel'' 20 November 2007</ref><ref>[http://www.kommersant.com/page.asp?idr=530&id=619775 Reporters Without Borders Don’t Fancy Russia Today] ''[[Kommersant]]'' 21 October 2005</ref>  Russia Today staff have nonetheless claimed that their coverage was fair and balanced.<ref>[http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/12/11/uttm/main1115914.shtml Russian News, English Accent: New Kremlin Show Spins Russia Westward] ''[[CBS News]]'' 12 December 2005</i></ref> A 2005 [[Voice of America|VOA]] report interviewed Anton Nosik, chief editor of a major English-language computer internet site in Russia, in which he described the creation of Russia Today as an idea smacking of Soviet-style propaganda campaigns, and also noted that the channel was not created as a response to any existing demand.<ref>{{cite news|title=New Global TV Venture to Promote Russia|url=http://www.voanews.com/english/news/a-13-2005-07-06-voa33-66930727.html?CFTOKEN=42597376&CFID=285357866|newspaper=VOANews|date=06-07-05}}</ref> while another article in the [[Digital Journal]] called RT a "pro-[[Vladimir Putin|Putin]] news outlet"<ref name="Digital_journal">{{cite web|last=Camphausen|first=R.C.|title=Russia Today in propaganda war of words and images  Read more: http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/286048#ixzz1JdjGscfI|url=http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/286048|work=R.C.Camphausen|publisher=Digital Journal}}</ref> and its [[advertising campaign]] as "open propaganda war."<ref name="Digital_journal"/>
-A 2009 article by journalist Luke Harding for [[The Guardian]] reporting on RT's [[advertising campaign]] described the network as "unashamedly pro-[[Vladimir Putin]]"<ref name="Guardian_Harding_RT">{{cite web|url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/dec/18/russia-today-propaganda-ad-blitz|title=Russia Today launches first UK ad blitz|author=Luke Harding|date=18-12-09|publisher=The Guardian}}</ref> and part of the [[Kremlin]]'s attempt to create a "post-Soviet global propaganda empire."<ref name="Guardian_Harding_RT"/> The article also interviewed RT's editor-in-chief Margarita Simonyan where she said the network "takes a pro-Russian position"<ref name="Guardian_Harding_RT"/> and was unrepentant about RT's pro-Russian coverage of the [[2008 South Ossetia war|2008 Russian-Georgian war]].<ref name="Guardian_Harding_RT"/> In 2011, an article by [[The Guardian]] reported that Harding had been [[deportation|expelled]] from Russia for unspecified reasons.<ref name="Guardian_expulsion">{{cite web|url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2011/feb/07/guardian-moscow-correspondent-expelled-from-russia|title=Guardian's Moscow correspondent expelled from Russia|date=07-02-11|author=Dan Sabbagh|publisher=The Guardian}}</ref> The expulsion was believed to be the first of a [[British people|British]] [[journalist|staff journalist]] from [[Russia]] since the end of the [[Cold War]].<ref name="Guardian_expulsion"/>
-An article published in [[The New Republic]] by [[James Kirchick]] characterized the news reportage of Russia Today as, "virulent anti-Americanism, worshipful portrayal of Russian leaders, and comical production values," that "can't help but revive the pettiness that was a distinctive feature of Soviet-era propaganda."<ref>{{cite news|last=Kirchick|first=James|title=Pravda on the Potomac|url=http://www.tnr.com/article/pravda-the-potomac|newspaper=The New Republic|date=02-18-09}}</ref>
-An article in the [[non-profit organization|non-profit]] [[news media]] watchdog organization [[Accuracy in Media]] criticized RT as a "propaganda network funded by the Moscow regime of Vladimir Putin"<ref name="AIM_RT">{{cite web|url=http://www.aim.org/aim-column/kgb-tv-to-air-show-hosted-by-anti-war-marine-vet/|title=KGB TV to Air Show Hosted by Anti-war Marine Vet|date=05-04-11|publisher=Accuracy in Media}}</ref> and charged that it "regularly features [[Marxism|Marxist]] and [[Ultra-leftism|radical commentators]].<ref name="AIM_RT"/> The article also cites the description of the network by [[KGB|former KGB officer]] [[Konstantin Preobrazhensky]] as “a part of the Russian industry of misinformation and manipulation” designed to mislead foreign audiences about Russian intentions."<ref name="AIM_RT"/> Furthermore, [[Konstantin Preobrazhensky|Preobrazhensky]] argues that Russia Today utilizes methods of propaganda that are "managed by Directorate 'A' of the [[Foreign Intelligence Service (Russia)|Russian Foreign Intelligence Service]]...with the specialty of Directorate ‘A’ is deceiving world public opinion and manipulating it. It has got a lot of experience over decades of the Cold War."<ref name="AIM_RT"/>
