Anybody here watch RT? What do you think of it?

My cable company quietly added RT (Russia Today) and I am puzzled by it.

It strikes me as a strange combination of surprisingly intelligent and progressive news and commentary, and investigative reporting mixed with a cheesy attempt to be a bit like a stepchild of MSNBC.

But it also seems at times like the old Cold War version of Radio Moscow, with hardcore anti-American propaganda...

And for a Russian news channel, there's not much about Russia on it's English service.

The hosts are fascinating. There' Thom Hartman of all people, doing an hourly nightly show.....One guy who has a business news program looks and acts like Gilbert Gottfry, but he digs way deep into the seamy underbelly of capitalism to a level I've never heard in the mainstream media.

All in all a fascinating channel. I want to find out more about it.

There is nothing Cold War about him. He just a good guy. He invites a lot of people with different opinions on. While he argues with those who disagree with him, he is relatively respectful in his arguments and genuinely seems to like those who disagree with him. He used to be a Goldwater Republican.

The news programs have a point of view. But then so do all the news programs. You have to use your ability to discern and your critical judgment when watching RT. But then that is true of all news shows from Rachel Maddow to Glen Beck. It's viewer beware regardless whether you are watching CBS, ABC or NBC or RT or Al Jazeera. That is just the way it is. So, RT is a different view, but I find it refreshing.

RT is not Soviet era. I remember Soviet era. RT is not Soviet era. It is a different viewpoint. But then so is the Pat Robertson station. They are all different.

Yes Thom Hartmann is one of my favorites too. I wasn't referring to him. I said it was a mix, and has some excellent discussion and analysis.

My reference was more to the tone of the news coverage which -- appropriately or not -- seems to have more of tone of propaganda, rather than actual news. It's actually kind of anachronistic, and that aspect of it, at least, is very similar to the old Radio Moscow.

RT at least gives a different point of view. Think of what happened to Dan Rather at CBS. Then think of that character who is associated with Breitbart and the phony stuff he puts on FOX.

And all the military brass that opines on the TV -- pure propaganda. I trusted the news in the run-up to the Iraq War. Never again. With very few exceptions, it's mostly just propaganda. So pick your poison.

other sources before accepting what is on there.

it is kind of entertaining.

You mean like US stations broadcast hardcore anti Iranian propaganda. :sarcasm:

Check out Press too if you're able. http://www.presstv.ir/

As for the Iranian news website.....Well, when they tout a new media alliance between Iran and Zimbabwie -- which is an embarrassingly awful dictatorship to people of all ideologies -- you know they have a long ways to go before even reaching minor credibility.

Though I must admit, back before the fundies reasserted themselves in Iran in the early 00's, the Iranian news service was actually a good source of information about the perspective of that region regarding such things as the war in Iraq.

But after a few days I realized it is just a anti-everything the Kremlin doesn't like mouthpiece. It will bash US reporting, yet Russia kills its own reporters who report anything the Kremlin doens't like.

It definitely swings left, but does seem very cold war in that there is never any blame or criticism of Russia. Go look for their special on Russian Oligarchs getting sentenced to prison with a scam trial...won't find it there.