Russia Today Responds to Kincaid, Loudon Criticism
Moscow propaganda channel Russia Today, attempts to counter criticism from Cliff Kincaid, “yours truly” and others.
In a “Statement by Konstantin Preobrazhensky, former Soviet KGB officer, on the impact and purpose of Russia Today television”, given to America’s Survival, Inc. organization, led by noted journalist Cliff Kincaid, released April 1, 2011, the former KGB officer wrote the following about it (Full Text).
“Russia Today” was founded in 2005 especially for propaganda abroad. It has been aimed at ‘explaining Russia’s position on the main international issues and inform foreigners about Russian life’. According to Gzt.ru, it has been financed totally by the Russian government. In 2005-2006, the government has delivered $30 million annually. In 2011-2013, “Russia Today” will get $216 million (6,483 billion rubles).
The methods of propaganda are managed by Directorate “A” of Russian Foreign Intelligence Service. 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.
“Russia Today” is only a part of the Russian industry misinformation and manipulation created recently in the USA by Putin’s KGB. It is including the utilization of some American think-tanks and political scientists, their direct work up by Putin at annual meetings in Russia, putting Russian Americans under Kremlin’s control, etc. This industry aims at creating an inadequate, adorned image of Russia, provoking American to make wrong steps in their Russian politics.
These steps are many, like refusal to deploy ballistic missile defenses in Eastern Europe, allowing the KGB-ruled Moscow Patriarchate to absorb Russian Church abroad in 2007, personal acceptance by President Bush of a Russian criminal in the war in Chechnya, General Shamanov, in 2006 and, of course, closing the Russian Service in Voice of America VOAin 2008. Maybe Americans consider the VOA Russian Service to be a mere relic of the Cold War, unnecessary in free Russia, but in fact it has been one of the last sources of independent information for Russians. It has irritated Russian authorities. Putin has managed to close it with the Americans’ hands.
On the other hand, Russian propagandist TV channel “Russia Today” is very active in America. Nobody is going to close it or to transfer it to the Internet, as was done with the VOA Russian Service.
Russian-American cooperation is one-sided. Only Russia is getting benefits from it. America is enjoying euphoria of victory over Communism in the Cold War, but Russians say the war is still going on.
According to American logic, Communism should have been replaced with democracy and all its attributes like human rights, independent media, division of power, and all the others. And it has really taken place in the East European countries of the former Soviet bloc, but not in its core, Russia. Now, there is only on attribute of democracy, all the others have been destroyed by Putin. it is private property. But if this property is large enough, it should be approved by the government, or the government will ruin your business.
Anti-Americanism has become the basis of Russian foreign policy nowadays. Hatred of America is hatred of democracy.”
Americans need to realize that Russia Today is propaganda organ of an hostile foreign power. No patriotic American should in any way support Russia Today, consent to an interview, or give the organization any credibility whatsoever.
As a complement to RT, the Voice of Russia now broadcasts in English on AM radio in New York (1430 kHz) and Washington D.C. (1390 kHz) 24 hours a day, according to VOR’s website (http://english.ruvr.ru/).
VOR’s potential audience in both cities includes many movers and shakers in business, industry, media, and government. One can only wonder whose opinions, over time, will be shaped by those broadcasts. Happy listening!
Mr. Loudon suggests that no patriotic American should consent to an interview, or give the organization any credibility whatsoever.
I tend to agree, yet I have noted a number of Americans appearing on RT. It struck me as at least a very insensitive thing to do, if not deliberately unpatriotic. Of course, they did not have complimentary things to say about the United States.
Another propaganda tool to beware of is Iran’s English-language state-sponsored television service, Press TV. They are only slightly less slick than RT. My impression is that Press TV in particular has received a lot of training and assistance from Russian experts in terms of the psychological content of their programming.
America doesn’t need a communist Russian news outlet, we already have our own communist news outlet’s MSNBC,CNN,CBS, NBC and ABC.
They are also liars. Deny, deny, deny
This anchor is struggling hard to save face. Not working for
them is it.
They are totally anti-american.
How is this a shock to anyone and remember, ” Birds of a Feather”
I’m a patriotic American. I watch RT for their in depth coverage of the days events and examine appreciate their perspective on issues. The worst thing any single person can do is not fully examine an event from many different angles, holding bias while examining fact to make a logical opinion.
To get your news or perspective from only outlet, to examine only two view points is height of ignorance. I personally form my opinions from many different news outlets from all over the world, examining fact and sorting the bull. If you don’t take an approach that amounts to more than just viewing and accepting opinion you’re truly blind and willfully ignorant.
RT is wonderful station, with wonderful coverage. Never stop questioning, and always examine the facts.
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