Russia Today (RT.com) Is Russia's Propaganda Channel - "Truth is not the mission at RT"

RT (the Putin Corporation) has been seeding and fertilizing the ground for a long time.
Now the harvest is springin up and the chickens are coming home to roost.

Years ago I regularly read articles and saw videos there that were showing the other side of arguments of major Western news channels, and many times they sounded genuine and well grounded, with the exception of Iran where they displayed an obvious bias (however I vaguely recall some mildly critical pieces). I think news and arguments connecting the dots which severely criticize the major Western players - typically pointing out major economic and political background - would be poorer today if it weren't for that. But I had a bad feeling.

When they started to report on Syria, it sounded just like the old Soviet part - Assad is all good, the rebellion was all bad, and all bad news about Assad was Western fabrication. It wasn't (though ISIS sounds pretty bad too). I grew up with Soviet-style propaganda plus I heard Syrian dissidents who fled to the country of my birth. The simple truth was that it is horror on both sides, but it had been a horror game from Assad first. I knew about this for years and I know people who visited Syria before the civil war.

RT would have none of this - as Syria used to be on the Soviet side and now it is on Putin's side.

Then came Ukraine. RT was obviously showing the other side of protests, testing etc. but it was unable to come out early enough with evidence to prove that the riots were fake and financed. And that's because they weren't, though there were interests and some possible involvement. But huge masses got fed up by a tyrannical Eastern European leader as many times in recent history ('56 in Hungary, '89 in Romania). If there had been massive and heavy Western involvement they would have found it in time. After all, it's the next country, and they understand each other's language, plus the Russian government obviously had their people there already well planted - no one even bothered to deny.

But as push came to shove, it was impossible not to notice the heavy-handed one-sidedness in all reporting. Well, maybe Fox is a little like that in the West (but who watches Fox anyway?).

Then came the Malay flight with the dead Dutch kids. Well... I thought they were not going to lie about that, eveyone makes mistakes in wars, especially supporting proxies. I was wrong. They tried. But then came a flurry of new posters on ATS all flooding threads with a sole and obvious bias and usually bad English. (Putin could have spent a few more thousands on getting training for TOEFL tests).

By now there is not only and obvious bias (which is shown also by a couple of other sites such as globalresearch), but there is an obvious mismanagement of facts and news sources at RT, because the stakes are real this time.

Not only ATS was flooded (and I was really happy to see the posts by administrators and owners becoming aware of the organized effort), some other alternative news outlets like rense have also stopped to consider the other side of reporting (that one probably due to its heavy anti-Israel and anti-Jewish bias).

So there is a propaganda war going on.

BTW does any Russian-language alternative news source exist in Russia that criticizes Putin and questions the state version of truth? Some independent TV or radio or newspaper or Boards?
Is there any site in Russian readable from Russia where the counter side to some of the obviously not only biased but false reporting and dot-connecting is pointed out? (Or do alternative Russians just learn to read Ukrainian to get another view)? Anyone showing news and evidence or connecting the dots differently in Russian? Or do they just all brush up their English and get on ATS?

a reply to: Rosinitiate

The Russia above all speech is getting old. The simple fact you acknowledged the fact Russia has the resources to do whats being pointed out by the op is telling.

Secondly, why would Russia come after ATS? Because members dont like Putin or his actions? If you have to attack entities in an effort to remove their voice, like you just suggested, IS the problem, not the solution.

The possibility of Russia trying to disrupt this site only reinforces the concerns people have raised about Russia and its actions. What is on this site the Russian's would care so much about they would want to disrupt it? Secondly, if the "info" is the reason for the disruption, then why would Russia not counter the claims with facts instead of subterfuge?

If they have to use the latter it should make one questions Russias intent along with what they report.

yes?
no?

originally posted by: Xcathdra

originally posted by: Nikola014
ATS has changed a lot. I cannot even recognize it anymore.

A thread, from a site owner was made to let us know we shouldn't trust RT. He says they spread lies and propaganda.

My time here on ATS is done.

With all due respect I have noticed an interesting position by those who don't care much for the west / western media. You guys talk about differing positions but in reality your position comes across as "if you don't agree with my position then you should not be engaging in conversation in the thread".

You and I rarely agree on these threads but I agree with this. SO is aloud to have an opinion just like everyone else. What's the point of having a sandbox if you can't play in it? When a moderator or owner writes a thread they generally recuse themselves of moderator responsibilities. He stated he wasn't banning RT just sharing his views. If others are influenced by him because of his "position" thats their folly.

originally posted by: Xcathdra
a reply to: Rosinitiate

The Russia above all speech is getting old. The simple fact you acknowledged the fact Russia has the resources to do whats being pointed out by the op is telling.

