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| picture_format = [[1080i]] ([[High-definition television|HDTV]])<br />(downscaled to [[16:9]] [[480i]]/[[576i]] for the [[SDTV]] feed)
| country = Russia
| language = News channel:<br /> English, French, German, Arabic & Spanish <br />
Documentary [[Television channel|channel]]:<br />English
| area = Worldwide
| headquarters = Borovaya Street, Building 3/1, [[Moscow, Russia]]
| former_names = Russia Today (2005–2009)
| sister_channels = {{plainlist|
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* [[Ruptly]]<ref name="Ruptly" /> (including Redfish and [[Maffick]])<ref name="Times Redfish" /><ref name="CNN Maffick"/>
}}
| founded = 6 April 2005; 19 years ago
| webcast = https://www.rt.com/on-air/
| website = {{Official URL}}
}}
'''RT''' (formerly '''Russia Today''' or '''Rossiya Segodnya'''; {{lang-ru|Россия Сегодня}})<ref>{{Cite news |last=Pisnia |first=Natalka |date=2017-11-15 |title=Why has RT registered as a foreign agent with the US? |language=en |work=[[BBC News]] |location=Washington |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-41991683 |access-date=2022-03-02 |archive-date=2 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220302002010/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-41991683 |url-status=live }}</ref> is a Russian [[State media|state-controlled]]<!-- This part of the lead has been discussed many times. Reliable sources use "state-controlled". Please do not change it without prior discussion -->{{refn|name=state media|<ref name="Journalism Studies">{{cite journal |last1=Haigh |first1=Maria |last2=Haigh |first2=Thomas |last3=Kozak |first3=Nadine I. |title=Stopping Fake News |journal=[[Journalism Studies]] |date=26 October 2018 |volume=19 |issue=14 |pages=2062–2087 |doi=10.1080/1461670X.2017.1316681 |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/316465929 |access-date=1 March 2022 |publisher=[[Routledge]] |s2cid=152142122 |issn=1461-670X |via=[[Taylor & Francis]]}}</ref>{{rp|p=2070|q=The state-owned Russia Today channel, carried widely in Western countries (Cohen 2014) as a result of subsidies provided by Moscow to cable and satellite operators (Zavadski 2015), mimics the form but not the journalistic practices of conventional news channels such as CNN.}}<ref name="International Affairs 2021">{{cite journal |last1=Golovchenko |first1=Yevgeniy |last2=Hartmann |first2=Mareike |last3=Adler-Nissen |first3=Rebecca |author-link3=Rebecca Adler-Nissen |title=State, media and civil society in the information warfare over Ukraine: citizen curators of digital disinformation |journal=[[International Affairs (journal)|International Affairs]] |publisher=[[Oxford University Press]] |date=1 September 2018 |volume=94 |issue=5 |pages=975–994 |doi=10.1093/ia/iiy148 |doi-access=free |url=https://curis.ku.dk/ws/files/202808484/iiy148.pdf |access-date=20 March 2021 |issn=0020-5850 |quote=Particularly in the wake of the crisis in Ukraine that erupted in 2013–2014, the Kremlin has been accused of orchestrating disinformation campaigns against the Ukrainian government and western countries by using online trolls and state-controlled online outlets such as RT (formerly known as Russia Today), Sputnik and Life News. |archive-date=16 June 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240616063625/https://curis.ku.dk/ws/files/202808484/iiy148.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="European Security 2017">{{cite journal |last1=Hellman |first1=Maria |last2=Wagnsson |first2=Charlotte |title=How can European states respond to Russian information warfare? An analytical framework |journal=[[European Security]] |date=3 April 2017 |volume=26 |issue=2 |pages=153–170 |doi=10.1080/09662839.2017.1294162 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210423124457/https://dl1.cuni.cz/pluginfile.php/773054/mod_resource/content/0/hellman2017.pdf |archive-date=23 Apr 2021 |url=https://dl1.cuni.cz/pluginfile.php/773054/mod_resource/content/0/hellman2017.pdf |access-date=23 Sep 2022 |publisher=[[Taylor & Francis]] |s2cid=157635419 |via=[[Charles University]]}}</ref>{{rp|4|q=Use of state-controlled media such as RT (previously known as Russia Today) to spread the Russian narrative or contest the opponent's narrative is an important part of Russian information warfare.}}<ref name="Digital War 2021">{{cite journal |last1=Al-Rawi |first1=Ahmed |title=How did Russian and Iranian trolls' disinformation toward Canadian issues diverge and converge? |journal=Digital War |date=12 February 2021 |volume=2 |issue=1–3 |pages=21–34 |doi=10.1057/s42984-020-00029-4 |doi-access= |publisher=[[Palgrave Macmillan]] |s2cid=258704949 |language=en |issn=2662-1983}}</ref>{{rp|2|q=One of the major tools highlighted by the author is Russia Today, the state-controlled international television network that is often cited by Russian trolls in their dissemination of Pro-Kremlin messages.}}<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Denton |first1=Allison |title=Fake News: The Legality of the Russian 2016 Facebook Influence Campaign |journal=[[Boston University International Law Journal]] |date=16 April 2019 |volume=37 |pages=209 |url=https://www.bu.edu/ilj/files/2020/04/Denton.pdf |publisher=[[Boston University School of Law]] |quote=Additionally, the U.S. is not the only country that has been targeted by Russian influence campaigns. Russia has been accused of conducting another influence campaign prior to the 2017 French election between Marine Le Pen (Russia's pick) and Emmanuel Macron. Before the election, Kremlin-controlled news sources Russia Today (RT) and Sputnik reported that Macron was secretly gay, and that he was backed by a “very rich gay lobby.” |access-date=26 February 2022 |archive-date=26 February 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220226015903/https://www.bu.edu/ilj/files/2020/04/Denton.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="HKS 2020" />{{rp|at=Implications|q=However, when it comes to disinformation from state-controlled media sources platforms’ options are more limited. Most often channels like Russia's RT and Iran's PressTV do not technically violate a platform's terms of service and so cannot be removed. [...] State-media outlets often have no overt connection to their host state on their social media channels or their website. For instance, “In The Now” appears like any other short video news service and racks up millions of views but is a subsidiary of RT (O’Sullivan et al., 2019).}}}} international news television network funded by the [[Russian government]].<ref name="MaxFisher">{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2013/06/13/in-case-you-werent-clear-on-russia-todays-relationship-to-moscow-putin-clears-it-up/|title=In case you weren't clear on Russia Today's relationship to Moscow, Putin clears it up|last=Fisher|first=Max|date=13 June 2013|newspaper=The Washington Post|access-date=31 July 2016|archive-date=12 June 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612145257/https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2013/06/13/in-case-you-werent-clear-on-russia-todays-relationship-to-moscow-putin-clears-it-up/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Nimmo">{{cite news |last=Nimmo |first=Ben |date=8 January 2018 |title=Question That: RT's Military Mission |work=Atlantic Council-Digital Forensic Research Lab |publisher=[[medium.com]] |url=https://medium.com/dfrlab/question-that-rts-military-mission-4c4bd9f72c88 |access-date=13 March 2018 |archive-date=20 September 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200920222956/https://medium.com/dfrlab/question-that-rts-military-mission-4c4bd9f72c88 |url-status=live }}</ref> It operates [[pay television]] and [[free-to-air]] [[television channel|channel]]s directed to audiences outside of Russia, as well as providing Internet content in Russian, English, Spanish, French, German, Arabic, Portuguese and
