RT (formerly Russia Today according to abbreviationfinder) is a state-owned Russian television company. Its main English-language channel, RT International in 2013 confirmed its status as the largest content news provider in the international video-sharing market, becoming the world’s first news channel, which surpassed the 1 billion views mark. on YouTube.
It operates as a multilingual service with channels in four languages; the original channel in English was launched in 2005, Rusiya Al-Yaum in Arabic was launched in 2007, RT Deutsch in 2014, while its Spanish channel Actualidad RT was launched in 2009. Since 2010 there is RT America, which focuses on the United States. States, based in Washington, DC. Since 2014 it has been joined by UK-focused RT UK, it has been based in London; and in December 2017, RT France.
RT is a brand of TV-Novosti, founded by RIA Novosti (now Russia Today) on April 6, 2005. During the economic crisis of December 2008, the Russian government included the autonomous non-profit organization TV-Novosti in the list of the central organizations of strategic importance of Russia.
It is the most viewed news channel on YouTube. In June 2013, it became the first television channel in history to reach one billion views, registering around 800,000 to one million views per day. In December 2015, the number of visits exceeded 3 billion, and in 2016 it exceeded 4 billion.
History
The creation of RT was part of a Russian government effort to spread Russian news abroad, being conceived by Russia’s former communications minister Mikhail Lesin and Vladimir Putin’s press spokesman Alexei Gromov. When it was founded, Svetlana Mironyuk, the head of the RIA Novosti news agency, stated:
“Unfortunately, at the level of mass consciousness in the West, Russia is associated with three words: communism, snow, and poverty.”
Mironyuk further added:
“We want to present a more complete picture of life in our country.”
In 2005, RIA Novosti helped establish “ANO TV-Novosti” (Autonomous Non-Profit Organization TV-Novosti), the parent company of RT. ANO TV-Novosti appointed Sergei Frolov as chief executive.
It began broadcasts as Russia Today on December 10, 2005 with English newscasts. At its inception there were 300 journalists, approximately 70 of whom were from outside Russia. The position of editor-in-chief was left in the hands of Margarita Simonián, who recruited foreign journalists, presenters and advisers. Simonyan stated that the channel was trying to have a professional format (like CNN, BBC and Euronews) that could “reflect Russian opinion in the world” and present a “more balanced image” of Russia.
Shortly after the channel was launched, James Painter wrote that RT and similar news channels like France 24 and TeleSUR saw themselves as “counter-hegemonic,” offering a different view and news content from Western media outlets like CNN and BBC.. A 2009 Eurocommission report listed RT in English as one of the best-known television channels with international reach available in Europe, along with BBC World News and CNN International.
- 2005
- June 6,. The launch of the autumn television channel designed to “reflect Russia ‘s position on the main issues of international politics” and “inform the audience about the events and phenomena of Russian life” was announced. This Channel was established through its RIA Novosti agency, through its subsidiary, TV News.
- September 14. A test broadcast began.
- December 10. Full broadcast.
- December 12. Due to hardware accidents, the broadcast is interrupted, it is restored the next day. Some journalists wrote that it was perceived as an action to promote the channel.
- 2006
- March 1- the company IPD Group, owner of the portal russiatoday.com, appealed to the General Director of “TV-Novosti” Sergei Frolov with a request to change the name of the channel, arguing that the trademark was registered by Russia Today already in 1996.
- 2007
- July 4th. Start of publishing RT stories on YouTube.
- December 31. On the screens of NASDAQ and Reuters, New York, RT live broadcasts from Moscow and Petersburg were shown.
- 2008
- December 25. Non-profit “TV News”, the control channel Russia Today, was included in the list of strategic organizations of Russia.
- 2009
- June 11. The channel begins cooperation with the CNN World Report project.
- 2010
January 15. It began broadcasting from a studio complex in Washington DC.
Software
- News – The main news program comes out every half hour.
- Deporte – Sports News.
- SophieCo – Exclusive Interview. Lead – Sophiko Shevardnadze.
- Worlds Apart – Program authored by Oksana Boyko.
- CrossTalk – Discussion on the main event of the day. Lead – Peter Lavelle. One of the blocks of the program carries Elena Hanga.
- The Big Picture – Political news, debates, comments. Lead – That Hartmann.
- Keiser Report – A weekly program on the economy. Lead – Max Keiser.
- Venture Capital – Business news show.
- For the Money – A show about the business, economics and finance of emerging economies.
- The Truth Seeker – Exclusive interviews and investigations.
- Technology Update – A monthly schedule of the most exciting discoveries and achievements in science.
- XL Reports – Journalism and investigative journalism program.
- Underground – Stories from the UK, ignored by other media.
- Breaking the Set – Another look at world events – Abby Martin.
- Politicking – Larry King Show, Politics and Beyond.
- Larry King Now – Interview with Larry King on current affairs.
Red
RT has broadcast via satellite and cable operators to 550 million people in more than 100 countries. 25 percent of all cable subscribers worldwide. In addition to the English language, RT runs in Arabic and Spanish on different channels. It also owns a documentary channel and has 21 offices in 16 countries, including Washington DC, New York, London, Paris, New Delhi, Cairo, Baghdad and Kiev. It employs more than 2,000 media professionals around the world.
RT consists of:
- Russia Today (RT), its main International Channel
- RT America, English language channel.
- Arabic RT.
- RT news in Spanish.
- RT Documental.
