this post was submitted on 17 Sep 2024
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So what is the deal with RT really? What's the assessment? I know very little about RT other then its "Russian State Media". Is it just a full blown propaganda house like the west says or what?
Nothing too unexpected, it is Russian media and yeah it often has a Russian bias. I don't think it is any better or worse about that than any other news channel. Sometimes they have had good coverage about things, and sometimes they don't.
Is it technically propaganda? Sure, just as much as any other news sources are. Propaganda isn't necessarily untrue. I think trying to filter news to some pure unbiased ideal is an exercise in futility. But that isn't at all what western forces are trying to do with RT. They just don't want contrary viewpoints.
I'd certainly take it over CNN, BBC, DW, Fox etc. but yeah, it's very hit or miss. They can sometimes bring up leftist points you'd never get in Western media but also a lot of weird socially right wing stuff too and some takes that frankly do not always strike me as all that smart. It's pro-Russia yes, as are all large news companies towards the country they are based out of.
I like RT due to its multipolar point of view, but when it comes to issues of gender or lgtbq+ rights, it is garbage.
It is biased towards Russia and has terrible takes on lgbt issues. However it appears to be less bad because the context in which you'll often see it is that of international news, and whatever Russia might do, they don't commit mass atrocities like US and friends do which require a broad spectrum media apparatus to downplay war crimes. In international scenarios, they are more likely to be on the right side than the wrong side just looking at it statistically.
I'm not sure if RT is consumed domestically. But if you wanna know if they are honest or dishonest you should look at what their takes are on the contradiction between the Russian state and the Russian people when they cover the friction between them. Looking at how RT calls out the US sponsoring of a callous genocide in Palestine will not reveal much.