RT is a brand of TV-Novosti - self-named an "autonomous non-profit organization" (ANO) - founded by the Russian state-owned news agency [[RIA Novosti]] in April 2005.<ref name="ReferenceA"/><ref>{{Cite web |title=Журнал Стандарт / №09(80) сентябрь 2009Вести с эфирного фронта {{!}} ComNews |url=https://www.comnews.ru/standart/article/52517 |access-date=2022-05-15 |website=www.comnews.ru |archive-date=16 October 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221016123219/https://www.comnews.ru/standart/article/52517 |url-status=live }}</ref> During the economic crisis in December 2008, the Russian government, headed by Prime Minister [[Vladimir Putin]], included ANO "TV-Novosti" on its [[List of strategic organizations of Russia|list of core organizations of strategic importance to Russia]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://archive.premier.gov.ru/eng/events/messages/2883/|title=Archive of the official site of the 2008–2012 Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin|publisher=[[Government of the Russian Federation|Government of Russia]]|access-date=24 October 2014|archive-date=3 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303222034/http://archive.premier.gov.ru/eng/events/messages/2883/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|format=DOC|url=http://www.government.ru/content/governmentactivity/mainnews/33281de212bf49fdbf39d611cadbae95.doc|script-title=ru:Перечень системообразующих организаций, утвержденный Правительственной комиссией по повышению устойчивости развития российской экономики|language=ru|trans-title=List of systemically important institutions approved by the Government Commission on Sustainable Development of the Russian Economy|publisher=government.ru|access-date=18 March 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081227071316/http://www.government.ru/content/governmentactivity/mainnews/33281de212bf49fdbf39d611cadbae95.doc|archive-date=27 December 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://top.rbc.ru/economics/25/12/2008/271243.shtml|script-title=ru:Правительство РФ приняло перечень системообразующих организаций|language=ru|trans-title=The Russian government has adopted a list of backbone organizations|work=[[RBK Group]]|access-date=24 October 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131220071141/http://top.rbc.ru/economics/25/12/2008/271243.shtml|archive-date=20 December 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref> RT operates as a multilingual service with channels in five languages: the original English-language channel was launched in 2005, the [[Rusiya Al-Yaum|Arabic-language channel]] in 2007, [[RT Spanish|Spanish]] in 2009, [[RT DE|German]] in 2014 and [[RT en français|French]] in 2017. [[RT America]] (2010–2022),<ref name="vonTwickel" /><ref name="Darcy-2022">{{Cite news |last=Darcy |first=Oliver |date=4 March 2022 |title=RT America ceases productions and lays off most of its staff |work=CNN Business |url=https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/03/media/rt-america-layoffs/index.html |access-date=4 March 2022 |archive-date=7 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220307181801/https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/03/media/rt-america-layoffs/index.html |url-status=live }}</ref> [[RT UK]] (2014–2022) and other regional channels also produce local content. RT is the parent company of the [[Ruptly]] video agency,{{refn|name=Ruptly|<ref>{{cite book |last1=Sloss |first1=David L. |title=Tyrants on Twitter: Protecting Democracies from Information Warfare |date=12 April 2022 |publisher=[[Stanford University Press]] |isbn=978-1-5036-3115-1 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2MlcEAAAQBAJ&pg=PT76 |url-access=limited |via=[[Google Books]] |access-date=3 March 2022 |language=en |quote=Ruptly, a subsidiary of RT that specializes in video, has 230,000 likes on Facebook, 52,000 Twitter followers, and 304,000 YouTube subscribers in the UK. |archive-date=31 January 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240131153431/https://books.google.com/books?id=2MlcEAAAQBAJ&pg=PT76#v=onepage&q&f=false |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Chobanyan |first1=Karina |editor1-last=Vartanova |editor1-first=Elena |editor2-last=Gladkova |editor2-first=Anna |journal=World of Media |title=Up for a challenge? Digital practices of 24-hour news channels |date=2020 |issue=3 |page=50 |url=http://worldofmedia.ru/volumes/2020/2020_Issue_3/World%20of%20Media_3-2020%20(1).pdf |access-date=3 March 2022 |publisher=[[Moscow State University]] |issn=2686-8016 |quote=RT, which owns Ruptly news agency, likes to post its raw footage of world events. |archive-date=3 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220303185740/http://worldofmedia.ru/volumes/2020/2020_Issue_3/World%20of%20Media_3-2020%20(1).pdf |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Cohen |first1=Howard |title=Tech Tock...: Time is Running Out to Find Solutions to Mis- and Disinformation and Privacy Problems |url=https://www.belfercenter.org/publication/tech-tock |date=May 2018 |website=[[Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs]] |publisher=[[Harvard Kennedy School]] |location=[[Harvard University]] |access-date=3 March 2022 |language=en |pages=17–18 |quote=Ruptly is a news agency created by Russian funded news channel RT in 2013 to rival Reuters and AP. [...] Finally, it is very transparent about following the same agenda as RT: "Ruptly builds on and extends the core strengths and values of our parent company RT." |archive-date=3 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220303184258/https://www.belfercenter.org/publication/tech-tock |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Spiegel RT2">{{cite web|date=30 May 2014|title=Russia Uses State Television to Sway Opinion at Home and Abroad|url=https://www.spiegel.de/international/world/russia-uses-state-television-to-sway-opinion-at-home-and-abroad-a-971971.html|access-date=22 March 2021|website=[[Der Spiegel]]|quote=Moscow is looking beyond the short-term, seeking to influence opinion in the long-run to create "an alternative discourse in Western countries as well," says Margarita Simonyan, editor in chief of Kremlin foreign broadcaster RT, formerly known as Russia Today, which owns Ruptly.|archive-date=2 December 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191202063746/https://www.spiegel.de/international/world/russia-uses-state-television-to-sway-opinion-at-home-and-abroad-a-971971.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Interfax RT2">{{cite web|date=9 August 2020|title=В Минске задержаны двое стрингеров видеоагентства Ruptly|trans-title=Two stringers of video agency Ruptly detained in Minsk|url=https://www.interfax.ru/world/720981|access-date=22 March 2021|website=[[Interfax]]|language=ru|quote=Двух стрингеров видеоагентства Ruptly задержали в Минске, сообщил владелец сервиса, телеканал RT.|trans-quote=Two stringers of the Ruptly video agency were detained in Minsk, the owner of the service, RT TV channel, said.