Russia Today is a state-controlled international television station in Russia.
Russian government funds this RT. It broadcasts its content in Spanish, Arabic, Russian, English and German languages. This is a clear indicator that it is target is audiences outside Russia.
Those in the know have branded RT as a major propaganda media channel for Russia.
According to Wikipedia, RT is a purveyor of conspiracy theories and misinformation. UK media regular Ofcom has found RT guilty of these accusations in the past.
RT was banned in Ukraine in 2014 following Russia’s annexation of Crimea. Lithuania and Latvia banned RT in 2020. In Feb 2022, Germany banned RT De.
Canada, Poland and the Entire European Union banned RT following the attack of Russia in Ukraine.
Microsoft removed RT from their app store.
Establishment
RT was established in 2005 to improve Russian image abroad.
RT was an idea conceived by Russian Ministers Aleksei Gromov and Mikhail Lesin.
Russia Today is funded by the Federal Agency for Press and Mass Media which is part of Russian government.
At its launch, RT hired 300 journalists out of which 70 were from outside Russia.
In 2007, Russia Today became the first Television station to report live from the North Pole.
Russia Today was rebranded to RT in 2009. Analysts said that this was an attempt to shed of the state affiliation.
YouTube block RT and Sputnik worldwide following Russian war in Ukraine.
By 2010, RT had a staff population of 2,000.
Funds for RT
RT was started with a capital of $30 million in 2005. These resources were increased to $80 million in 2007 and $380 million in 2011.
At least 80% of RT’s expenditures are made outside Russia.
As of March 2022, the RT feed was distributed by 22 satellites as well as 230 operators. the RT content is distributed in 700 million households in 100 countries across the world.
RT operates 21 bureaus in 16 countries across the world including in London, England, Washington DC, Iraq, Egypt, India, New York City and France among others.
Channels
- RT International
- RT Spanish
- RT Arabic
- RT UK
- RT America
- RT Documentary
Websites operated by RT
- RT Ha (Russian)
- RT en francaise (French)
- RT De (German)
YouTube Channels
- RT
- RT America
- RT Arabic
- RT French
- RT UK
- RT Chinese
Ranking
RT became one of the 100 most watched websites in seven Latin American countries.
RT YouTube videos provided first-person content about worldwide events. The videos were mostly acquired by RT rather than created by them.
Content generation
RT uses great photography, sex appeal and charm to appeal to a skeptical audience.
AWARDS
RT has won many awards such as:
- Silver World Medal from the New York Festivals
- International Emmy Award in News category for its coverage of president Barack Obama’s trip to Russia
- Third nomination for an International Emmy Award for its coverage of the Guantanamo Bay hunger strikes.
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