Secondly, why would Russia come after ATS? Because members dont like Putin or his actions? If you have to attack entities in an effort to remove their voice, like you just suggested, IS the problem, not the solution.

The possibility of Russia trying to disrupt this site only reinforces the concerns people have raised about Russia and its actions. What is on this site the Russian's would care so much about they would want to disrupt it? Secondly, if the "info" is the reason for the disruption, then why would Russia not counter the claims with facts instead of subterfuge?

If they have to use the latter it should make one questions Russias intent along with what they report.

yes?
no?

I'm not sure what you're going on about here BUT Russia, as with any nation (given recent hostilities in Ukraine) has every reason to come in and disrupt/distort the information being received, as does the western spy agencies. I was saying it was fairly if not blatantly obvious there were countless new ATS account created daily to profess Russia as the savior to all our woes. Most were banned, others seemed to have stopped.

Russia today is like a breath of fresh air when it comes to news and i am quite able to make my own mind up on what is propaganda and what is not.

They at least take the camera out instead of presenting speculation from the news rooms as being news or using softball questions and answers like CNN/BBC does all the time.

Looks like the sanctions Russia has imposed on the west has upset someone so maybe they will tryh to ban RT like they have with PressTV and will keep banning RT reporters from entering the Ukraine to collect the news.

Our news is not covering the mass murders going on in Gaza and if the do then its spun to death so watch that if you cannot take the truth and i will continue to watch RT

originally posted by: Rosinitiate
I was saying it was fairly if not blatantly obvious there were countless new ATS account created daily to profess Russia as the savior to all our woes. Most were banned, others seemed to have stopped.

Question (and thanks for responding btw) -
What does it say / what conclusion should one draw when people create new accounts on this site to constantly post in Russia's favor?

If the Russian position is correct and unassailable then why would there be need for people to make up accounts and constantly post in threads dealing with Russia? If Russian media is "accurate" and western media is not, again why would there be a need to create fake accounts / temporary accounts solely for the purpose of posting only in threads dealing with Russia?

It does not make a lot of sense and in the end the action only increases skepticism for the russian source, not reduce it.

originally posted by: Xcathdra

originally posted by: Rosinitiate
I was saying it was fairly if not blatantly obvious there were countless new ATS account created daily to profess Russia as the savior to all our woes. Most were banned, others seemed to have stopped.

What does it say / what conclusion should one draw when people create new accounts on this site to constantly post in Russia's favor?

It means there is someone or some thing trying to influence opinions.

If the Russian position is correct and unassailable then why would there be need for people to make up accounts and constantly post in threads dealing with Russia?

Not everything is as black and white as you wish it to be. Whether correct or otherwise they have skin in the game and if they do nothing than western influence with roll right over them. They have every right to self determination as we do and the west doesn't exactly play by the rules. To state otherwise is just bias.

If Russian media is "accurate" and western media is not, again why would there be a need to create fake accounts / temporary accounts solely for the purpose of posting only in threads dealing with Russia?

Both sides have a role to play. It's no secret the western media only trumpets what the real leaders want and by leaders I don't mean Barrack Obama. Anyone who REALLY knows, knows that no matter which side wins (Democrat/Republican) the overarching goal is the same. That "goal" is counter to Russia's goals which is why you have opposition. That of course is not to say that Russia's goals are the same as mine.

I'm not stuck in a cold war mentality like some, but I also have no desire to be a communist either.

It does not make a lot of sense and in the end the action only increases skepticism for the russian source, not reduce it.

That is wishful thinking and you know it. The west has infiltrated the news media and its not just conspiracy theorists that know it. The difference between CT's and laymen is we are more prone to spotting the BS. All that being said, it doesn't stop the spooks from doing it either. Every post has the potential to sway regardless of obviousness to some.

a reply to: SkepticOverlord

I dont care about russian propaganda. Anyone that doubts here that the us made up the current crisis is deceived. It is western propaganda that i fear. But i guess people will still prefer and support their own fraud of a government to another country since it is the only option these cowards got.

a reply to: Rosinitiate

The difference between CT's and laymen is we are more prone to spotting the BS.