|archive-date=22 April 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210422220701/https://www.interfax.ru/world/720981|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Zara|first=Christopher|author-link=Christopher Zara|date=11 April 2019|title=What is Ruptly? Julian Assange arrest video footage raises eyebrows about RT-owned outlet|url=https://www.fastcompany.com/90333590/what-is-ruptly-julian-assange-arrest-video-footage-raises-eyebrows-about-rt-owned-outlet|access-date=23 July 2021|website=[[Fast Company]]|archive-date=23 July 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210723132552/https://www.fastcompany.com/90333590/what-is-ruptly-julian-assange-arrest-video-footage-raises-eyebrows-about-rt-owned-outlet|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="pg1104192">{{Cite web|date=11 April 2019|title=RT's video agency Ruptly beats UK media to Julian Assange footage|url=https://pressgazette.co.uk/rt-subsidiary-ruptly-beats-uk-media-to-exclusive-julian-assange-footage/|access-date=21 October 2020|website=Press Gazette|language=en-US|quote=The footage captured by Ruptly showed Assange for the first time in about a year, now sporting a long white beard. He could be heard shouting "the UK has no sovereignty" and "the UK must resist this attempt by the Trump administration…" as he was dragged out by five police officers and put into a van.|archive-date=29 September 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200929052950/https://pressgazette.co.uk/rt-subsidiary-ruptly-beats-uk-media-to-exclusive-julian-assange-footage/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Aro |first1=Jessikka |author-link=Jessikka Aro |title=Emilia Seikkanen Worked in a Trendy Video Start-Up in Berlin – Tells All about the Kremlin's Global Information Operation |url=https://yle.fi/uutiset/3-11820154 |website=[[Yle]] |access-date=2 March 2022 |language=en |date=6 March 2021 |quote=The company left out the essential information in its job vacancy advertisements: Ruptly is the subsidiary of the Russian state-funded media company RT, formerly Russia Today. It's located in the same office as RT's German media branch, named RT Deutsch. |archive-date=2 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220302190732/https://yle.fi/uutiset/3-11820154 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Harris |first1=Shane |last2=Nakashima |first2=Ellen |author1-link=Shane Harris |author2-link=Ellen Nakashima |title=With a mix of covert disinformation and blatant propaganda, foreign adversaries bear down on final phase of presidential campaign |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/with-a-mix-of-covert-disinformation-and-blatant-propaganda-foreign-adversaries-bear-down-on-final-phase-of-presidential-campaign/2020/08/20/57997b7a-dbf1-11ea-8051-d5f887d73381_story.html |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |access-date=3 March 2022 |date=21 August 2020 |archive-date=27 November 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221127123117/https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/with-a-mix-of-covert-disinformation-and-blatant-propaganda-foreign-adversaries-bear-down-on-final-phase-of-presidential-campaign/2020/08/20/57997b7a-dbf1-11ea-8051-d5f887d73381_story.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Birnbaum |first1=Emily |title=Facebook restores previously suspended Russia-linked pages |url=https://thehill.com/policy/technology/431497-facebook-restores-previously-suspended-russia-linked-pages/ |website=[[The Hill (newspaper)|The Hill]] |access-date=3 March 2022 |language=en |date=25 February 2019 |archive-date=7 November 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201107230345/https://thehill.com/policy/technology/431497-facebook-restores-previously-suspended-russia-linked-pages |url-status=live }}</ref>}} which owns the Redfish video channel and the [[Maffick]] digital media company.<ref name="Times Redfish">{{cite news | last=Moore | first=Matthew | title=Company behind Grenfell YouTube film has links to Kremlin | website=[[The Times]] | date=10 February 2018 | url=https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/company-behind-grenfell-youtube-film-has-links-to-kremlin-k9bqlk6mf | access-date=25 January 2021 | archive-date=30 January 2021 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210130045508/https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/company-behind-grenfell-youtube-film-has-links-to-kremlin-k9bqlk6mf | url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="CNN Maffick">{{cite news|last1=O'Sullivan|first1=Donie|last2=Griffin|first2=Drew|last3=Devine|first3=Curt|last4=Shubert|first4=Atika|url=https://edition.cnn.com/2019/02/15/tech/russia-facebook-viral-videos/index.html|title=Russia is backing a viral video company aimed at American millennials|work=CNN|date=February 18, 2019|access-date=July 30, 2020|archive-date=6 August 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200806064505/https://edition.cnn.com/2019/02/15/tech/russia-facebook-viral-videos/index.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
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[[File:Dmitry Medvedev took part in the launch of Russia Today Documentary.jpg|thumb|Dmitry Medvedev took part in the launch of RT Documentary]]
[[File:Vladimir Putin - Visit to Russia Today television channel 2.jpg|thumb|Vladimir Putin during a visit to the new RT broadcasting centre]]
RT launched several new channels in ensuing years: the Arabic language channel [[Rusiya Al-Yaum]] in 2007, the Spanish language channel [[RT en Español|Actualidad RT]] in 2009, RT America – which focuses on the United States – in 2010, and the RT Documentary channel in 2011.<ref name="vonTwickel">{{Cite web|last=von Twickel|first=Nikolaus|date=23 March 2010|title=Russia Today courts viewers with controversy|url=https://www.rbth.com/articles/2010/03/23/230310_rt.html|access-date=12 December 2020|website=[[Russia Beyond]]|publisher=[[Rossiyskaya Gazeta]]|archive-date=21 April 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220421180512/https://www.rbth.com/articles/2010/03/23/230310_rt.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
In August 2007, Russia Today became the first television channel to report live from the North Pole (with the report lasting five minutes and 41 seconds). An RT crew participated in the [[Arktika 2007]] Russian polar expedition, led by [[Artur Chilingarov]] on the ''[[Akademik Fyodorov]]'' [[icebreaker]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.rt.com/news/russias-landmark-events-of-2007/|title=Russia's landmark events of 2007|work=RT International|access-date=14 April 2017|language=en-EN|archive-date=28 April 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230428063304/https://www.rt.com/news/russias-landmark-events-of-2007/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Zagorodnov">{{cite news|last=Zagorodnov|first=Artem|date=25 September 2008|title=Today's woman who needs to be heard|newspaper=[[Russia Beyond]]|publisher=[[Rossiyskaya Gazeta]]|url=http://rbth.com/articles/2008/09/25/250908_rt.html|access-date=18 April 2015|archive-date=17 January 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230117194109/https://www.rbth.com/articles/2008/09/25/250908_rt.html|url-status=live}}</ref> On 31 December 2007, RT's broadcasts of New Year's Eve celebrations in [[Moscow]] and [[Saint Petersburg]] were broadcast in the hours prior to the New Year's Eve event at [[New York City|New York City's]] [[Times Square]].<ref name="Zagorodnov"/>
