The struggle for credibility is a familiar tale particularly for those seeking to build followings online. It’s something users of sites like YouTube, Facebook, and X have long known.
The encroachment of Russian news media sits in this frame of context because of its need for an audience that will listen. The powers of the West however are not so sure about its intentions.
The banning of Russia Today by Ofcom in 2022 separated Russian origin programming from the UK market. It found the broadcasts did not meet our impartiality standards and probably wouldn’t.
The context of late has been the invasion of Ukraine by Russia. It leads to fears that Putin’s grip over the media there cannot loosen at such a pivotal moment in its foreign policy.
In the UK we have access to media because of the darker corners of the Internet and websites that aren’t blocked. One of them is Regnum, a Moscow-based news outlet that also reports on the West.
Its writing is stolid, typical of Russian origin propaganda. It’s not clear if it’s meant for English speakers or if it’s meant for Russian nationals of any location. The fact is it can be accessed and read here.
The inherent flaw in Russian attempts to reach out is that we’re ready because of our history and our innate suspicion of difference. In general we distrust Russian publications because we know its slant.
The opportunity Russia Today had for a brief time was to present a visually based representation of Russia as a modern, outward looking state. The Ukraine invasion has proven otherwise.