My observations suggest that the opposite is true. Many conspiracy theorists exercise very little critical thinking when it comes to their pet beliefs; instead, they exercise confirmation bias. If you were an intelligence agency who wanted to sway a segment of your enemy's population against their own government, or wanted to float memes that supported the lies you have been telling through official propaganda, where would the best place to disseminate your subversive material be? I submit that people who think contrails are an attempt by the government to poison them, who believe the government spent billions on the space program only to film it all on a backlot somewhere, people who think that the government has the technology to steer hurricanes and implant thoughts in their minds... these are the people who will readily accept any lie you tell, provided it confirms their negative opinion of their own government.

originally posted by: DJW001
a reply to: Rosinitiate

The difference between CT's and laymen is we are more prone to spotting the BS.

My observations suggest that the opposite is true. Many conspiracy theorists exercise very little critical thinking when it comes to their pet beliefs; instead, they exercise confirmation bias. If you were an intelligence agency who wanted to sway a segment of your enemy's population against their own government, or wanted to float memes that supported the lies you have been telling through official propaganda, where would the best place to disseminate your subversive material be? I submit that people who think contrails are an attempt by the government to poison them, who believe the government spent billions on the space program only to film it all on a backlot somewhere, people who think that the government has the technology to steer hurricanes and implant thoughts in their minds... these are the people who will readily accept any lie you tell, provided it confirms their negative opinion of their own government.

Well admittedly CT's cover a wide range of topics and beliefs. When you look at the entire picture a common theme begins to take shape. There are many conspiracies that are true and many more that are not.

originally posted by: SkepticOverlord

originally posted by: Tucket
Why do you single out RT?

Because Russia Today is a state-run propaganda machine, while very few ATS members seem to be aware of that, and even fewer of the public at large.

The difference between propaganda and bias is very important. US (and other western) news media exhibits bias, with RT represents propaganda. My posts in another thread outline my experience with such matters.

I don't see how this is any different than any other government sponsored news service. The CBC is basically the propaganda wing of Harper. Do they ca him out on his crap? Sure they do. All the time and to the length they should? Hell no.

Your argument against RT is moot. I don't see how they are better or worse than any other MSM. If people take RT or any other MSM for verbatim, that is their problem. How could anyone be so stupid to listen to CNN or the BBC over any other. They are all playing the same game as RT. By picking sides you are literally taking the propaganda of WW3 hook line and sinker.

I truly don't see how RT is worse than CNN or the like. Can you do a better job explaining as to why you feel this way? You seem to only attack RT...without comparison.

Think this anti RT came about because recently RT mentioned this site in a UFO segment,so this looks like me an attempt to distance the owners from them

Your right sparky most media spin in a certain direction,I listen to the radio for news or check online on this site for the full picture on world events ,warts and all

RT gave some of the best most balanced coverage of the recent Gaza conflict.

Edited

a reply to: sligtlyskeptical

Exactly. This is not the first time RT news has been singled out. I know at one point in time, a lot of video clips from that news outlet was used to support an anti US government point of view.

RT News is no better than NBC or Fox. They all do exactly the same thing.

a reply to: SkepticOverlord

What is international to the US is provincial to Russia based on it's geography and the location of international conflicts. It's always important to remind oneself that the view from the top of the mountain is different than the view from the top of a tree. This reminds me of the same rhetoric for Al Jazeera when the war on terror was announced. Each network is a a single view of the bigger perspective. Together, they form the whole. Has Fox or CNN been objective concerning Gaza? Have they ever had an honest discussion about WHY this continues to happen? The fact that RT made a counter point actually created the objectivity to allow people to judge for themselves what was happening. Through news outlets, books, research and actual face to face conversation we can start to learn on our own and not see these news outlets as our information giver but a tool in our knowledge belt. Each network is campaigning for their 'horse,' but each 'horse,' is a part of the bigger race. Is operation Gladio and their Nazi origins as prevalent as RT's 'The Truthseeker' would like us to believe? I don't know but there was a democratically elected government that was usurped by factions backed by western interest on the border of Russia? Do the US media outlets talk about the role the US has played in the Ukrainian uprising and protected former leaders that stole money from their citizens? Does the US have a history of toppling foreign government illegally? So while the factions may or may not be as Nazi as the host would like us to believe, which is where I see your propaganda points, the Ukraine was illegally violated by the US government and that opens the door for people to ask more questions.

RT says: "The US is backing an illegal government on our border and we are going to give you a perspective your media isn't." That seems like what they used to call "news." The major networks in the US all have commentators who have Op-ED shows on in primetime that is supposed to center around the hosts opinion and to not be considered news at all . That seems more like propaganda than RT.