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On 17 April 2012, RT debuted ''[[World Tomorrow]]'', a news interview programme hosted by [[WikiLeaks]] founder [[Julian Assange]]. The first guest on the program was [[Hezbollah]] leader [[Hassan Nasrallah]].<ref name="Stanley">Alessandra Stanley, [https://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/18/arts/television/julian-assange-starts-talk-show-on-russian-tv.html The Prisoner as Talk Show Host; Julian Assange Starts Talk Show on Russian TV] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170310214922/http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/18/arts/television/julian-assange-starts-talk-show-on-russian-tv.html |date=10 March 2017 }}, ''[[The New York Times]]'', 17 April 2012.</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=The World Tomorrow |url=http://worldtomorrow.wikileaks.org/ |publisher=WikiLeaks |date=13 April 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120415223431/http://worldtomorrow.wikileaks.org/ |archive-date=15 April 2012 |url-status=live |access-date=13 April 2012 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Assange show premiere: Time to watch 'The World Tomorrow' |url=http://rt.com/news/assange-world-tomorrow-premier-date-time-934/ |publisher=RT|location=Russia |date=13 April 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120413165005/http://rt.com/news/assange-world-tomorrow-premier-date-time-934/ |archive-date=13 April 2012 |url-status=live |access-date=13 April 2012 }}</ref> The interview made global headlines as Nasrallah rarely gives interviews to Western media.<ref name="Taylor">{{cite news |last1=Taylor |first1=Jerome |title=Julian Assange launches talk show on Kremlin-backed broadcaster Russia |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/julian-assange-launches-talk-show-on-kremlinbacked-broadcaster-russia-today-7654690.html |access-date=14 April 2021 |work=The Independent |date=17 April 2012 |language=en |quote=Heading off criticism for his choice of partner he added: “There's Julian Assange, enemy combatant, a traitor, getting in to bed with the Kremlin and interviewing terrible radicals from around the world. I think that's a pretty trivial kind of attack. If they actually look at how the show is made: we make it, we have complete editorial control, we believe that all media organisations have an angle, all media organisations have an issue. |archive-date=14 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210414143334/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/julian-assange-launches-talk-show-on-kremlinbacked-broadcaster-russia-today-7654690.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Commentators described this as a "coup".<ref>Raphael Satter, [https://news.yahoo.com/assange-interviews-hezbollah-leader-tv-premiere-115117514.html Assange interviews Hezbollah leader in TV premiere] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305030246/http://news.yahoo.com/assange-interviews-hezbollah-leader-tv-premiere-115117514.html |date=5 March 2016 }}, [[Associated Press]] via ''[[Denver Post]]'', 17 April 2012.</ref><ref>[http://www.news.com.au/world/assange-debuts-chat-show/story-fn6sb9br-1226330924558 Assange chats with terrorist] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150419163553/http://www.news.com.au/world/assange-debuts-chat-show/story-fn6sb9br-1226330924558 |date=19 April 2015 }}, [[Agence France-Presse]], 18 April 2012.</ref> WikiLeaks described the show as "a series of in-depth conversations with key political players, thinkers and revolutionaries from around the world".<ref>{{cite web |url=https://wikileaks.org/New-Assange-TV-Series.html |title=New Assange TV Series |date=23 January 2012 |publisher=wikileaks.org |access-date=12 February 2012 |archive-date=11 February 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120211041602/http://wikileaks.org/New-Assange-TV-Series.html |url-status=live }}</ref> It stated that the show is "independently produced and Assange has control"; WikiLeaks offers a "Broadcasters license, only".<ref name="Lucas">Douglas Lucas, [http://www.salon.com/2012/02/23/julian_assange_prepares_his_next_move/ Julian Assange prepares his next move] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120929230435/http://www.salon.com/2012/02/23/julian_assange_prepares_his_next_move/ |date=29 September 2012 }}, ''[[Salon (website)|Salon]]'', 23 February 2012.</ref>
Assange said that RT allowed his guests to discuss things that they "could not say on a mainstream TV network".<ref>{{cite news|author=Raphael Satter |url=http://www.denverpost.com/nationalpolitics/ci_20414171/wikileaks-founders-show-air-kremlin-tv|title=Assange interviews Hezbollah leader in TV premiere|agency=[[Associated Press]]|work=[[The Denver Post]]|date=17 April 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130910131250/http://www.denverpost.com/nationalpolitics/ci_20414171/wikileaks-founders-show-air-kremlin-tv|archive-date=10 September 2013}}</ref> Assange's production company made the show and Assange had full editorial control. Assange said that, if WikiLeaks had published large amounts of compromising data on Russia, his relationship with RT might not have been so comfortable.<ref name="Taylor" /> In August of that year, RT suffered a [[denial of service]] attack. Some people linked the attack to RT's connection with Assange, and others to an impending court verdict related to [[Pussy Riot]].<ref>David Meyer, [
On 23 October 2012, RT, along with Al Jazeera and [[C-SPAN]], broadcast the [[Free and Equal Elections Foundation]] third-party debate among four third-party [[2012 United States presidential election|candidates for President]] of the United States.<ref>Michael Calderone, [http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/19/third-party-debate-al-jazeera-english_n_1988014.html Third-Party Debate To Be Broadcast By Al Jazeera English, RT America, But Not Major Cable News Networks] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160809092421/http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/19/third-party-debate-al-jazeera-english_n_1988014.html |date=9 August 2016 }}, ''[[HuffPost]]'', Posted: 19 October 2012, Updated: 23 October 2012. Retrieved 4 November 2012</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.pbs.org/newshour/extra/video/blog/2012/10/presidential_hopefuls_take_sta.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121027162558/http://www.pbs.org/newshour/extra/video/blog/2012/10/presidential_hopefuls_take_sta.html|archive-date=27 October 2012|title=Presidential Hopefuls Meet in Third Party Debate|work=[[PBS NewsHour]]|date=25 October 2012|access-date=26 October 2012}}</ref> On 5 November, RT broadcast the two candidates that were voted winners of that debate, [[Libertarian Party (United States)|Libertarian Party]] candidate Governor [[Gary Johnson]] and [[Green Party of the United States|Green Party]] candidate [[Jill Stein]], from RT's [[Washington, D.C.]] studio.<ref>[https://www.rt.com/usa/rt-third-party-debate-stein-249/ RT to host final US presidential third-party debate] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170415011221/https://www.rt.com/usa/rt-third-party-debate-stein-249/ |date=15 April 2017 }}, Published: 27 October 2012; Edited: 3 November 2012; note that the debate was postponed from 30 October because of [[Hurricane Sandy]].</ref><ref>Paul Singer, [https://www.usatoday.com/story/onpolitics/2012/11/05/nader-stein-johnson-debate-third-party/1682643/ Nader's third-party debate raises alternate issues] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170819060717/https://www.usatoday.com/story/onpolitics/2012/11/05/nader-stein-johnson-debate-third-party/1682643/ |date=19 August 2017 }}, ''[[USA Today]]'', 5 November 2012.</ref><ref>[https://www.rt.com/usa/us-stein-johnson-foreign-036/ RT hosts third party debate #2: Tackling the issues the mainstream ignores] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170414163936/https://www.rt.com/usa/us-stein-johnson-foreign-036/ |date=14 April 2017 }}, RT.com story and video of debate, 6 November 2012.</ref>
