FACT CHECK
The Record, in conjunction with the Ferret Fact Service, is running the rule over the truthfulness of bold claims made by politicians of all hues. In the age of fake news, we will look, impartially, at all the available evidence to find out if politicians are telling the truth, the whole truth or nothing like the truth. Today we ask: Are the accusations that Alex Salmond’s broadcast partner RT is a propaganda tool of Vladimir Putin true or false?
ALEX Salmond’s new TV venture has already caused controversy.
The former first minister’s chat show will be broadcast on RT UK (previously Russia Today), which has led to criticism from politicians and commentators.
As part of a Twitter post, Labour MP Ian Austin said: “Russia Today is appalling. A Putin propaganda outfit controlled by the Kremlin.”
So, is all the fuss about the Russian TV network justified? The Ferret Fact Service looked at Austin’s claim and found it to be... Mostly True. THE EVIDENCE RT is a television news network which launched in 2005. Their stated aim is to “cover stories overlooked by the mainstream media, provide alternative perspectives on current affairs and acquaint international audiences with a Russian viewpoint on major global events”.
It was conceived by and remains funded by the Russian state and is positioned as similar to the BBC.
Their UK arm, RT UK, was launched in October 2014. It is available on Freeview to most UK households.
Salmond is not the first British political figure to have a show on the channel.
Former Labour and Respect MP George Galloway has a weekly programme and former deputy prime minister John Prescott has guest-hosted on the channel. Prominent politicians, including Jeremy Corbyn and Vince Cable, have been interviewed on RT.
Is the network a propaganda operation for Putin’s Russia?
An often-cited US intelligence report called the channel “the Kremlin’s principal international propaganda outlet” and found it to be a factor in alleged Russian influence on the 2016 presidential election. RT were forced to register as a foreign agent in November 2017.
The report included RT as part of “Russia’s state-run propaganda machine” alongside their domestic media and a “network of quasigovernment trolls” operating on social media.
A network of 600 pro-Russian Twitter accounts monitored by the Alliance for Securing Democracy regularly shares RT content.
RT was launched to improve Russia’s image abroad and president Vladimir Putin spoke about the channel’s purpose in an interview in 2013.
He said: “When we designed this project, we intended introducing another strong player on the world’s scene, a player that would not just provide an unbiased coverage of events in Russia but also try to break the Anglo-Saxon monopoly on the global information streams.” While stressing their editorial independence, Putin said: “The channel is funded by the government, so it cannot help but reflect the Russian government’s official position on the events in our country.” Media freedom in Russia has been criticised. Free press campaigners Reporters Without Borders said, “the climate has become increasingly oppressive for those who try to maintain quality journalism or question the new patriotic and neo-conservative”.
Their 2017 World Press Freedom Index ranked Russia 148th out of 180 countries and categorised the situation for journalists there as “difficult.” The UK was categorised as “satisfactory” and came 40th.
Since they began broadcasting in the UK, RT have been criticised by regulators Ofcom for showing a lack of impartiality during broadcasts.
They have been found to have breached Ofcom rules 14 times, including impartiality over Russia’s involvement in Ukraine.
There is no evidence that Salmond’s RT show will be subject to editorial interference from Russia’s government, and the programme will be produced by his production company, Slainte Media. Salmond told the BBC he would “have total editorial control” over the programme.