What if Iraq started reporting that there were no WMD's and the invasion of their country was illegal? Would that be propaganda as well. I'm not at all saying that Russia isn't backing the eastern Ukrainian rebels but I am saying that Ukraine is on Russia's border, not the US's, and the US government has played a huge role in escalating the conflict. Common sense, not politically correct sense, would tell me that a country as large as Russia would have a responsibility to it's people to defend itself when trouble looms so close to their borders.

Russia has a legitimate financial concern and national security issue with what's happening in not just Ukraine but the middle east as well. With no objective point of view coming from the west a giant void is created and it's only natural for RT to capitalize on the void as a media competitor. Large corporations own stakes in the media in America and have sway in our government so the term "state-run" is a cold war reference that needs a refurbishing. What runs the state is not always the government which would make 'state-run' media a term that is less universal then it once was.

And even if it's all propaganda, look at this way, RT is just giving what the US feeds it. The US has and continues to dump money into foreign militaries. The US continues to topple democratically elected leaders and then pretend it's organic. The US is backing foreign rebels in some countries while backing foreign governments in others. The US lead a fake war in Afghanistan that has seen their heroine trade improve while the US heroine and opiate consumption rise to all-time highs. The US lead a fake war in Iraq under a false pretense and nobody is held accountable for the hundreds of thousands of deaths that have come from that. Who sold Iraq the chemical weapons? Who sold Syria the chemical weapons?

So is it the RT is creating distrust in the government or just revealing to people that the distrust they had in their government was warranted? Russia wasn't calling the Ukrainian government neo-nazi's until the US government and it's media helped topple Ukraine and then called Putin, 'Hitler'.

originally posted by: Rosinitiate

I was saying it was fairly if not blatantly obvious there were countless new ATS account created daily to profess Russia as the savior to all our woes. Most were banned, others seemed to have stopped.

I think that happens because people google a lot of things, end up visiting this website, and when you read all the opposing opinions around here, and the different types of people and characters, you feel a bit of a need to also jump in.

Personally, I believe the explanation for those increases and decreases of membership is rather mundane. People just join the discussion when it becomes heated.

when the mail comes through my letterbox, it is often accompanied by various adverts,
pamphlets, bogus competition 'wins' etc. i toss those in the bin and open the 'real' letters. it's just
a minor and momentary inconvenience.
i approach what comes through the 'letterbox' of television,
especially insofar as the mainstream news, in a similar fashion.
the junk is noted then ignored (usually turned over - there are plenty of channels to choose from)


and what interests me, i watch and consider.

a limitation of sources of information, however it's dressed up, remains a limitation of information.

originally posted by: _damon
a reply to: SkepticOverlord

I dont care about russian propaganda. Anyone that doubts here that the us made up the current crisis is deceived. It is western propaganda that i fear. But i guess people will still prefer and support their own fraud of a government to another country since it is the only option these cowards got.

I couldn't agree more with that. The US pounced like a desperate tiger on the Ukrainian uprising after they got their asses handed to them by the Kremlin at the height of the Syria conflict in 2013... Now theyve applied sanctions, not once twice in order to squeeze the Russians by the arm.... Its a totally manufactured "crisis". The current conflict in East Ukraine was inevitable before Kiev even fell into to the protestors hands, anyone who was aware of the history was aware of that... Western propaganda went into to overdrive about Ukraine to get back at the Kremilin for slapping the Whitehouse in front of the whole world... Sad story of revenge and arm twisting by weakening western governments.. Now they're getting their arm twisted right back by Russia, with sanctions applied against all western food imports...its official, a new cold / world wat has started, congranulations America / NWO, just what nobody wanted.

originally posted by: DJW001
If you were an intelligence agency who wanted to sway a segment of your enemy's population against their own government, or wanted to float memes that supported the lies you have been telling through official propaganda, where would the best place to disseminate your subversive material be?

Back in early 2002, there was a lot of research going on that was connecting the notorious "Frenchman" with Mikhail Lesin, minister of Mass Media in Russia at the time, and ultimate chief architect of RT western focus. For those who don't recall, the "Frenchman" was the first to postulate that the 9/11 attack on the Pentagon was actually a missile… some time around November of 2001. He did so with a big budget and slick computer graphics through off-primetime TV commercials on cable channels. Based on the number of commercials and print ads that were run, his total budget was estimated at over $4 million. After the ads stopped, he disappeared, and a conspiracy culture was given a significant kick-start.

Today, many of his 3D renders are still used in conspiracy theories about 9/11, without people realizing the potential poison of their source.