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In October 2016, the [[NatWest]] bank stated that they will no longer provide banking services to RT in the UK without providing any reasons. This decision was criticised by Margarita Simonyan, the editor-in-chief of RT, and the Russia Government. Simonyan sarcastically tweeted that: "Long live freedom of speech!"<ref>{{Cite web|last=karl-mcdonald|date=17 October 2016|title=Russia Today's UK bank accounts shut by NatWest|url=https://inews.co.uk/news/uk/russia-todays-uk-bank-accounts-shut-natwest-25993|access-date=30 November 2021|website=inews.co.uk|language=en|archive-date=30 November 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211130092336/https://inews.co.uk/news/uk/russia-todays-uk-bank-accounts-shut-natwest-25993|url-status=live}}</ref> However, NatWest reversed its decision in January 2017, said it had reached a resolution with RT. Simonyan said the decision showed that "common sense has prevailed".<ref>{{Cite web|date=30 January 2017|title=NatWest reverses decision to close RT's bank accounts in UK|url=http://www.theguardian.com/media/2017/jan/30/natwest-reverses-decision-close-rt-russia-today-bank-accounts-uk|access-date=30 November 2021|work=The Guardian|language=en|archive-date=30 November 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211130092339/https://www.theguardian.com/media/2017/jan/30/natwest-reverses-decision-close-rt-russia-today-bank-accounts-uk|url-status=live}}</ref>
In 2018, some of the RT staff started a new media project, Redfish.media, that positioned itself as "grassroots journalism".<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/grassroots-media-startup-redfish-is-supported-by-the-kremlin|title=This 'Grassroots' Media Startup Is Supported by the Kremlin|last=Davis|first=Charles|date=1 February 2018|work=The Daily Beast|access-date=12 August 2018|language=en|archive-date=31 January 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190131233925/https://www.thedailybeast.com/grassroots-media-startup-redfish-is-supported-by-the-kremlin|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Times Redfish" /> The website was criticized by activist Musa Okwonga for deceptively interviewing him and then distributing it across RT channels while hiding its real affiliation.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.okwonga.com/my-new-post-on-redfish-and-russia-today/|title=My new post, on Redfish and Russia Today.|website=okwonga.com|language=en-US|access-date=12 August 2018|archive-date=13 August 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180813005114/http://www.okwonga.com/my-new-post-on-redfish-and-russia-today/|url-status=dead}}</ref> Another similar RT project is ''In the NOW'', started in 2018.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.buzzfeed.com/ishmaeldaro/quirky-viral-video-channel-is-funded-by-the-russian-govt|title=This Quirky New Viral Video Channel Is Funded By The Russian Government|work=BuzzFeed|access-date=19 October 2018|language=en|archive-date=26 February 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210226140538/https://www.buzzfeed.com/ishmaeldaro/quirky-viral-video-channel-is-funded-by-the-russian-govt|url-status=live}}</ref> On 15 February 2019, Facebook temporarily blocked the ''In the NOW'' page, saying that even though it does not require pages to disclose who funds them, it had suspended the page so viewers would not "be misled about who's behind them". [[Anissa Naouai]], CEO of [[Maffick]], which published the page, described the blocking as "unprecedented discrimination", and said that Facebook did not ask other channels to declare their parent company and financial affiliations. As of February 2019, a majority of Maffick stock was controlled by [[Ruptly]], an RT subsidiary, with Naouai owning the remaining 49%. Facebook unblocked the page on 25 February 2019; Naouai said the company had agreed to do so once the page was updated to feature information on ''In the NOW''{{'}}s funding and management. She added that this requirement has been applied to no other Facebook page. ''In the NOW'' also has an active channel on [[YouTube]] and regularly posts videos from [[Maffick#Brands|Soapbox]], a Maffick-owned channel.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Ma |first1=Alexandra |title=Russia's RT attacks Facebook for suspending 4 viral news channels that broadcast Kremlin talking points to millennials |url=https://www.businessinsider.com
In February 2021, Matt Field from the ''[[Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists]]'' reported that RT had created an account on [[Gab (social network)|Gab]], a [[social network]] known for its [[Far-right politics|far-right]] userbase, right before the start of former [[President of the United States|U.S. President]] [[Donald Trump]]'s [[Second impeachment trial of Donald Trump|second impeachment trial]].<ref name="Field-2021">{{Cite web|last=Field|first=Matt|date=2021-02-09|title=As Trump's impeachment trial begins, the Russian network that helped him in 2016 taps his supporters on Gab.com|url=https://thebulletin.org/2021/02/as-trumps-impeachment-trial-begins-the-russian-network-that-helped-him-in-2016-taps-his-supporters-on-gab-com/|access-date=2021-02-10|website=[[Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists]]|language=en-US|archive-date=10 February 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210210220940/https://thebulletin.org/2021/02/as-trumps-impeachment-trial-begins-the-russian-network-that-helped-him-in-2016-taps-his-supporters-on-gab-com/|url-status=live}}</ref> Field commented that RT had posted several articles on its Gab account, including one criticizing [[The Lincoln Project]], an organization run by [[Never Trump movement|anti-Trump Republicans]].<ref name="Field-2021" />
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In September and October 2022, RT launched RT Hindi<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.rt.com/news/563568-rt-hindi-twitter-telegram-launch/ | title=RT Hindi debuts on Twitter | access-date=29 April 2023 | archive-date=29 April 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230429120151/https://www.rt.com/news/563568-rt-hindi-twitter-telegram-launch/ | url-status=live }}</ref> and RT Balkan,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Gotev |first=Georgi |date=2023-03-31 |title=Study: Russian embassy in Sofia most impactful in spreading propaganda |url=https://www.euractiv.com/section/global-europe/news/study-russian-embassy-in-sofia-most-impactful-in-spreading-propaganda/ |access-date= |website=[[Euractiv]] |language=en-GB |archive-date=29 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230429121659/https://www.euractiv.com/section/global-europe/news/study-russian-embassy-in-sofia-most-impactful-in-spreading-propaganda/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2022-11-15 |title=RT Launches Local Website, Broadcasting in Serbia |url=https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2022/11/15/rt-launches-local-hub-in-serbia-a79380 |access-date= |website=[[The Moscow Times]] |language=en |archive-date=29 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230429123155/https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2022/11/15/rt-launches-local-hub-in-serbia-a79380 |url-status=live }}</ref> to expand its audience.