-An editor for the [[Kyiv Post]] has noted criticism towards RT and its perceived anti-Western and [[Anti-Ukrainian sentiment|anti-Ukrainian]] propaganda.<ref>http://www.kyivpost.com/news/ukraine/detail/114840/</ref>
-In response, according to RT's editor, the channel welcomes controversy as it "provides an alternative to mainstream media."<ref>[http://www.themoscowtimes.com/news/article/russia-today-courts-viewers-with-controversy/401888.html Russia Today Courts Viewers With Controversy] ''The Moscow Times'' 17 March 2010</ref>
-===Allegations of supporting conspiracy theories===
-Critics have challenged the neutrality of RT's reporting and suggested that the channel has provided a platform to [[conspiracy theorists]].<ref>[http://www.economist.com/blogs/easternapproaches/2010/07/russia_today_goes_mad Airwaves wobbly] ''The Economist: Eastern Approaches'' 6 July 2010</ref> A September–October 2010 article in the [[Columbia Journalism Review]] called Russia Today a [[Kremlin]] propaganda outlet<ref name="CJR">{{cite journal|last=Ioffe|first=Julia|journal=Columbia Journalism Review|year=2010|month=September/October|url=http://www.cjr.org/feature/what_is_russia_today.php}}</ref>  featuring "fringe-dwelling experts"<ref name="CJR"/> and "was just a way to stick it to the U.S. from behind the façade of legitimate newsgathering."<ref name="CJR"/>
-On the occasion of [[Radio Free Europe|RFE]]´s 60th anniversary<ref>[http://www.rferl.org/content/press_release_isaacson_newseum/2170998.html RFE´s 60th anniversary on rferl.org] 24:00min, sept 29 2010, www.rferl.org</ref> in Washington DC (sept 2010), [[Walter Isaacson]] (appointed by [[Barack Obama|President Barack Obama]] the chairman of the Broadcasting Board of Governors), says about RT, [[Presstv]] (Iran), [[China Central Television|CCTV]] (China), and [[TeleSUR]] (pan-Latin American): "we can't allow ourselves to be out-communicated by our enemies..."
-A post in [[Politico (newspaper)|Politico]] by [[Ben Smith (journalist)|Ben Smith]] criticized an interview between Alex Jones and Russia Today discussing [[Death of Osama bin Laden conspiracy theories|Osama bin Laden death conspiracy theories]] and called Russia Today a "raw propaganda channel."<ref>{{cite news|last=Smith|first=Ben|title=Alex Jones on Russia Today|url=http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/0511/Alex_Jones_on_Russia_Today.html|newspaper=Politico|date=03-05-11}}</ref>
-==Criticisms of coverage of specific news incidents==
-During the [[2008 South Ossetia War]] Russia Today correspondent William Dunbar resigned saying "[t]he real news, the real facts of the matter, didn't conform to what they were trying to report, and therefore, they wouldn't let me report it."<ref>[http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/greenslade/2008/aug/12/russiantvreporterresignsaf Russian TV reporter resigns after station cancels his Georgian broadcasts] ''The Guardian, citing the [[Moscow Times]]'' 12 August 2008</ref>  [[Human Rights Watch]] said that the claim of 2000 South Ossetian casualties, announced by Russia Today,<ref>[http://rt.com/Top_News/2008-08-10/Death_toll_in_South_Ossetia_reaches_2000.html Death toll in South Ossetia reaches 2,000] ''Russia Today<i> 10 August 2008</ref> was "exaggerated."<ref>[http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/aug/13/georgia Russia exaggerating South Ossetian death toll, says human rights group] <i>The Guardian'' 13 August 2008</ref>  The Moscow correspondent for [[the Independent]] said that Russia Today's coverage of the war was "obscene", claiming that the channel was "extraordinarily biased" and had "instructed reporters not to report from Georgian villages within South Ossetia that had been ethnically cleansed."<ref>[http://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/tv-radio/russians-are-coming-but-with-news-or-propaganda-1869324.html From Russia with news] ''The Independent'' 15 January 2010.</ref>
-==Staff controversies==
-An article in [[The Daily Telegraph]] reported that [[Mike Hancock (UK politician)#Russian aide's arrest and espionage allegations|alleged spy suspect Katia Zatuliveter]] was now working for RT.<ref>{{cite news|title=Russian spy suspect to work for Russian TV|url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/8392183/Russian-spy-suspect-to-work-for-Russian-TV.html|newspaper=The Daily Telegraph|date=19-03-11}}</ref>
-==See also==
-*[[CNN controversies]]
-*[[BBC controversies]]
-*[[Fox News Channel controversies]]
-*[[Press TV controversies]]
-*[[Al Jazeera#Criticism and controversy|Al Jazeera controversies]]
-*[[China Central Television#Criticism|CCTV Criticism]]
-==References==
-{{Reflist|2}}
-{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2011}}
-{{DEFAULTSORT:Controversies And Criticisms Of Rt}}
-[[Category:Criticisms of companies|RT]]
-[[Category:Television controversies|RT]]
-[[pl:Krytyka i kontrowersje wokół RT]]