It's fun to have new sources of information about what's going on in the world. I had heard about
Russia Today before, but today I've been exploring their website. On their
YouTube channel page, it says that they are government-funded.
The following is taken from their
"About Us" page, a page I look for first when I encounter a new source:
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At RT we are set to step beyond the boundaries of bare facts and bring you the human side to every story. Broadcasting in English 24/7 in over 100 countries spread over five continents, RT is here to show you how any story can be another story altogether.
Our correspondents in New York and Washington, London and Paris, Delhi and Tel Aviv focus on international headlines whilst giving an innovative angle set to challenge viewers worldwide. RT was the first television station in the world to set up a bureau in Tskhinval, the capital of South Ossetia after the August 2008 conflict.
The channel
Launched in 2005, RT has speedily reached the heights of broadcasting popularity. In 2008 the monthly audience among those who have access or are aware of RT’s broadcasts on Time Warner Cable in NYC exceeds the one of BBC America by 11%. The daily audience of RT exceeds that of Deutsche Welle tenfold, within the same network.*
In 2008, RT’s average monthly reach in Russia indicated a growth rate of 82% within just six months. Over the same period, the channel’s average daily reach grew by 46%.**
In 2007, RT’s monthly audience share exceeded that of CNN and Bloomberg TV among NTV-PLUS satellite subscribers in Moscow.***
Apart from regular news updates, RT offers a unique insight into many aspects of Russian history, culture and opinions. Our special projects are specifically tailored to accustom the international audience with the Russian perspective.
RT anytime, anywhere
We are available around the world on cable, satellite and online. In Europe, South Africa and North America, RT has an audience of around 200 million paying viewers among the pay-TV subscribers. RT was the first Russian news channel to harness intercontinental potential and have its live broadcast show on America’s “most important screens” – NASDAQ and Reuters. Likewise, in August 2007, RT was the first channel in television history to report live from the North Pole.
Embracing technological advances, RT was the first Russian TV channel to hit the web with its own page on YouTube alongside its continuous online broadcast and blogs on services such as Facebook, MySpace and Blogger.
* According to Nielsen Media Research, 2008
** According to TNS Russia, 2008
*** According to Magram Market Research, 2007