=== 2023–Present ===
In September 2023, Russia Today launched its online platform in Portuguese, as "RT Brazil".
On Aug 9, 2024 the broadcast and other equipment from the RT studio in Washington DC would be auctioned off.<ref>https://rasmus.com/auctions/PDFH8RH4lUDFATQlWiEv {{Bare URL inline|date=August 2024}}</ref>
==Organization==
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According to RT as of March 2022, the network's feed is carried by 22 satellites and over 230 operators, providing a distribution reach to about 700 million households in more than 100 countries.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.rt.com/about-us/distribution/|title=Distribution|website=RT International|language=en-EN|access-date=13 March 2022|archive-date=7 June 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230607134305/https://www.rt.com/about-us/distribution/|url-status=live}}</ref> RT also stated that RT America was available to 85 million households throughout the United States, as of 2012.<ref name="CSM2012">Fred Weir, [http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Global-News/2012/0125/Russia-gives-WikiLeaks-Julian-Assange-a-TV-platform Russia gives WikiLeaks' Julian Assange a TV platform] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230419221003/https://www.csmonitor.com/World/Global-News/2012/0125/Russia-gives-WikiLeaks-Julian-Assange-a-TV-platform |date=19 April 2023 }}, ''[[The Christian Science Monitor]]'', 25 January 2012.</ref>
In addition to its main English language channel RT International, RT UK and RT America, RT also runs Arabic-language channel Rusiya Al-Yaum, Spanish language channel Actualidad RT, as well as the RTDoc documentary channel. RT maintains 21 bureaus in 16 countries, including those in Washington, D.C., New York City; London, England; Paris, France; Delhi, India; [[Cairo, Egypt]] and [[Baghdad, Iraq]].<ref name="RTCorporate">{{Cite web|url=https://www.rt.com/about-us/|title=About RT (formerly corporate profile)|website=RT International|language=en-EN|access-date=14 April 2017|archive-date=24 February 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190224095056/https://www.rt.com/about-us/|url-status=live}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable"
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===Ratings/impact===
;Audience ratings
The RT website (as of March 2022), maintains that "since June 2012", RT has "consistently and significantly outperforms other foreign channels including Euronews and Fox News. RT's quarterly audience in the UK is 2.5 million viewers".<ref name="RT-ratings">{{cite web |title=RT. About Us. Distribution |url=https://www.rt.com/about-us/distribution/ |website=RT |access-date=14 March 2022 |archive-date=7 June 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230607134305/https://www.rt.com/about-us/distribution/ |url-status=live }}</ref> However, according to ''[[The Daily Beast]]'', citing leaked documents from "Vasily Gatov, a former RIA Novosti employee" (as of 2015) RT “hugely exaggerates its viewership,”;<ref name="Niemanlab-2022"/> and its most-watched segments were on apolitical subjects.<ref>{{cite news|title=Putin's Propaganda TV Lies About Its Popularity|url=http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2015/09/17/putin-s-propaganda-tv-lies-about-ratings.html|website=The Daily Beast|date=17 September 2015|access-date=6 August 2016|last1=Zavadski|first1=Katie|archive-date=20 September 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150920002756/http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2015/09/17/putin-s-propaganda-tv-lies-about-ratings.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Between 2013 and 2015, over 80% of RT's viewership was for videos of accidents, crime, disasters, and natural phenomena, such as the 2013 [[Chelyabinsk meteor]] event, with less than 1% of viewership for political videos.<ref name=Zavaski17Sept/> In late 2015, all of the 20 most-watched videos on its main channel, totaling 300 million views, were described as "disaster/novelty". Of the top 100, only a small number could be categorized as political, with only one covering Ukraine.<ref name=BBC915/> The most popular video of Russian president Putin shows him singing "[[Blueberry Hill (song)|Blueberry Hill]]" at a 2010 St. Petersburg charity event.<ref name="Zavaski17Sept"/> In 2017, ''[[The Washington Post]]'' analysed RT's popularity and concluded that "it's not very good at its job" as "Moscow's propaganda arm" due to its relative unpopularity.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2017/01/12/if-russia-today-is-moscows-propaganda-arm-its-not-very-good-at-its-job/|title=If Russia Today is Moscow's propaganda arm, it's not very good at its job|newspaper=The Washington Post|access-date=13 April 2017|archive-date=12 January 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170112205116/https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2017/01/12/if-russia-today-is-moscows-propaganda-arm-its-not-very-good-at-its-job/|url-status=live}}</ref> RT has disputed both ''The Daily Beast'' and ''The Washington Post'' assessments, saying their analyses used outdated viewership data.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.rt.com/op-edge/315778-exposing-daily-beast-propaganda/|title=Exposing Daily Beast propaganda: 10 RT political virals the YouTube MSM can only dream of|website=RT International|language=en-EN|access-date=13 April 2017|archive-date=14 April 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170414162029/https://www.rt.com/op-edge/315778-exposing-daily-beast-propaganda/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.rt.com/op-edge/373527-fact-checking-washington-post-rt-report/|title=Fact check for dummies: Teaching Washington Post & Co how to do journalism one last time|website=RT International|language=en-EN|access-date=13 April 2017|archive-date=14 April 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170414080820/https://www.rt.com/op-edge/373527-fact-checking-washington-post-rt-report/|url-status=live}}</ref>
A study by Professor Robert Orttung at George Washington University stated that RT uses human interest stories without ideological content to attract viewers to its channels. Between January and May 2015, the Russian-language channel had the most viewers, with approximately double the number of the main channel, despite only having around one-third the number of subscribers.<ref name="Orttung">{{cite book |last1=Orttung |first1=Robert |last2=Nelson |first2=Elizabeth |last3=Livshen |first3=Anthony |section=Measuring RT's impact on YouTube |title=Information Warfare |journal=Russian Analytical Digest |date=8 December 2015 |volume=177 |issue=8 |url=http://www.css.ethz.ch/content/dam/ethz/special-interest/gess/cis/center-for-securities-studies/pdfs/RussianAnalyticalDigest177.pdf |access-date=21 March 2021 |publisher=[[Research Centre for East European Studies]] |location=[[University of Bremen]] |via=[[ETH Zurich]] |archive-date=9 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230409122210/https://css.ethz.ch/content/dam/ethz/special-interest/gess/cis/center-for-securities-studies/pdfs/RussianAnalyticalDigest177.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>
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====Followers====
In 2013, RT became "the first news network to surpass 1 billion views on YouTube".<ref name="wapo-muffle-2022"/> As of shortly after the invasion of Ukraine and blocking of RT by tech companies, RT's "main Facebook channel has more than 7 million followers" (some of which are located in Europe where the channel is blocked). RT's YouTube account had "roughly 4.65 million followers in English and 5.94 million in Spanish".<ref name="wapo-muffle-2022"/>
====Impact====
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Reviewing the first episode of Julian Assange's show ''World Tomorrow'', ''[[The Independent]]'' noted that Assange, who was under [[house arrest]], was "largely deferential" in asking some questions of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, who himself was in hiding. However, he also asked tough questions such as why Nasrallah had not supported Arab revolts against Syrian leaders, when he had supported them in Tunisia, Yemen, Egypt, and other countries.<ref name="Taylor" /> ''The New York Times'' journalist Allesandra Stanley wrote that "practically speaking, Mr. Assange is in bed with the Kremlin, but on Tuesday's show he didn't put out" and that he "behaved surprisingly like a standard network interviewer".<ref name="Stanley" /> Douglas Lucas in [[Salon (website)|Salon]] wrote that the RT deal "may just be a profitable way for him to get a gigantic retweet".<ref name="Lucas" /> [[Glenn Greenwald]] wrote that RT presenting the Julian Assange show led to "a predictable wave of snide, smug attacks from American media figures".<ref name="Greenwald">[[Glenn Greenwald]], [http://www.salon.com/2012/04/18/attacks_on_rt_and_assange_reveal_much_about_the_critics/ Attacks on RT and Assange reveal much about the critics] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120906115129/http://www.salon.com/2012/04/18/attacks_on_rt_and_assange_reveal_much_about_the_critics/ |date=6 September 2012 }}, ''Salon'', 18 April 2012.</ref>
[[File:Abby Martin RT correspondent.png|thumb|
=== Other shows ===
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==== Current ====
{{Div col|colwidth=22em}}
* ''Starbound'' (Egor Piskunov)
* ''Perspective with [[Scottie Nell Hughes]]''
* ''Let’s Talk Bharat with [[Anupam Kher]]''
* ''Moscow Mules'' ([[Chay Bowes]])
* ''Interview'' (various presenters)
* ''Going Underground'' ([[Afshin Rattansi]])
* ''[[CrossTalk]]''
* ''The 360 View with [[Scottie Nell Hughes]]''
{{anchor|WorldsApart}}
* ''On the Touchline with [[José Mourinho]]''
* ''Direct Impact with [[Rick Sanchez (journalist)|Rick Sanchez]]''
*
* ''Modus Operandi with
* ''The Cost of Everything'' (Christy Ai)
* ''The Whistleblowers'' (John Kiriakou)
* ''Inland Visions'' (Sean Thomas)
* ''Africa Now with Paula Slier''{{div col end}}
==== Former ====
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According to Steven Erlanger, RT provides "hard news and top-notch graphics" and a "mix with interviews from all sorts of people: well known and obscure, left and right. if there is any unifying character to RT, it is a deep skepticism of Western and American narratives of the world and a fundamental defensiveness about Russia and Mr. Putin."<ref name="Erlanger-NYT-8-3-17"/>
RT formerly hosted the leaders of populist European parties such as UKIP's leader Nigel Farage
=== Propaganda and related issues ===
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{{flag|Latvia}} – At the end of June 2020, after new amendments to the Law on Electronic Media were made, seven RT channels were banned in Latvia for being under the control of [[Dmitry Kiselyov]] who had been sanctioned by the European Union since 2014. Chairperson of the National Electronic Mass Media Council Ivars Āboliņš said they will be asking all EU state regulators to follow their example and restrict RT in their territory.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.neplpadome.lv/en/home/news/news1/neplp-restricts-most-influential-kremlins-propaganda-channel-in-latvia.html|title=NEPLP restricts most influential Kremlin's propaganda channel in Latvia|publisher=The National Electronic Mass Media Council|date=30 June 2020|access-date=30 June 2020|archive-date=1 July 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200701155301/https://www.neplpadome.lv/en/home/news/news1/neplp-restricts-most-influential-kremlins-propaganda-channel-in-latvia.html|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="Latvia ban">{{cite news |last=Anstrate |first=Vita |date=30 June 2020 |title=Kremlin propaganda channel "RT" banned in Latvia |publisher=[[Public Broadcasting of Latvia]] |url=https://eng.lsm.lv/article/politics/politics/kremlin-propaganda-channel-rt-banned-in-latvia.a365523/ |access-date=30 June 2020}}</ref> Kiselyov called the decision "an indicator of the level of stupidity and ignorance of the Latvian authorities, blinded by Russophobia".<ref>{{cite news|last1=Gelzis|first1=Gederts|last2=Marrow|first2=Alexander|last3=Devitt|first3=Polina|others=Alexandra Hudson (ed.)|date=30 June 2020|title=Latvia bans Russian broadcaster RT over ties to Kremlin media mogul|work=[[Reuters]]|editor-last=Fulton|editor-first=Colm|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-latvia-russia-rt/latvia-bans-russian-broadcaster-rt-over-ties-to-kremlin-media-mogul-idUSKBN24133K|access-date=30 June 2020}}</ref>
{{flag|Lithuania}} – [[Linas Antanas Linkevičius]], Lithuania's Minister of Foreign Affairs, posted on Twitter on 9 March 2014 amid the [[
{{flag|Poland}} – The [[Krajowa Rada Radiofonii i Telewizji|National Broadcasting Council]] banned RT in Poland on 24 February 2022 in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.<ref name="Poland ban">{{cite web |title=Rosyjskie programy wykreślone z rejestru programów rozprowadzanych |url=https://www.gov.pl/web/krrit/rosyjskie-programy-wykreslone-z-rejestru-programow-rozprowadzanych |publisher=[[Krajowa Rada Radiofonii i Telewizji|National Broadcasting Council]] |language=pl-PL |trans-title=Russian programs removed from the distributed program registry }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Kayali |first1=Laura |last2=Goujard |first2=Clothilde |title=Europe increases pressure on Kremlin-backed broadcaster RT |url=https://www.politico.eu/article/western-europe-increases-pressure-on-kremlin-backed-broadcaster-rt/ |website=[[Politico Europe]] |access-date=25 February 2022 |date=24 February 2022}}</ref>
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{{flag|United Kingdom}} – On 18 March 2022, ANO TV Novosti's broadcasting license was revoked by [[Ofcom]], effectively banning RT from being broadcast. This was taken in the wake of RT UK being funded by the Russian government, which, when combined with their promotion of Russian state narratives with regards to sanctions and its invasion of Ukraine, was deemed a violation of neutrality standards.<ref name="UK licence revoke">{{Cite news|date=18 March 2022|title=Ofcom revokes RT's broadcast licence|work=[[Ofcom]]|url=https://www.ofcom.org.uk/news-centre/2022/ofcom-revokes-rt-broadcast-licence|access-date=16 April 2022}}</ref> This came after an investigation was launched on 2 March 2022 in these matters, also involving the invasion.<ref name="UK investigation">{{Cite news|date=2 March 2022|title=Ofcom launches further investigations into RT|work=[[Ofcom]]|url=https://www.ofcom.org.uk/news-centre/2022/ofcom-revokes-rt-broadcast-licence|access-date=16 April 2022}}</ref>
{{flag|United States}} – In September 2017, the [[United States Department of Justice|US Department of Justice]] compelled RT to file paperwork under the [[Foreign Agents Registration Act]] in the United States.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://thehill.com/business-a-lobbying/business-a-lobbying/350226-russian-network-rt-must-register-as-foreign-agent-in/|title=Russian network RT must register as foreign agent in US|last=Balluck|first=Kyle|date=12 September 2017|work=The Hill|access-date=12 September 2017}}</ref> Previously, the [[United States Secretary of State]] [[John Kerry]] had referred to RT as a state-sponsored "propaganda bullhorn" and he continued by saying, "{{sic|Russia Today}} network has deployed to promote president Putin's fantasy about what is playing out on the ground. They almost spend full-time devoted to this effort, to propagandize, and to distort what is happening or not happening in Ukraine."<ref name="JKerry">{{cite press release|title=Secretary Kerry on Ukraine|url=http://www.c-span.org/video/?319014-1/secretary-kerry-ukraine|publisher=[[C-SPAN]]|date=24 April 2014}}</ref> RT responded that they wanted "an official response from the U.S. Department of State substantiating Mr. Kerry's claims".<ref name="BI RTupset">{{citation|title=RT Is Very Upset With John Kerry For Blasting Them As Putin's 'Propaganda Bullhorn'|url=
=== Political involvement ===
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Steve Bloomfield, the foreign editor of ''[[Monocle (lifestyle magazine)|Monocle]]'' wrote that RT's "coverage of Ukraine could not have been kinder to Moscow if Vladimir Putin had chosen the running order himself. While Putin kept up the pretence that there were no Russian troops in Crimea, so too did RT. The storming of government buildings across eastern Ukraine has been portrayed as the understandable actions of peace-loving protesters who fear "chaos" in Kiev".<ref>{{cite news|title=Ofcom should be looking again at Putin's TV news channel|url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/apr/24/ukraine-russia-putin-news-reporting|date=24 April 2014|newspaper=The Guardian|author=Bloomfield, Steve}}</ref>
After the July 2014 crash of [[Malaysia Airlines Flight 17]], RT rushed to blame others for the plane's shoot-down in Ukraine amid accusations by Ukrainian fighters of Russian involvement in the crash.<ref name="mh17-biau">{{citation|title=Here's The Ridiculous Way Russia's Propaganda Channel Is Covering The Downed Malaysia Airliner|url=
Sara Firth, a London-based correspondent with RT resigned in protest over the network's coverage of the MH17 disaster. Shortly before resigning, she [[tweeted]], "RT style guide Rule 1: It is ALWAYS * Ukraine's fault (* add name as applicable)". She told ''The Guardian'': "I walked into the newsroom and there was an eyewitness account making allegations [against Ukraine] and analysis, if you can call it, from our correspondent in the studio. It was just appalling, in a situation like that where there are families waiting to be informed and a devastating loss of life." She also noted that "There is bias against Russia but you don't counter wrong by doing even more wrong" and stated "I have always said it's better to have RT than to not have that perspective, but actually with a story like this and the way they misreport it, it's quite dangerous, I don't want to be party to it."<ref name="sarafirth">{{cite news|last=Plunkett|first=John|date=18 July 2014|title=Russia Today reporter resigns in protest at MH17 coverage|newspaper=[[The Guardian]]|url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2014/jul/18/mh17-russia-today-reporter-resigns-sara-firth-kremlin-malaysia|access-date=11 March 2021}}</ref> In follow-up interview she said: "In Ukraine, you're taking a very small part of a much wider story, totally omitted the context of the story, and so what you wind up with on air is outright misinformation." Calling RT "mass information manipulation", Firth said: "they have a very clear idea in their mind of what they're trying to prove". She also stated that "The worst-kept secret is that RT is blatant propaganda. I'm one in a very long line of people who have left for the same reason."<ref name=TIME2114/>
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